If you’re in the mood for the perfect tortilla chip dunked in organic salsa that causes a flavor explosion in your mouth, look no further. Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet is that perfect complement to a chilly margarita or a late night savory snack on the couch.
Owned and operated by the Seron family, Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet began as a Utah-based small business over a decade ago. Now this family treat has gone far from its roots and serves many retailers across the U.S., China, and Canada.
Getting into the chip business…
With its humble beginnings as a snack that the Serons made up for social gatherings the tortilla chips slowly transformed into a business idea.
“My husband suggested we start making and selling our chips so that a larger audience could enjoy this family favorite,” Laurie says.
The Seron family moved from California more than 16 years ago and settled down in Utah. Laurie Seron, after whom the chips are named, was passionate about philanthropy and began as a volunteer for causes like homelessness and women’s empowerment. A bridge in Africa and a few other key projects later, Laurie decided she would use her business prowess to fulfill her charitable objectives.
“My ultimate dream and ambition was to launch a business and build it to a point when we can provide microfinance for projects that change the lives of women,” Laurie says.
Making and delivering chips…
Owing to health department regulations, the Seron family started preparing their chips by renting fryers at a local hamburger joint. For close to two years, each night from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., the family fried, seasoned, bagged and stocked tortilla chips. In the wee hours of the morning, the family loaded the chips into their vans and Laurie went around town delivering her freshly produced gourmet chips to specialty food stores around Salt Lake City.
The first store to start stocking Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet was ‘The Store’ which was one of the frontrunners in the specialty food segment. The idea to have the word ‘Buffalo’ in the name came from a chance family chat when one of Laurie’s children casually threw the idea out. The idea made everyone chuckle but it ultimately caught on as something symbolic of the Wild West.
A feature on the then popular Gabby Gourmet show coupled with the buzz created by the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, Laurie’s chips escalated in popularity. But the manual kneading, frying, seasoning, and packaging couldn’t keep up with the soaring demand for the gourmet chips.
Around that time, the Seron family took the hardest decision in the history of their small business. They decided to completely automate the processes and outsource the operations to a local restaurateur. In retrospect Laurie said it may have been the hardest business decision but was definitely a wise one considering the growing popularity of the product.
The Buffalo Gourmet difference…
Over only a few years, Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet has grown to great new heights. They now have a presence in some big name grocery stores like Harmon’s but have also been solicited constantly by giant retailers like Walmart. The Seron family has had to deal with difficult strategic decisions on how to expand. Being a specialty gourmet product the family is cautious about not diluting the brand image and spreading themselves too thin.
“Our efforts to provide the highest quality home-made product to the vast health needs of a growing natural marketplace will remain our top priority as long as there are those who demand distinguished flavor and only all natural ingredients in a healthy snack food,” says Laurie.
Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet consists of gourmet tortilla chips in a variety of flavors including – premium white corn, roasted sesame, sundried tomato and basil, chipotle, black bean and garlic. Their salsas are available in tantalizing flavors like fire roasted pueblo chile, tomatillo and fire roasted salsa, fire hot salsa with habanero peppers, and black bean and corn salsa.
The Buffalo gourmet difference is that all their chips and salsas are made with real, whole and natural ingredients. The company has developed an innovative process called Flavor Fusion. Fresh ingredients like herbs, spices, and corn are combined to create wholesome gourmet tortilla chips, making the product healthier and containing no artificial flavors and colors.
Looking ahead…
The company is staying with the times and expanding their product line into varieties like multigrain, quinoa etc. There are also ideas of introducing all natural snack mixes and beverages under the Buffalo Gourmet umbrella. The focus at the moment is to strengthen the brand name and grow strategically.
Laurie is the brand’s strongest ambassador and actively recruits retail opportunities and is present at food shows across the country.
“The best thing about owning your own business, despite the crazy hours, is the vision,” says Laurie.
Laurie is always cognizant about the motives that led her to start her own business. She dedicates every opportunity she gets to get involved in community activities and philanthropy.
Her advice for up and coming businesses is, “to make sure that you have a solid foundation built at the beginning. Don’t be in a rush. Utilize the resources in the community that are there for you to use.”
For more information, visit:
Laurie’s Buffalo Gourmet
www.lauriesbuffalogourmet.com
Making the world a happier place – one flower arrangement at a time.
Claude Monet once remarked, “I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.”
Perhaps that’s also why Lulu Luna decided she wanted to be a florist. Luna is the owner of Aunt Fannies Bloomers (834 E 3300 S), a full-service floral boutique in Salt Lake City.
“Flowers are such an emotional thing,” said Luna. “When words are just not enough, flowers just represent that unique moment.”
Over a decade ago, when Luna moved to Salt Lake City from the Golden City, she was looking for a way to channel her artistic spirit. With a background in interior décor and faux finishing, Luna knew she wanted to pursue her love for painting.
“My passion has always been to create something,” said Luna. ” Whether it’s a painting or an interior design, my hope is that someone will enjoy and feel happy about.”
What first began as a small part-time job in a neighborhood florist shop soon became Luna’s source of happiness and solace. She began on the frontlines processing and delivering flowers, taking phone orders and washing flower buckets. Over the course of eight years as a part-time employee at Aunt Fannies, Luna also worked at Snowbird resort restaurant cooking and supervising staff.
About four years ago, when the original owners of Aunt Fannies announced it was time for them to retire, Luna decided to buy the business and make it her own. Aunt Fannies has ever since been known for delivering ‘quality products with personal touch’.
“There are precious moments in everyone’s lives; whether it’s a wedding, graduation, saying ‘I love you’ or respecting the departed at funerals; flowers are an indispensible part of those moments,” said Luna.
Being a hands-on person with a childlike curiosity made Luna experiment with colors, textures and fragrances. Her strength lies in designing exclusive flower arrangements for all occasions keeping the recipients in mind. Her pieces are never generic or commonplace. With her clients’ needs at the core of her projects, Luna pours her heart and soul into every arrangement and exceeds client expectations.
“The best part of being in this business is the good feeling that comes from a job well done,” said Luna. “When a bride sees the flowers for her wedding and is overcome with happiness or a flower arrangement for a mother grieving the death of her son – those moments are just priceless and that’s what fuels me.”
A divine scent of fresh flowers fills the air in Luna’s boutique. Her black and white pit-bull, Page, is the official greeter and bolts to the front door to give visitors a friendly lick. The simple layout of her store has shelves with eclectic gifts and souvenirs. Now amidst restructuring and rethinking her business’ vision, Luna is looking at expanding her product line to include antiques, home décor and furniture.
“With the economy the way it is right now, there is a push to reuse and recycle,” said Luna. “This new arm of my business will appeal to people who are looking to stretch their dollar but also invest in quality furniture and home décor.”
Adaptability and creativity have been Luna’s best friends through the years. With the state of the economy, new expansion plans and reorganization, Luna is banking on her resilience to get past hard times.
“I’ve done so much with so little that it doesn’t worry me anymore,” said Luna. “My goal is to continue making people happy with my creations while running a tight and efficient business.”
Contact Information: Lulu Luna, Owner
Aunt Fannies Bloomers
834 E 3300 S
Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Ph: 801-487-2200
Email: bloomgirl1@hotmail.com
Website: www.auntfannies.biz
These are a few of Lulu’s favorite things – orchids, scabiosa pod, bear grass and lilies
A flair for troubleshooting and creatively solving problems finally landed Rick Hepner in the business that was closest to his heart – Small Business Consulting.
Hepner is the founder and CEO of Next Level Consulting, an independent firm in Salt Lake City dedicated to providing owners and managers with unique solutions to business challenges.
“Small business owners often start their businesses because they are passionate, risk embracing people,” said Hepner. “But before they know it, they are embroiled in the everyday challenges of running a business.”
Rick Hepner
The idea to start a consulting company was born from years of working in a variety of industries. After more than four decades in areas such as construction, television production, media sales, computers and telecommunications, Hepner knew he could convert his vast experience into a service for small businesses.
“I understood the nuts and bolts of the production side, the challenges in marketing and advertising and finally sales and the bottom line,” said Hepner. “Everything added up and I knew the time was right for me to be self-employed.”
Next Level Consulting has been in operation for over two and a half years. Hepner provides a whole suite of services from management, operations and marketing to financial services and strategy.
“My approach is to work collaboratively with my clients to understand and monitor their progress,” said Hepner. “Whether your business is well-established, start-up, or turnaround, Next Level will provide you with a comprehensive plan to take it to the next level.”
Hepner certainly doesn’t mince words while talking about his philosophy. His unique selling proposition is the ability to personalize his services to the needs, size and industries that his clients belong to. His mission is to provide an in-depth evaluation of every client’s situation and stand by them as their organizations grow and evolve.
Avoiding the mass market, cookie-cutter approach to solving his client’s needs has helped Hepner build a reputation for being careful, honest and thorough. No wonder a bulk of his clientele comes from referrals and repeat visits.
As for owning a business himself, Hepner said that the best thing is the independence. But the flipside of freedom is responsibility, he said.
Hepner is also passionate about learning and continuous improvement. His curious and busy personality has him on the board of Vest Pocket Business Coalition, an association of local business owners aiming to protect the diversity of neighborhood businesses in Salt Lake City. He is also a member of the professional chapter of Net Impact Salt Lake City.
When he’s not riding his 1981 BMW motorcycle, Hepner works his creative juices in dabbling with photography, gardening and cooking.
To learn more about Next Level Consulting and all the services offered, visit: http://nextlevelconsulting.biz
Contact Information:
Rick Hepner
Founder and CEO
Phone: 801-573-4546
Email: info@nextlevelconsulting.biz
Training with a personal touch!
If your organization is looking to train its employees in software for database management, budgeting, spread sheets and presentations, look no further.
Compu-Train, an on-site computer software training company based in Salt Lake City, offers customized training modules for beginner, advanced and expert levels of Microsoft Excel, Access, Project, PowerPoint and the Internet.
Backed by over twelve years of training experience, owner and certified instructor, Staci Warne brings to the table an uncommon mix of technical and communication expertise.
“I used to work as a financial analyst at a bank and somewhere along the line, I became the go-to person for all computer software related questions,” said Warne.
A passion for trouble-shooting software issues soon turned into a lucrative career path and Warne took up a job as a Lead Trainer at CompUSA for 10 years. After CompUSA closed its retail operations and was liquidated, Warne decided that the time was right to start her own business.
With an array of certifications like Microsoft Certified Trainer, Professional and Application Specialist under her belt, Warne established her business in Salt Lake City a little over three years ago. Her focus has always been to teach people to befriend technology and exploit its capabilities.
Staci Warne
“My vision with Compu-Train is to help you focus on people over technology, strategies over features,” said Warne. “My approach, unlike most training instructors, is less pedagogical and offers insights, applications, practical exercises and tips and tricks.”
Warne is looking to expand her client base and alert organizations to her unique offerings. For companies looking to train their employees and executives with busy schedules, Warne provides one-on-one trainings. Her industry-approved course manual is excellent for post-class reference and review. Finally, her custom designed coursework can be tailored to the needs of individual organizations.
“Compu-Train, is your partner in meeting your software needs, supporting your business systems and goals, and creating a happier and more productive workplace,” said Warne.
Warne’s future plans include providing clients with training on soft skills like time management, presentation skills which are a complement to her software instruction on MS Office Outlook and PowerPoint. She is also exploring the prospect of becoming a certified instructor in the Adobe Suite as well as Apple programs.
To contact the instructor please visit www.compu-train.net.
