It’s been awhile since I’ve posted. This morning I am writing from my home aboard our sailboat. It’s a cool overcast morning at the harbor and the barking of dozens of sea lions on the docks are distracting my thoughts! I can’t believe we are closing in on the start of our 7th year. So here is an update of the whirlwind of action we have been experiencing here at LOL.
In April we were chosen for American Small Business Champion 2018, SCORE/Sam’s Club award for California. I flew to Reno for an all expense paid trip for business training with 101 other award winners from across the country and learned a ton about how to run my business more efficiently.
From Reno, it was off to New York (my first time to NY!) to the Fancy Food Show and celebrate the sofi Silver Award for our Ginger Lemonade presented to us by the Specialty Food Association in a worldwide competition of over 3000 products. In New York we met with buyers, including an 8k store chain and media as we attended special events for the winners.
Our win in NY led to a call from a wonderful buyer from Cost Plus World Market in July who believed our lemonade might be a perfect fit for their stores! We have spent the last two months preparing for the launch and our lemonades should be arriving in select 212 stores nationwide this week and next!
As if that wasn’t enough excitement for one fiscal year, we were nominated by Dianne de Malley of DDM Metering Systems, Inc for the Pacific Coast Business Times/SBA Spirit of Small Business Award – Woman Owned Business in August and attended the annual luncheon at the Biltmore, Santa Barbara to receive the award.
And there is more….! Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine is featuring us on their October 2018 issue titled “Second Acts” describing our journey from the startup of our lemonade company as I was desperate to help defray college costs for my kids.
It’s been a whirlwind of a year – We are grateful for the continued support of our Ambassador Team, customers, friends, family, suppliers, distributors, retailers and everyone else who believes in us every day.
I’ve learned the importance of a balance sheet (after 6 years!) and I am working hard to continue to bring the highest quality lemonade to the market while doing it in a sustainable way to ensure the health of our company. I’ve learned more this year than any other year in how to operate my business and couldn’t have done that without the mentors and advisors I’ve had along the way, 
including SCORE.
As we wind down this year’s lemonade season, we are looking forward to the exciting opportunities that lay around the next corner for us. Part of the thrill is coming into the office every day wondering what is going to happen next!
I appreciate each and everyone of you and am grateful for the opportunity to be involved in one of the most amazing industries.
Thank you!
Lori, Chief Believer
Lori’s Original Lemonade
