Have you noticed how music has an ability to transport us to a certain time and place? You can be walking through a store, thinking about whatever the day holds, and all the sudden a certain level of your conscious mind acknowledges the song playing over the radio. Instantly you are transported mentally to a completely different place.
Some songs are so powerful that you can actually smell the air from that time. Or feel the wind on your skin. When John Couger Melancamp sings "Jack & Dianne" I can literally smell Logan Canyon in 1987. Driving up there with Rand while we were dating, sticking my head out the window and yelling for the whole world to hear, "I LOVE Rand Kunz"... Makes me giggle to think about it.
When "Spider Fingers" by Bruce Horsby and the Range plays, I can hear the oven buzzing, I can smell the bread, it's an actual visceral sensation. This was one of those CD's that we often played at the beginning of the kneading session in the mornings.
"Walking on Sunshine" plays by Katrina and the Waves and I feel it! I physically weigh 20 pounds less and my clothes are baggy and I am basically skipping.
It's a power that I can't explain, it is just to be accepted.
Music is such a big part of Great Harvest. In the beginning when we bought the store, the franchise agreement was pretty simply. Summed up, you needed to make Honey Whole Wheat, offer FREE slices of bread, and play your music loud (and of course pay your royalty). As all things, it's a bit more complicated now, but not much! Great Harvest is still about creating your own corner of the world.
The music we play is universal to sunshine, happy, toe tapping, sing out loud kind of activities. You will often here the employees singing - PLEASE feel free to join in! For life is so much more fun when you step out of the bleachers and engage in the process.
I love the soundtrack of my life... It simply makes me grin!
I challenge you to take the time to pull out that CD that takes you to a very happy place. Share it with someone, tell them the story - and then open up and SING with it! You'll be amazed at the smile that blossoms!
Friday, April 15, 2016
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
#MostAwesomeEmployeesEver !
How do I even begin the discussion of the lessons I have learned from the amazing people who have come and worked at this crazy little bakery?
I started pulling out old photo envelopes that are overflowing with pictures of amazing people. Each person has a story. Each person has moved into a section of my heart. Each person has taught me lessons. Each person has left and continued to write their own stories.
I am humbled beyond words. I think of the first few years of interviews. Rand and I would sit down with a person and we would describe what this little bakery was all about. Usually we would begin with the truth that "This may look like a bakery, and it may smell like a bakery, but it is really SO much more." We would describe the truth that this little bakery - is our own personal experiment to see if we can create our own little peaceful, joyful, fun world that is FULL of love. We would explain that we were looking to hire people who were willing to join in our efforts to make a difference in our little corner of the world.
And each employee that we have hired through the past twenty one years has brought a piece of themselves. They have given and served with their hearts, and left both the bakery and Rand and I better for their existence! Some lessons are hard to learn, some are funny, some are painful, and some are so exciting that you can hardly describe them.
I wish I had the kind of memory that I could simply pull up the names and faces of each of these amazing people, but for me it's more like trying to remember every hike I've been on. I can't always remember where or when it was - but I remember feelings, and impressions. I remember the hard parts, and I remember the amazing vistas. Some hikes I remember every single detail, and I can smell the air and feel the sun. Still others I simply can remember the sense of awe I had.
Our employees have left the same types of footprints on my heart and mind. Some came for a short while, some are long timers, some I remember every detail, some are hard and challenging, some moved quietly and left beautiful impressions, while others continue to be a living part of my current life.
Folks ask me if we have ever had to let folks go from the bakery... and my answer usually goes something like this, "Great Harvest in Taylorsville is a unique place, it isn't a perfect fit for everyone. This does not mean that all individuals don't have amazing traits and parts and pieces, rather, this job just isn't for everyone. If it isn't a great fit, than hopefully (and usually) we part ways with a hug and gratitude for the lessons they have come and shared with us, and we continue to cheer them on in their new pursuits!"
Then again - it doesn't always go that smoothly - but the lessons learned are still so very valuable. People are amazing. So very different. Yet all folks seem to have a basic desire to love and be loved. A desire to learn and grow and share. A desire to make a difference in this world.
Gratitude runs so very deep for all the people who have helped create this bakery. My gratitude is also very deep for those who are working for us now. Each of them faithfully show up, put their generous, happy face on, set their own struggles aside for the time they are here - and then they reach out... out of their comfort zones, across the walls we usually hide behind, and they generously give to us, to each other, to each of you, and to this thing that is bigger than all of us, that we lovingly call "The Bakery"...
So Thankful...
I started pulling out old photo envelopes that are overflowing with pictures of amazing people. Each person has a story. Each person has moved into a section of my heart. Each person has taught me lessons. Each person has left and continued to write their own stories.
I am humbled beyond words. I think of the first few years of interviews. Rand and I would sit down with a person and we would describe what this little bakery was all about. Usually we would begin with the truth that "This may look like a bakery, and it may smell like a bakery, but it is really SO much more." We would describe the truth that this little bakery - is our own personal experiment to see if we can create our own little peaceful, joyful, fun world that is FULL of love. We would explain that we were looking to hire people who were willing to join in our efforts to make a difference in our little corner of the world.
And each employee that we have hired through the past twenty one years has brought a piece of themselves. They have given and served with their hearts, and left both the bakery and Rand and I better for their existence! Some lessons are hard to learn, some are funny, some are painful, and some are so exciting that you can hardly describe them.
I wish I had the kind of memory that I could simply pull up the names and faces of each of these amazing people, but for me it's more like trying to remember every hike I've been on. I can't always remember where or when it was - but I remember feelings, and impressions. I remember the hard parts, and I remember the amazing vistas. Some hikes I remember every single detail, and I can smell the air and feel the sun. Still others I simply can remember the sense of awe I had.
Our employees have left the same types of footprints on my heart and mind. Some came for a short while, some are long timers, some I remember every detail, some are hard and challenging, some moved quietly and left beautiful impressions, while others continue to be a living part of my current life.
Folks ask me if we have ever had to let folks go from the bakery... and my answer usually goes something like this, "Great Harvest in Taylorsville is a unique place, it isn't a perfect fit for everyone. This does not mean that all individuals don't have amazing traits and parts and pieces, rather, this job just isn't for everyone. If it isn't a great fit, than hopefully (and usually) we part ways with a hug and gratitude for the lessons they have come and shared with us, and we continue to cheer them on in their new pursuits!"
Then again - it doesn't always go that smoothly - but the lessons learned are still so very valuable. People are amazing. So very different. Yet all folks seem to have a basic desire to love and be loved. A desire to learn and grow and share. A desire to make a difference in this world.
Gratitude runs so very deep for all the people who have helped create this bakery. My gratitude is also very deep for those who are working for us now. Each of them faithfully show up, put their generous, happy face on, set their own struggles aside for the time they are here - and then they reach out... out of their comfort zones, across the walls we usually hide behind, and they generously give to us, to each other, to each of you, and to this thing that is bigger than all of us, that we lovingly call "The Bakery"...
So Thankful...
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
If We Bake It... They Will Come...
Did you see the movie "Field of Dreams"? It was such a great movie!
Rand and I both loved it, bought it, and have watched it many times. When we decided to paint the mural of the house through the wheat fields - we did so to remind us - that even if others couldn't see what we could see... We KNEW this little bakery could grow and become a part of this community in a very real way.
We of course couldn't see at the time what 21 years later would look like, but we felt it in our bones, that we would still be here, and that this bakery would be a viable, living part of this amazing community. As we look back at our journey, we believe that so much of why were able to move with such faith was the knowledge that this is an awesome community.
In the beginning, since we were the new kids in the neighborhood, we literally would load up the extra bread in the evening and we would go to different neighborhoods. Rand would knock on the doors offering a free loaf of bread and introduce himself.
We also collected all the churches names and addresses in our neighborhoods and sent out a letter. In the letter we explained that we would love to help and support them in any way we could. If they had folks in their congregations that needed help with food - call us. If they were having an event and needed bread - call us.
I'm not sure a lot of the groups believed us at first, but we continued to ask - and slowly the calls started to come in, allowing us the opportunity to serve in another way. The schools allowed us to come in and slice bread for free - and then they sold it as a fundraiser to raise money for their play - or the track team, etc.
I started doing field trips for preschool groups, and then scouting groups, and young women and young men groups. Then I started speaking to women's groups... Sharing the stories, the lessons, learned, and the simple truths that baking bread teaches.
If I were to sum up that first year of Rand & Jo's Big Adventure it would be to state that, We baked it, we loved this community, and They came.
Belief is such a big part of living a courageous life... But Belief is just the beginning... Action is required if you want to see big things happen... If we Bake it... They will come...
Thanks for continuing to come!
Rand and I both loved it, bought it, and have watched it many times. When we decided to paint the mural of the house through the wheat fields - we did so to remind us - that even if others couldn't see what we could see... We KNEW this little bakery could grow and become a part of this community in a very real way.
We of course couldn't see at the time what 21 years later would look like, but we felt it in our bones, that we would still be here, and that this bakery would be a viable, living part of this amazing community. As we look back at our journey, we believe that so much of why were able to move with such faith was the knowledge that this is an awesome community.
In the beginning, since we were the new kids in the neighborhood, we literally would load up the extra bread in the evening and we would go to different neighborhoods. Rand would knock on the doors offering a free loaf of bread and introduce himself.
We also collected all the churches names and addresses in our neighborhoods and sent out a letter. In the letter we explained that we would love to help and support them in any way we could. If they had folks in their congregations that needed help with food - call us. If they were having an event and needed bread - call us.
I'm not sure a lot of the groups believed us at first, but we continued to ask - and slowly the calls started to come in, allowing us the opportunity to serve in another way. The schools allowed us to come in and slice bread for free - and then they sold it as a fundraiser to raise money for their play - or the track team, etc.
I started doing field trips for preschool groups, and then scouting groups, and young women and young men groups. Then I started speaking to women's groups... Sharing the stories, the lessons, learned, and the simple truths that baking bread teaches.
If I were to sum up that first year of Rand & Jo's Big Adventure it would be to state that, We baked it, we loved this community, and They came.
Belief is such a big part of living a courageous life... But Belief is just the beginning... Action is required if you want to see big things happen... If we Bake it... They will come...
Thanks for continuing to come!
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Rand & Jo's Big Adventure...
We couldn't have chosen a more appropriate name for our business. Little did we know 21 years ago what a crazy adventure this would turn out to be. Yet life is like that. We have a plan, we start making choices, and 21 years later, we are still in the community, in a new building, but still making the countries best bread. (Yep, we just won the award again!)
Rand & Jo's Big Adventure came about as we were sitting with the franchise folks and they explained we needed a separate business name to set up our franchise. Of course, being the practical person I am, I'm thinking "Kneaders and Bakers" or "Bakers of Taylorsville" - Rand laughed and said, "Rand & Jo's Big Adventure" - and the decision was made.
Truly though, to be honest - our Big Adventure began in February of 1988 when we committed to each other to love, laugh, and live passionately for the rest of our lives. One of the promises Rand made to me at that time was that my life would never be boring! He has fulfilled that promise without stumbling. Boring would never be a word I would use to describe any part of our life together.
When we bought the bakery on May 1, 1995, we really didn't have much of a plan. We just thought it would be a great idea to run a bakery. Rand is an English Major and I was a licensed Recreational Therapist. Not a business class between us. We purchased the Taylorsville Great Harvest from Paul Maurer. He was the original owner of the Holladay Great Harvest, and he had opened the Taylorsville store in 1992.
Both Rand and I were working for Paul at his Holladay store when Paul decided to sell his existing stores. We considered ourselves blessed, and we moved forward with faith. Rand had been baking for several years before we bought our store, so the actual process of baking bread didn't overwhelm us so much. It was the financial end that seemed a bit daunting.
Our biggest challenge was figuring out how to increase sales quickly - for truth be told - we had a debt payment to make, and it was truly a leap of faith to think that we would be able to do it on what the bakery was currently producing in sales.
When we started this adventure Rand was 34 and I was 28, we were young, willing to risk all we had (especially since we didn't have too much :o), and eager to try our hand at creating our own little corner of the world. At the time, Tyler was ten, Alesha was two and Jackson wasn't even born yet. We jumped in and simply started figuring things out through trial and error.
Lesson 1: Dare Greatly! Life is lived a day at a time, and truly, we get to choose if we LIVE it or if we OBSERVE it... Rand and I decided to jump in with both feet and LIVE it... We haven't made that choice perfectly through the years, and we each have had seasons of simply hanging on and trying to breathe through the next moment, or day, or week. However, the lessons remains - We learn the most when we Dare Greatly!
Stay tuned over the next few weeks for, as Paul Harvey used to say.... "The Rest of the Story"...
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
It's FALLING around here...
As you drive today, look at our amazing mountains - and pause... the tapestry is being woven on the mountain sides all around us... the oranges, golds, and reds... It's AWESOME!
As you notice the colors, see if you can smell autumn in the air... It's always amazing to me that fall contains so many sensations... The smell of cooler nights, leaves turning, earthy warm smells that are very different then spring or summer smells... and I do believe fall smells are my favorite! Then there is the lighting - as the sun begins to head south - the light just looks different. The angle of light through the trees, the way the sun hits our beautiful mountains... There's a different feel in the air... It's brisker, a bit more invigorating, it causes me to smile really big!
Then there is a sense of coming home. A desire to pull out my plaid shirts, my sweatshirts and jackets. I even want to light a fire in the fireplace (I realize today reached 90 degrees - so that would be ridiculous) but the desire is there...
Part of my love affair with fall - is the flavors. Pumpkin Chocolate chip, Pumpkin Oh's, Pumpkin Spice cake, Pumpkin Pie (okay I'm a bit obsessed with pumpkin), soups simmering, fresh salsa made from the garden tomatoes, peach cobblers, apple everything... and of course fresh homemade bread...
Truly though- evening runs as the leaves change, morning bike rides up the canyon with the colors flaming around us, drives with family and friends, walks on the parkway with crunching leaves... I guess I'm just immensely grateful... for all of it! For this beautiful season.... and the people that walk this journey of life with me...
What are some of your favorite aspects of fall? In our crazy fast paced lives, it is so very important to take the time to ponder, to remember, and of course to participate in those activities that bring peace and contentment to our lives.
Enjoy!
As you notice the colors, see if you can smell autumn in the air... It's always amazing to me that fall contains so many sensations... The smell of cooler nights, leaves turning, earthy warm smells that are very different then spring or summer smells... and I do believe fall smells are my favorite! Then there is the lighting - as the sun begins to head south - the light just looks different. The angle of light through the trees, the way the sun hits our beautiful mountains... There's a different feel in the air... It's brisker, a bit more invigorating, it causes me to smile really big!
Then there is a sense of coming home. A desire to pull out my plaid shirts, my sweatshirts and jackets. I even want to light a fire in the fireplace (I realize today reached 90 degrees - so that would be ridiculous) but the desire is there...
Part of my love affair with fall - is the flavors. Pumpkin Chocolate chip, Pumpkin Oh's, Pumpkin Spice cake, Pumpkin Pie (okay I'm a bit obsessed with pumpkin), soups simmering, fresh salsa made from the garden tomatoes, peach cobblers, apple everything... and of course fresh homemade bread...
Truly though- evening runs as the leaves change, morning bike rides up the canyon with the colors flaming around us, drives with family and friends, walks on the parkway with crunching leaves... I guess I'm just immensely grateful... for all of it! For this beautiful season.... and the people that walk this journey of life with me...
What are some of your favorite aspects of fall? In our crazy fast paced lives, it is so very important to take the time to ponder, to remember, and of course to participate in those activities that bring peace and contentment to our lives.
Enjoy!
Monday, August 11, 2014
In search of Authentic Happiness...
Have you ever noticed that themes tend to come into our lives if we open ourselves to them? It's as if the universe is directing and/or preparing us for the next step... Okay, I admit that sounds a bit odd, but that happens a lot in my life...
I'm a random library bookie... I go into my public library knowing there is a book with a message for me, and then I head to the shelves and wander picking up books that catch my eye. Three out of the last few books I picked up were, "Happier at Home: How I learned to Pay attention, Cram My Day with What I love, Hold More Tightly, Embrace Here, and Remember Now" by Gretchen Rubin, "The Noticer Returns" by Andy Andrews, and know I'm just finishing "Flourish" by Martin Seligmen.
All three books are about increasing your sense of well being. They present different views, ideas, and exercises to deepen and increase what we often refer to as happiness... Happiness is not the absence of misery... That I believe is emptiness... Happiness is a deeper sense of self, of joy, of peace, of calmness, and more... I have come to believe that Happiness is within each of us. It is not a destination. It is more innate and simply can accompany us on our journey of life if we choose to open the door to our happiness within... (sounds easy - but requires more work that that... I don't mean to down play the process...)
I strongly believe one of Gretchen's truths, which is, that happiness doesn't always 'feel happy'! - We often do things that are hard, or inconvenient, or a challenge - for they bring happiness in the aftermath. An example might be cleaning out a cluttered closet or drawer, or having a hard conversation with a family member or co-worker; however, the act of accomplishing or working on these tasks brings an increased sense of well being.
Andy Andrews reminded me over and over that perspective matters! When life is feeling a tad overwhelming, shift your perspective. See the gifts, see the teachers who are in your life to help you understand the situation, and be open to the gifts that the difficult situations are bringing to you...
And Martin Seligman has done serious research on Applied Positive Psychology and the difference it makes in our lives if we exercise it. He has an incredibly scientific approach of breaking down, testing for, and presenting findings of simple activities that we can all do, that will increase our overall sense of well being.
Now - I consider myself a pretty happy person... My life is full of activity and people that I love and adore. I LOVE my job, and yet like all folks - my life has some serious ups and downs... as well as moments of confusion coupled with a sense of feeling a tad lost... I can't count the number of times when it's late at night and I'm working on a project, and I'll look at my doodles on the side of the page to realize I have written the word "HELP" in the margin of my page...
The universe, I believe, is sending me help - through some very thought provoking books... If you too might be seeking more happiness - and a greater sense of well being - give any or all of these books a try, or wander into your library and try the same test :o)
You might just be surprised at what you find... And if you find some good ones - comment on this blog and share with all of us... for great book recommendations are one of my favorites!
I'm a random library bookie... I go into my public library knowing there is a book with a message for me, and then I head to the shelves and wander picking up books that catch my eye. Three out of the last few books I picked up were, "Happier at Home: How I learned to Pay attention, Cram My Day with What I love, Hold More Tightly, Embrace Here, and Remember Now" by Gretchen Rubin, "The Noticer Returns" by Andy Andrews, and know I'm just finishing "Flourish" by Martin Seligmen.
All three books are about increasing your sense of well being. They present different views, ideas, and exercises to deepen and increase what we often refer to as happiness... Happiness is not the absence of misery... That I believe is emptiness... Happiness is a deeper sense of self, of joy, of peace, of calmness, and more... I have come to believe that Happiness is within each of us. It is not a destination. It is more innate and simply can accompany us on our journey of life if we choose to open the door to our happiness within... (sounds easy - but requires more work that that... I don't mean to down play the process...)
I strongly believe one of Gretchen's truths, which is, that happiness doesn't always 'feel happy'! - We often do things that are hard, or inconvenient, or a challenge - for they bring happiness in the aftermath. An example might be cleaning out a cluttered closet or drawer, or having a hard conversation with a family member or co-worker; however, the act of accomplishing or working on these tasks brings an increased sense of well being.
Andy Andrews reminded me over and over that perspective matters! When life is feeling a tad overwhelming, shift your perspective. See the gifts, see the teachers who are in your life to help you understand the situation, and be open to the gifts that the difficult situations are bringing to you...
And Martin Seligman has done serious research on Applied Positive Psychology and the difference it makes in our lives if we exercise it. He has an incredibly scientific approach of breaking down, testing for, and presenting findings of simple activities that we can all do, that will increase our overall sense of well being.
Now - I consider myself a pretty happy person... My life is full of activity and people that I love and adore. I LOVE my job, and yet like all folks - my life has some serious ups and downs... as well as moments of confusion coupled with a sense of feeling a tad lost... I can't count the number of times when it's late at night and I'm working on a project, and I'll look at my doodles on the side of the page to realize I have written the word "HELP" in the margin of my page...
The universe, I believe, is sending me help - through some very thought provoking books... If you too might be seeking more happiness - and a greater sense of well being - give any or all of these books a try, or wander into your library and try the same test :o)
You might just be surprised at what you find... And if you find some good ones - comment on this blog and share with all of us... for great book recommendations are one of my favorites!
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Happy Sunday...
I just finished reading Sue Monk Kidd's latest book entitled "The Invention of Wings"... and it has left me pondering the truth that none of us stand on our own. This isn't a new notion; however, this time around, it feels incredibly poignant. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't have the opportunity to learn, to grow, to speak my mind, to run a business, raise a family, to travel by car, bike, or even plane. And all these 'opportunities' have come from the incredible, amazing, difficult, dedicated, daring, hard work of so many people before me!
In the novel, Sue Monk Kidd tells a story based on truth - of a group of women who had the courage to stand for what was right, even though it was culturally, legally, and by some considered morally wrong. It's the story of slavery in Charleston, it is the story of women's rights, and yet it is also the story of us today.
I have found myself asking the questions: Am I living with gratitude for those who have gone before? and, What kind of a torch am I passing on to those who come after me? Am I living my life according to my highest good? Am I loving more today than I did yesterday? What am I willing to stand up for even if it means standing alone?
Lots of questions, and honestly some days I like my answers better than other days. I am grateful for amazing books that make me think, the brave and courageous folks who have walked before me, and I'm grateful for those who are traveling this journey with me now, that continue to lead out, each in their own way - as they strive to be the best person they know how to be, thus leaving a legacy and a path for those who are walking after and along side them... We truly never walk alone... and for this truth and more... My gratitude is deep and abiding!
I just finished reading Sue Monk Kidd's latest book entitled "The Invention of Wings"... and it has left me pondering the truth that none of us stand on our own. This isn't a new notion; however, this time around, it feels incredibly poignant. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't have the opportunity to learn, to grow, to speak my mind, to run a business, raise a family, to travel by car, bike, or even plane. And all these 'opportunities' have come from the incredible, amazing, difficult, dedicated, daring, hard work of so many people before me!
In the novel, Sue Monk Kidd tells a story based on truth - of a group of women who had the courage to stand for what was right, even though it was culturally, legally, and by some considered morally wrong. It's the story of slavery in Charleston, it is the story of women's rights, and yet it is also the story of us today.
I have found myself asking the questions: Am I living with gratitude for those who have gone before? and, What kind of a torch am I passing on to those who come after me? Am I living my life according to my highest good? Am I loving more today than I did yesterday? What am I willing to stand up for even if it means standing alone?
Lots of questions, and honestly some days I like my answers better than other days. I am grateful for amazing books that make me think, the brave and courageous folks who have walked before me, and I'm grateful for those who are traveling this journey with me now, that continue to lead out, each in their own way - as they strive to be the best person they know how to be, thus leaving a legacy and a path for those who are walking after and along side them... We truly never walk alone... and for this truth and more... My gratitude is deep and abiding!
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