Even though the United States government defines a small business as a company that employs up to five hundred people, we at GFJ fall on the opposite end of that spectrum (employee count: somewhere between two and five), and so do many of the folks that we wind up profiling on this blog. Susan is the type of person that exemplifies what it means to create a business based on an individual passion, a need to share that passion with others, and the conviction that doing so improves her own life and the lives of others.

When did you know that you wanted to work in food?

Being the oldest - and the one who literally burned up 5 Susie bake ovens - I was the family cook who had to create on a budget. Years of watching my grandmother was a huge help - through her I learned to use everything. I began cooking for others when I was volunteering at my son's school for fundraisers and for family dinners. I found that my granola and my soups were constant hits. Soon after marketing the granola for a fundraiser one client said, 'Hey, you should start a business'. Two weeks later I was remodeling a shop - called Integrity Organics.  My whole life has been growing, sharing, or cooking food - making it simple, easy, and creative!

How did you get your current good food job?

I created my own web page and blog after closing my café'. The goal is to teach more about how to cook, rather than eat out.

How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?

I have been a gardener for years, and when you garden, you COOK - you love food . . .  its beauty, its bounty, it's a product but also art.

What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your Good Food Job dream?

Trying to determine my audience and how to market it.  I've considered calling it quits many times, but I know that above all, I LOVE TO COOK and share FOOD - it is what I am meant to do.

What can you identify as the greatest opportunities in food right now?

Teaching people to cook at home and use local produce, as well as grow some of their own, and to join co-ops. There is a whole culture available and I want to help people navigate and learn about it.

If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?

The food products I do not make - namely olive oil, spices, and herb containers. And I'd also take marketing and web advice!