Big Congrats from The Beehive

A few months back, I listened to a podcast of Christine Kane on "upleveling your business."

What does this mean? She asked, and then she proceeded to lay out the steps. While I enjoyed the lecture, I didn't feel the need to pursue listening to her any further. However, the term "uplevel" was one of those terms that stuck with me.

Today, I can report that I've seen it in action through my work with The Beehive -- one of my clients, Floradora, has expanded her business beyond Etsy to a fully live, beautiful and interactive ecommerce site! I am so proud to work with this home decor company. 

Sarah Reed of Dodeline Design hit this one "out of the park," translating the Floradora aesthetic in an easy-to-navigate site, and then trained Floradora on how to customize and in general keep her items, and site, up to date. 

Custom-designed table linens is a Floradora specialty

Throughout the process, Floradora owner Courtney Scott really put in the work as well, creating wholesale pricing for retailers, organizing her stock by style collections, and in general thinking about her business and how she wants it to grow. 

Congratulations to Floradora on her big debut, and The Beehive wishes her all the best!

Tart-tober

The last month, I have been in tart heaven. Talking about tarts, reading about tarts, writing about tarts and even sampling a few tarts.

This tart-topia actually started a few months ago, when author Holly Herrick asked The Beehive to help promote her new book, Tart Love: Sassy, Savory and Sweet.

As a well-established author with two books and countless articles and reviews under her belt, I was honored.

Since then, we've had a bubbles n' biscuits book release party (I love alliteration!), heard every joke about "tarts," been on the "Tart Train" to Charlotte to promote the book, crowned Holly the "Queen of Tarts" for Charleston Magazine, and this morning, enjoyed a tart discussion on the front of the Food Section of The Post and Courier.

Photo by Grace Beahm/ The Post and Courier

It's been tart-terrific, and I've had the wonderful opportunity to spend work time reading and drooling over food, including from blogs such as Pioneer Woman and (for my vote) the best one of them all, Helene Dujardin's Tartelette. And I've had the chance to get to know Holly, who is not only a professional, but a friend.

My time in the kitchen has become more joyous, and I'm cooking more, from my first attempt at chicken and wild rice soup (made with my homemade stock from a bird I roasted) to a well-worn bean salad recipe interpreted in a new way with edamame and pork belly. It sounds fancy, but it's not -- it's just using good food, which is one of the lessons Holly has taught me.

The Tart Train rolls on to NYC in December, and then the events start afresh for Holly's next book,  Food Lovers Guide to Charleston and Savannah.

Speaking of which, I better go lace my running shoes. Looks like I'm going to need them.