EPISODE 22: Wicked Smart Hot Sauce

10/11/22 • 14 min

1 Listener

Recorded August 2022

One of the things that makes Before the Business a special project is being able to get to know entrepreneurs whose products I use and admire. I’m a self-proclaimed spice lover, and I always have a few different kinds of hot sauce in my fridge, including Wicked Smart’s “Calypso”.

Born in Trinidad, founder Ifoma Smart immigrated to Canada at the age of four. In his home as a child, pepper sauce was everywhere, and it was served in generous amounts with every dish. He spent countless hours watching his grandmother, mother, aunts and uncles compete amongst other family members for who had the hottest sauce. They visited West Indian markets and handpicked the freshest ingredients to replicate the flavours of the sauces from back home.

So it was only natural for Ifoma to take what he learned from his family and adapt them to fit his own recipes. When his own mother asked him for his recipe, he knew he was on to something good. He again applying his knowledge to create products that will spice up any dish.

The appeal of the sauces is that they are not ignorantly hot without flavour... at least that’s what they would say in Trinidad. While he claims that these are not Trinidadian-style hot sauces, they certain respect his origins and his roots.

Wicked Smart Hot Sauce Website

Recorded August 2022

Wicked Smart Hot Sauce Website

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EPISODE 21: Heavenly Hawaiian Farm

1 Recommendations

Recorded June 2022

Heavenly Hawaiian Farm on Hawaii’s “big island” has been producing award-winning Kona Coffee for over 17 years. As a coffee-drinker, if that was all they did, their blends would still be worth raving about. But they are so much more.

About five years ago — before the pandemic — they decided to refocus their business by combining superior customer service with their superior coffee blends. They no longer sell through distributors, having chosen to deal directly with their customers. They actively engage with their customers, and their doors are open for tours and visitors anxious to learn more about coffee and their business

It’s the customer engagement that really separates Heavenly Hawaiian from the competition. In addition to welcoming people to their farm, they have a volunteer work/stay program where people can join them on the farm for an immersive coffee learning experience. And, they get to enjoy everything the Big Island has to offer while they do it.

CEO Bill Myers has a unique vision for Heavenly Hawaiian. He believes that business does not have to be ruthless, and he has created an ecosystem where customers, plants, and processes are all respected and revered. It’s this love of service that produces some of the island’s finest coffee.

Heavenly Hawaiian Farm Website

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EPISODE 23: 24 Good Deeds

1 Recommendations

Recorded September 2022

Starting in October each year, individuals and corporations begin thinking about surprising those close to them with holiday gifts. Recently, one of the more popular gifts has been advent calendars. By now, most of us have seen an advent calendar. Hiding behind numbered doors are treats or surprises that are only revealed when the door is opened. Traditionally, you are only allowed to open one door per day in December.

I’ve seen advent calendars promoting tea, chocolate and even whiskey. But none of these come close to accomplishing what the advent calendar from 24 Good Deeds does.

Based on an idea originating in Germany, for as little as $24, purchasing a calendar directly supports 24 charitable projects—six from each of four four key areas (health care, education, nutrition, and the environment). The charities and their projects are reviewed and approved by an independent advisory board, and must adhere to extremely high standards to be selected.

Behind every door, every day, individuals can see good deeds take place in the world.

Now that’s a holiday gift worth sharing.

24 Good Deeds Website