Brenda Jones and Colleen Fletcher of International Falls were recognized last week in Duluth for growing their business from a side hobby to a national product.
The two owners of Lakeside Gourmet, a handmade gourmet jam company based out of International Falls, were awarded the Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Award for the category of micro-entrepreneur.
“We were totally taken by surprise,” Jones told The Journal of she and Fletcher’s reaction to the award. “We were shocked and honored; we just know how important this award is to people in our area, and we’re going to continue working and expanding, and try to live up to it.”
Fletcher said the success of the business happened with the help of local support.
“It just gives me goose bumps and chills thinking of the community support we have here,” Fletcher said. “Everybody is so encouraging and loves our product.”
Lakeside Gourmet was selected from 11 Minnesota businesses on the nominee list.
Rainy Lake One Stop was nominated for an award in the mature entrepreneur category.
Last year, Rainy Lake Houseboats won a Labovitz award.
The 20th annual award ceremony this year “recognizes small business owners who have dared to dream, taken risks and invested in the region,” according to the University of Minnesota -Duluth’s Center for Economic Development, which organizes the award program with Northeast Minnesota’s Small Business Development Center.
All awardees were selected “from an impressive roster of 58 nominees from throughout the Twin Ports and Arrowhead Region,” according to a media release.
“This is a very prestigious award,” said Koochiching County Commissioner Mike Hanson, who attended the ceremony in Duluth last week. “What I think it proves here, is with the partnership of the two ladies who started Lakeside Gourmet is that their work is relevant. Their product is remarkable. As far as I’m concerned, they should be exceedingly proud of their work.”
Jones and Fletcher founded Lakeside Gourmet five years ago after the idea sprouted from making jam as gifts for family and friends. It is now a company that sells jam at more than 40 grocery stores across the nation, including 12 stores in the International Falls, Littlefork and Kabetogama areas. The handmade jam is also sold at Hyvee grocery store chains in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas and other states with Hyvee-brand stores, Jones said.
The two began selling jam at craft shows, and grew to rent out a commercial kitchen to start the business.
They offer five jam flavors, and their Cranberry-Lemon Serrano Pepper Jam won second place in the 2011 Minnesota State Fair relish competition.
The two are testing and developing more flavors and are at a point of deciding how to expand to keep up with the growing demand.
“All these are hand-made products, and we’d like to keep it that way,” Jones said. “We’re at a point now we’re expanding at a pace that’s a little on the scary side, but that’s a good problem to have.”
Jones speculated that those judging the nominations were impressed by the fact that the business began as a small start-up and has grown to a national product. Small businesses are “the backbones of our communities,” Jones added.
Fletcher said the surprise of winning the award during the luncheon ceremony was humbling and exciting.
“It’s like getting a glimpse of what we’ve accomplished from the perspective of someone else,” Fletcher said. “You get up every day, you work your plan — and it’s surprising how other people see you when you’re just focused on doing your everyday work toward building a business.”
Jenny Dougherty, professional business consultant for the Small Business Development Center in International Falls, said the award to Lakeside Gourmet and nomination for Rainy Lake One Stop “is a celebration of business success that validates the hard work, risk taking, challenges, long hours and balancing family and work that entrepreneurs go through.
“It also suggests to others that these businesses have taken the right steps and made good decisions,” Dougherty said. “The awareness of the small businesses within the region will lead to opportunities for growth. It is good exposure and this award can be used to grow their business through the connections made within the Northeast Region.”
She added that the award carries meaning to the general public, in addition to the business world.
“To the community as a whole, it is positive to recognize business success stories,” Dougherty said. “It enforces the idea that there are opportunities in International Falls and Koochiching County for businesses to succeed.”
Steve Lindberg, owner of Rainy Lake One Stop, told The Journal that in the midst of his recent purchase and opening of The Loon’s Nest, he didn’t take time to realize what an honor the nomination was until he attended the awards ceremony.
“We were so busy with The Loon’s Nest that we hadn’t really considered what a great honor it was,” Lindberg said of he and his daughter Laura Besch, who manages The Loon’s Nest. “We were so thankful and really appreciated being nominated.”
International Falls City Council member Cynthia Jaksa, who also attended the ceremony, said although this isn’t the first time a business in the area wins this award, it’s still exciting to witness.
“It was a thrill to see that our local entrepreneurs received this award,” Jaksa said. “It’s certainly great recognition for their courage and effort to create economic activity here.”
She added she has personally caught a glimpse of the work that goes into Lakeside Gourmet.
“I’ve been around the kitchen they cook (jam) out of, and I’ve seen Colleen out there on a Saturday slaving away making the jam,” Jaksa said. “You’ve got to respect that kind of dedication. They’re an example to all of us — they’re positive, upbeat, and they work hard. This award recognizes all that.”
Hanson added that the award is especially an honor considering that businesses in communities from all over the region had entries this year.
“This award is something they’ll have forever,” Hanson said. “And I’m by no means a spokesperson for their product, but I had some (jam) this week, and it’s absolutely outstanding. It’s just terrific.”
The award’s namesake, Duluth-native Joel Labovitz, whose father founded the women’s apparel retailer Maurice’s in Duluth in 1931, grew the company from two stores to a national retail chain. He is now retired, and attended the awards luncheon last week.
Jones and Fletcher said they are still taking in the idea that they won this award.
“We were up against some really great businesses,” Jones said. “The only thing that might have set us apart, I think, is that we’re a company that’s home-grown from scratch. This is just kind of the beginning for us.”
