Incredible. Inspiring. Shocked? What words would come to mind if you can imagine being at the helm of your dream for 15 years? Thankful. This month I celebrate 15 years of Potlicker.
I confess, I didn’t always consider entrepreneurship a dream, more of a necessity. Not some beautiful novel one, like I needed to help people; I needed to help myself out of the food bank. For years it did not feel glamorous, it felt like survival. When people asked my maker story they didn’t always want the truth. They hoped for some poetic inspiration when the truth was closer to scrappy resourcefulness. It took practice to cultivate a compelling media friendly narrative from my experience.
That tenacity has brought me a long way & taught me my favorite catch phrase “It’s none of my business what you think of me.” A highly useful attitude when you need to block the negative noise from others. One of the more awkward and useful things I have learned in life is that few people can speak your success like you can! If you can take a moment and hold space for me to brag….
Potlicker Kitchen reached people in 6 countries & 42 states, grossing +3mil within our first 10 years. Our team cranked out 5000 hand poured jars and unloaded 6 half barrel kegs of beer a week. Highlights definitely include the sell out on QVC with my baby bump & the cover and above the fold for Uncommon Goods. Visually engaging proof of the excellence nurtured by my own vision & perseverance. Other wins that take more distance and perspective to appreciate include the relationships; the knowledge how to handle good and bad situations with more grace, the constant evolution of my art, & the skills I develop.
Potlicker took flight because I found a direct way to monetize my two hobbies, making beautiful food & taking pictures of beautiful things. What a gift to be able to make a go of it. At times I have paused all of this because I lost my passion for my own work. Now, I know that’s ok to question my passion as long as I find it again. This life work that is Potlicker returns to an enjoyable hobby income business while I set my sights on a career shift. Where I will move to? I am not yet certain; but I seek to marry my talents in creativity, leadership, and responsible use of resources.
While I am cheering myself on, and you are fan-girling my Etsy shop stocking up on Pineapple Habanero, take note of the fancy new Swag section loaded with fresh designs. Do you like them?! I mean who doesn’t need a coffee cup that says Pot-head? Sorry, I think I am so funny. As usual all Potlicker design work is done by yours truly and these are no exception. Follow the shop to get notified when new items drop. Expect to see cheeky designs, food themed work, and stunning prints.
Also in the shop right now: my two latest berry jams. One bright & light raspberry, the other harkens to my original strawberry chipotle but I confess I like it better. I am totally hooked on the Pink Peppercorn Strawberry Jam. The intense strawberry is immediately incensed with floral spicy notes from fresh ground pink peppercorn. I love this on toast, in a turkey sandwich, with cheese, and over vanilla ice cream (we listen, we don’t judge).
In my next year, Potlicker will continue to make incredible small batch jam. In my next 15 years I will dedicate to keeping my little family business as an enjoyable income stream for myself and my girls. It continues to be my creative outlet that I can reach to. As it turns out I’ve always needed Potlicker, but maybe not for the reasons I thought.
-Nancy 2/11/25
Nancy Warner 