Five years ago, I opened the door of Bisousweet, and eventually my heart, to this amazing woman – Linda.

Our original plan was to start off slowly, to see how it would go. For me, that meant tip toeing. Linda was, not surprisingly to anyone who knows her, the complete opposite. She had ideas. She had lists. She was R E A D Y! Let’s go already!! Within a couple of weeks of working with her, I gave her the first of many nicknames: Sparky.

She started by doing demos to help promote our products. She set goals for herself and for the company, rolled up her sleeves and got to work. For anyone who is wondering, her sleeves are still rolled up and she continues to crush it.

As expected, some things have changed. The business has grown beyond what I ever could have imagined. We’re driving out of state for meetings, we’re juggling multiple distributors, product line discussions and food shows, and making sure we continue to learn and grow. We communicate. A LOT. Phone calls. Emails. Texts. Monday. Slack. Snapchat. We definitely both get gold stars for our ability to talk.

What has not changed at all are the core values that Linda brought with her from the beginning. Hard work. Determination. Care. GPS skills. Goal setting. Note taking. Being buttoned up. Supportive. Loyal. Fun-loving. I am so completely grateful to be able to work side by side with her.

Linda, thank you for everything you have done for Bisousweet and for me. You have taught me so much, and the learning continues to this day. It’s been a crazy ride, and I look forward to what lies ahead of us. Thanks for the laughs. Thanks for sticking with me through the tough times. Thank you for trying to teach me to care about what route Google Maps wants us to take. I admire your determination in this particular area. #relentless Thanks for sharing recipes, for listening to me, and for traveling with snacks. May our road trips continue, may the traffic be light, may our outfits not always match, and may we continue to always have lots to discuss. You’re the best! xoxo