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ABOUT THE BUSINESS: Larry and Anita Ground operate the business out of their Fredericksburg home. They sell Kettle Korn
The following answers are from Anita Ground.
EDUCATION: I'm working on my Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Wisconsin. I also have an M.B.A. from the University of Kansas.
FAMILY: Married for 31 years to Larry. Two children: Courtney, 21, and Eric, 15.
CAREER HISTORY: After college, I followed Larry in his Army career, working in hospitals in Oklahoma, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Louisiana and Kansas. In 1991, I went to work for Cerner Corp. as a consultant for hospitals implementing new health care information systems.
FIRST JOB: After-school janitor at my high school.
WORST JOB: I really haven't had a bad job, but some have been in bad places. The last two years I've been consulting at a hospital in Ontario, Canada. I love Canada, but it snows a whole lot.
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? In the middle of nowhere Kentucky.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? A mechanic. I took an Air Force aptitude test in high school, and it said I would be a good mechanic. At Christmastime, when the presents say "some assembly required," I have a blast.
HOW DID YOU END UP OWNING APPALACHIAN KETTLE KORN? We saw Bill and Natalie Phillips, the previous owners, at the 2004 Fall Harvest Festival. We bought some Kettle Korn and asked them about business. We discovered they were looking to get out of the business, and I thought my husband needed something to help keep him busy on the weekends.
WHAT IS THE KEY TO RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS? Thinking ahead and lining up future work well in advance. We're always looking six to 12 months out.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST DECISION YOU'RE WRESTLING WITH NOW? We're trying to hold our prices steady despite the rising costs of popcorn and everything else that goes into making Kettle Korn.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT YOUR JOB? Cleaning the copper kettle.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB NOW? The Kettle Korn. I love the smell and taste of it.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? I'm doing this because I'm having fun. If I stop having fun, I'll do something else.
WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO? No. 1, don't sweat the small stuff, and No. 2, it's all small stuff.
WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT THE BUSINESS CLIMATE HERE? People genuinely want you to succeed. There is help available at every turn.
WHAT'S THE WORST? There's a shortage of qualified event planners in the Fredericksburg area.
WHO IS THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL BUSINESS LEADER YOU KNOW OF? WHY? Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken. He's an inspiration to anyone who hails from Kentucky.
WHAT BUSINESS BOOK DO YOU MOST RECOMMEND? WHY? "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." From the scene in the wand cellar, we learn the importance of giving every customer a unique and enjoyable experience.
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN? Read, watch movies and play video games.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST CAREER ACHIEVEMENT? Raising two children and having a husband while traveling and having a career.
WHAT'S THE BEST CAREER ADVICE ANYONE HAS GIVEN YOU? When I was a dessert girl at a fancy restaurant in Louisville, they always told me, "Don't forget the whipped cream!" No matter what I'm doing, I try not to ever forget the whipped cream, or the cherry on top!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHERS TRYING TO ENTER THIS FIELD? Do your research. As a food vendor, you need to find something that nobody else is selling and then become very good at making it.
WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS? Pop 1,000 kettles of popcorn this year. Next year, maybe 1,200.
ON THE NET: Appalachian
--Bill Freehling
