We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melanie Mulherin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melanie below.
Melanie, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My sister and I were raised in the Okanagan by our fiercely independent single mom. We had very little growing up, but somehow, my Mom could crank out a fantastic meal when the fridge and cupboards seemed bare, and she always had room for another at our table. She showed her love with food, which was passed on to me. Seeing how hard my mom had to work to support us, I started working very young. It helped me build confidence and independence.
I am now driven to support my family and our team at SaltSpring Kitchen, who have worked alongside me while growing the business.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a mom, wife, business owner, and aspiring ceramicist. I founded SaltSpring Kitchen in 2012.
My mother-in-law was the one who taught me how to can, and I instantly fell in love with the art of preserving. I was hungry to learn more and started “putting up” everything I could get my hands on. I felt it was a beautiful way to share something I had created with friends and family. When I started selling some of my recipes at the farmers market, I had no idea what a ride this little jam company would take me on. Twelve years later, with the most incredible team by my side (seriously the BEST), I am still learning, adapting, celebrating the successes, picking myself up after failures and forever working towards continuous personal and professional improvement. I am incredibly proud of this little jam company that could. While we are not an overnight success story, my goal is to build a company based on quality and trust that will hopefully be here for a very long time. Knowing we are a small part of your everyday meals and celebrations makes all the hard work worthwhile.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Being curious and open to opportunities, even if I didn’t have everything perfectly lined up, has served me well. My ignorance of what I was getting into has, in some ways, been a benefit; I have been able to learn and adapt along the way.
If I was just starting out, my advice would be to just get started. Don’t wait until you are “ready,” or you may never start. And don’t get too attached to your ideas; if something isn’t working, be willing to pivot quickly.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Running a nationally distributed CPG business from a tiny rural island has many challenges. Staff, housing, inputs, and even water resources are limited. However, the benefits of building a community around our business far outweigh the logistic concerns. I am incredibly proud to be a certified living wage employer with a small but mighty team of 15 amazing folks working alongside me.
Contact Info:
- Website: saltspringkitchen.com
- Instagram: saltspringkitchenco
- Facebook: Saltspring Kitchen co.
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-mulherin-344873142/
Image Credits
Danielle Acken Stasia Garraway
