We’re looking forward to introducing you to Daniel Hare. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Daniel , thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
The biggest misunderstanding of my business is that its just a garnish. In a way, this offends me and the brand. Simply put-a garnish seems decorative and lacks functionality. The main component of CR Citrus is to connect with your beverage. From the initial loft of smoke to the transference of flavor from fruit to beverage the journey is intentional and essential.
Another misunderstanding is that the fruit is just like the other ubiquitous dehydrated brands out there. The difference starts with the highest quality fruit, a careful production process, and finally the introduction of smoke. I hear from many bars and restaurants, “we do the same thing in house”. This response misses the point on many levels. Perhaps they are content with merely being a garnish while CR Citrus aims to do so much more.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
What’s good? I am Daniel Hare aka Smokin’ Connie of CR Citrus. I’ve lived all over but have spent the last 20 years Pasadena/Altadena.
In 2017, I visited my father’s childhood home in Eagle Rock and stumbled upon an heirloom Meyer Lemon tree. That low hanging fruit got me thinking. That same week, I purchased my first Traeger pellet smoker. I knew this was no coincidence. After a lot of burnt fruit and burnt fingers, I started to hone in on the production process.
COVID hit and it became clear that this side hustle could evolve into something more substantial. CR Citrus is currently available DTC in all 50 states and in select liquor/specialty shops across the country. We partner with food and spirit brands to produce amazing activations at conventions, concerts, and sporting events. Additionally, discerning bars, restaurants, and hotels have discovered the potential of CR Citrus in cocktails and in recipes.
Gratitude is a powerful force. Ideally, we learn it first as a principle and then we learn to live it. It defines my life as a husband, a dad, a friend, and as the founder of CR Citrus. I never lose sight of that fateful week that brought me a Traeger, an abundance of lemons and the insight to experiment. I love what I do and I loce the people that I get to share it with-yeah gratitude.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
I had my first job when I was 16 slinging Mrs. Field’s Cookies at the Mall of Orange. That job taught me little about hard work and a great deal about the benefit of extra cookies to distribute with friends. It did teach me the importance of working in the service industry.
My desire to work in hospitality defined my early employment; bartender, waiter, room service, bell hop, and cab driver. I then entered the world of education and spent 26 years as a high school teacher and coach. I was convinced that this was my calling-they would have to pry the chalk from my hand as I spun yarns about Hemingway-just telling stories. But the classroom grew stale amidst shifting demands and micro management. I made myself open to the prospect of trying something new.
I learned from my parents the importance of working hard and taking pride in the work you set out to do. Both parents saw family get consumed by their jobs with limited reward. I saw my dad leave a job that he loved to work a job that he hated. In the end, he retired early and was left with questions and doubt about his path. He shared (near the end of his life) how unhappy he was working a job that he didn’t love. His words resonate with me each day as I work to carve my path and advance this brand.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I have always been a talker. From the time I could form a sentence to the time I stood in front of a classroom to the time I make business pitches to major clients. I have, and always will, respect and celebrate the importance of storytelling.
Sadly, I am a much less developed listener. These skills take time and require focus. In know that these are two concepts that I can lose sight of. Younger Dan would benefit from talking less and listening more. Above all, he would benefit from understanding that you can gather so much more information about people when you aren’t talking. And once you have information, you have the greatest currency that we deal with as social beings.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
My birth name is Daniel Hare but many people call me Connie. I have a slew of other nicknames and I feel that each one reveals a little about who you were at different stages in your life. Nicknames denote a level of comfort and they can allow everyone to relax.
I think that the benefit of being comfortable in your own skin is owning the reality of being honest to yourself. I think those who see me in public might make judgments about how I view the world and how I live. But it is very important to me for people to recognize that the real me is positive, honest, and engaged.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
From the time I can remember, I have worked to get to know different types of people. I am fascinated by backstories, anecdotes, and interests of the people around me. In cultivating this information, I see the potential of clustering information and associating it with different people.
Once these clusters are established, my mind instantly goes into the realm of networking. Three to four times a month, I send a text message introducing two people who don’t know each other, but know me. There are a million reasons why I do this. But the ultimate goal is to introduce good people to good people. I don’t enter into any networking opportunity asking what’s in it for me. But I have been a great beneficiary of people networking on my behalf. When you strip away all of the didactic resources of job applications and resumes, and CVs, you are left with human beings. You also hold the opportunity to connect them in the name of completing a project, in the name of doing something good. This potential is one of the most gratifying things I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://crcitrus.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smokinconnie?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== https://www.instagram.com/crcitrus?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-hare-aa210618a/
Image Credits
Karl Steuck @spiritandspoon
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