The Story of Sassafras

“I’m Carrie Nolen. The owner of Sassafras Specialities in Green Lake Wisconsin. I love it everyday. Even the days that I’m tired. Or it’s snowing. I just really love it. I love all the people that come in. I love the regularity of everybody. The locals. I love everything about it. When you’re used to being at at-home mom, you’re used to being hands-on with everything with your children. And I realized that with some jobs, you don’t have the flexibility with the hours, with the days off, so that’s what played into it mostly. Was I just wanted more flexibility and more autonomy to do what I needed to do.

My daughter Sadie, she’s eight years old. And she’s in second grade now. I wanted her to see a positive role model. I didn’t want her to see somebody who just went to work. Or if they were unhappy with their job. I wanted her to see someone with a positive effect on the community. And in her life. So I did a lot of that for her just so I could spend more time with her, quality time. And also just be a positive and happier influence in her life. I feel like when I’m having fun at work. I have more fun with her at home. So I hope she can look back on it and say this was a good experience, too. Than, you know, it wasn’t just my own selfish thinking, that yeah, this was great. I hope she thinks so too.

Fortifi, they help quite a bit actually. They’re local. They’re, you know, right on the corner. The majority of the people that work there come in here. So I feel like they’re very supportive of my business, also. I was talking to some of the bankers that actually come in here, the regulars. And we started talking about it. And they actually helped me set up a mortgage loan through them. And then, hopefully as we keep growing, we can keep using them as, you know, our financial backers. They really helped out, definitely.

So I think it’s really good to find a mentor. One that you believe in that has the same morals and values. I had a few mentors in the area. Two really good friends of mine. They also have businesses. And they helped me along the way. And put go for it, for sure. Just figure it out first before, you know. Before you do it. I really love my job. I love what I do here. I love what I represent. And I like being happy. I choose to be happy. I feel like that just kind of emanates to other people. We’ve come in a good morning where a good group of us is here. And I think it is like living there. You get your coffee. But it’s like you’re sitting at my counter. I love that. I really do.”