Today marks a very important milestone for the Fatty Sundays family - it’s our Dad’s 65th birthday! Our Dad, Jeff, is the biggest Fatty Sundays supporter (and challenger) out there. He’s known as “Proud Dad” at every trade show and holiday market we attend (we’re pretty sure people come to our booth just to say hi to him). Fatty Sundays wouldn’t be where it is today without him and his endless energy, positivity and encouragement.
To celebrate our Dad on his milestone birthday, we interviewed him about the Fatty Sundays family business. He also gives some great advice to anyone looking to start their own business! Today, he made a special guest appearance on our blog to talk about this pretzel business he’s been so much a part of, and more.
Describe your perfect Sunday.
Recharging my batteries by kicking back and spending quality time with my family and close friends, not worried about what I wear or what I eat.
What is your favorite Fatty Sundays flavor and why?
Dark chocolate Sea Salt Almond! There’s an explosion of flavor in each bite and goes great when broken into small pieces in my daily dose of chocolate ice cream.
What are your favorite Fatty Sundays memories?
-The first time I saw the chocolate enrobing machine in action (and how it reminded me of the famous Lucille Ball episode).
-Seeing the Pfizer kitchen space go from an unfinished space to a humming business enterprise.
-Watching my "pretzel daughters" come to the realization (after many hours of hard work and sleepless nights) they had what it took to start, build and succeed as a family business.
-Seeing the Fatty Sundays booth as the most visited booth in the Brooklyn aisle of the NY Fancy Food show at the Javits Center.
Any advice for young people starting a business?
-Throw away your watch - if you want short hours or are not looking to work hard don't start a business
-Rome wasn't built in a day so there is no logical reason to think you scale a business to "maturity" overnight
-Treat people (especially your employees and vendors) with the same respect you expect from them
-Working "smart" is an acquired skill and a gift
-Asking questions or seeking mentors will speed up the success process
-Hindsight is the best teacher and listening to smart people who have been down the path you are traveling is a lot better than repeating mistakes
-Every business needs some"good luck" to succeed but you can help your cause and increase your odds of success by good ol’ fashioned hard work
-Successful people are passionate about and love what they do, and do not take the opportunity they have been given lightly
-Humility is a key trait to success
Where did the name "Proud Dad" come from?
I came to the realization a long time ago that I am a very lucky person to have three amazing daughters who are beautiful, brilliant, happy, loyal, family oriented, humble, respectful, etc. etc. (Karen, my wife, gets 90% of the credit for molding them). I actually decided the morning of the first day I was doing my first shift at the Fatty Sundays Union Square Holiday Market booth that I wanted to wear a badge that it made it abundantly clear to the public why I had a perpetual smile on my face (especially while I was working for free for two of the toughest taskmasters in the "foodie" business). The badge turned out to bring smiles to many of FS customers' faces and served as a conversation starter to tell the Fatty Sundays story and to encourage young people to follow their dreams and to work with passion.
We’ve all learned so much from the guy who made us and who has always been there for us. This Valentine’s Day, show your Dad some love and treat him to a package of chocolate covered pretzels, delivered straight to his door. We’ll include a personal, handwritten note with his sweet gift!
Don’t exchange Valentine’s Day gifts with Dad? You can always treat him on his birthday with our Happy Birthday gift box packed with some of our most popular pretzel flavors!