We were lucky to catch up with Maggie Bahr recently and have shared our conversation below.
Maggie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
I was a risk taker well before I became a business owner, and without the risk taking behavior I’d certainly not have the life I have now. The biggest risk I’ve taken in my life wasn’t starting my business, it was starting my adult life by moving to Germany at 23. I had never travelled to Europe before and didn’t speak German. I spent 11 years in Munich and it transformed the way I saw the world. I returned to the Hudson Valley in 2019 with my husband Benji, and our two young sons. We returned shortly after finding out my mom had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Benji is German and being in the immigration process he couldn’t work here. Our roles needed to change, he became the homeschooling parent and I had to find a job for the first time after becoming a mom. I have always loved cooking and entertaining. I was able to travel extensively during my time abroad. In order to expand on my food knowledge I got a job as a fishmonger at Adams Fairacre Farms in Poughkeepsie. I had been there for about 7 months when covid started. During that time restaurants were closed and a woman who followed me on instagram asked if I would prepare meals for her family. I should add that I cook traditional foods, meaning no preservative or chemicals. Something very normal in European kitchens but unfortunately not as regulated in America. These prepared meals became more and more in demand as my first client has a lot of friends and was kind enough to help me build a clientele. I was accepted into the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory’s communal kitchen where I began producing butter from local cream and shifted into a different business model by vending a local farmers market selling everything from heirloom eggs and local seasonal produce to candles I made from beef tallow and sherling coats I brought from Bavaria. Though my business has transitioned over these years my objective has always been to educate people on the beauty of traditional foods and its effect on their wellness. My business generates a few different revenue streams currently and allows me to be at home with my boys and our animals. I am very grateful for the risks I’ve taken and their outcomes. A quote I think of in regards to risk taking is this:
“Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering it’s a feather bed.”
Terence McKenna
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
When it came to branding my business I wanted a name that didn’t limit my offerings. I settled on Maggie’s Delivery Service after watching the Studio Ghibli film “Kiki’s Delivery Service” about a young witch who must set out on her own and winds up helping local businesses in her new town by delivering their goods. A huge facilitator of my business is our local farms and the hard work of our farmers. I produce traditional products made from beef tallow: soaps, skin creams, and candles. These non toxic, vitamin rich products utilize the whole animal approach benefiting everyone. I buy an often wasted material from the farmer and through a 3 fold washing process am left with a rich raw material that enriches the skin and the environment. I offer group classes teaching these traditional skills to others, as well as detox parties where I utilize my $3000 ionic frequency footbath machine to remove heavy metals and toxins from the body. I work with a local wellness cafe owner (Lauren, Chakra Bowls) and microgreens farmer (Nicole, TinyGreens) to offer a 3 day monthly gut cleanse. The cleanse includes my bone broth which is super gelatinous and very delicious. I also work with Nicole and Cory who own the Rural Refillery Center in Pine Plains. Not only do they carry my products but we have also collaborated on different community focused events which were very well received. I feel grateful to be able to offer what I’ve practiced for years and to have built a loyal and appreciative customer base.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
Instagram. Social media has been imperative to the growth and evolution of my business. During my time in Germany it was my way of staying connected to friends. I became very comfortable in front of the camera and began sharing various aspects of my life including food, my family, and interests. That’s given me an opportunity to let people get to know what I represent and offer. I can promote my website or any event I’m involved with easily and for free. It’s been a great tool.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Building a following on social media, Instagram in my case, has been a slow but steady process. I do not have a huge following but what I do have is a real network of friends/customers. People that shop my online store and attend my events. I have a timeline that goes back to 2011 and shows all my adventures abroad, including becoming a mother. It shows my family moving back to New York, and the whirlwind our lives have been since then. It gives a picture into the person I am. I’ve also talked openly on social media about the hard times in my life. My advice would be to try to be real with your audience without jeopardizing your own privacy. Sharing my heartbreaks has put people in my life that have helped me heal.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Maggiesdeliveryservice.com
- Instagram: Maggiekazooie
