Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzanne Farance

Hi Suzanne, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

When my nearly 17 year career in financial advertising came to a close at the end of 2017, I had such mixed emotions. It was a very high-powered, stressful career, so a break sounded pretty darn nice. However, given my personality, it didn’t take long before I was getting bored and feeling unproductive.

After the break, I searched for 3 solid years to find the next chapter in my career. Much harder than one would think. Not having a college degree, yet having been the Vice President of an international company, I was either told I wasn’t qualified (due to the lack of a paper degree), or that I was way overqualified. It was extremely frustrating. I did find however, that I was drawn in my searches to pet-oriented companies. Got really close with one start-up, only to have them fold and go under before they could even get me on board.

So one day, sick as a dog in bed, I just started doodling on our iPad, and somehow “Cooking Off Leash” came to me. Probably because besides my family, pets and cooking are two things that make me happiest. So I sketched Cooking Off Leash out, and loved it instantly. I have always been complimented on my handwriting art. I can barely draw a stick figure, but making letters looks fun & fancy, I can do.

When I showed it to my husband and kids, they loved it too, and I just knew I had to make something out of it because it was so unique. And there began my journey to figure out how to share my passion of cooking yummy, easy food at home without rules AND being able to use that as a way to give back to animals began.

I took the leap, started Cooking Off Leash, LLC, and had some home textiles (such as dish towels, aprons, totes and picnic/travel blankets custom embroidered with my handwritten logo. I was thrilled with how they turned out, and knew it was just the beginning.

Shortly thereafter, I created my first cooking guide. I took pictures of the food I was making my family; breakfast, lunch & dinner, added titles and brief descriptions including the list of ingredients and compiled them into a hardcover book that I knew I could inspire people.

I started out just creating a social media page (www.facebook.com/CookingOffLeashwithSuzanne) and then I got a vendor tent, racks, tables, the whole nine yards. I set myself up to grow and started dedicating in-person time at friends’ small events (like pumpkin patches, sunflower mazes, etc), and they were a hit. Slow going, but a hit.

Soon, the idea to start wood burning paw prints onto home & kitchen wood items such as charcuterie sets, cutting boards, bowls, etc., seemed impossible to not try. So glad I made that pivot to include those, because they have been super successful.

Last year was our busiest vendor year yet, going months without a free weekend in sight. That was very draining, so this year, I’ve slowed down a bit and am again pivoting to try and do less in-person vendor shows and more customized work. So any of the wood products I offer, in addition to wood burning on the paw(s), I have done names, dates flowers, nautical themes, you name it. Everything from pet memorial items (such as plaques, urns, or even coasters with the pet’s name on it), to customized Christmas, birthday, anniversary and wedding gifts.

Next up: I am looking to lead in-person cooking classes; to show people it’s easier than most think to use simple ingredients you already have at home, to make not only yummy, easy meals, but even restaurant quality dishes both in tastes and looks.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Honestly, overall, it’s A LOT of work. The biggest thing for me, is the administrative part to make sure you’re running your business correctly. What you need to file, where you need to file it, when you need to file it … and don’t even get me started on bookkeeping! There is a reason companies have someone(s) dedicated to running the business, while others are doing the other work.

But when you’re a small business owner, you wear ALL the hats. And there are steep learning curves, like managing your books, budgeting, taxes, product procurement, scheduling, and the like. It can all be so cumbersome and tiresome. But it’s worth it!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

First and foremost, I try to inspire people to throw out all of their preconceived notions about being able to cook yummy, healthy, and even “fancy” meals at home. To show them it doesn’t have to be about timely meal-planning, or way over-spending on meal delivery kits and the like.

Second, for all the animal lovers out there, I personally hand wood burn cute paw prints onto all of my wood products. Sometimes it’s one small one, sometimes two or three. Sometimes it’s a medium or large paw print. It’s all about the item I’m woodburning it onto. What fits, what looks good, what makes sense.

I take great pride in doing these by hand instead of with a laser. People are often amazed when they feel it and can tell it’s hand done. They are amazed at how uniform I’ve been able to get them since they’re not laser cut. That’s taken a lot of practice and repetition, and yes, I still mess up. Different woods and different surfaces burn differently — so it’s a slow process that takes a lot of focus.

Now that I’m branching out into more customized work. People love how I created a cat face I can wood burn onto a piece. I’ve also done flowers, company logos, wording … the sky’s the limit.

What people also really respond to is that I give back a portion of our proceeds to local, small animal rescues/shelters, veterans and first responders. Three causes that are very important to myself and my family. And I find it to be a huge bonus when I find a non-profit that combines two or more of those into one!

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.

I believe risk is necessary for growth. The key, in my mind, is making them calculated risks. Don’t spend and invest more than you can afford right then, unless you have a very clear picture of how long it will take to recoup your investment. And just as important, how quickly after breaking even, can you start seeing a profitable return. If those numbers don’t make sense, I try and find a different way until it does. This strategy has made my small business more successful than most right out of the gate.

Also when it comes to risk, balancing wants and needs is very important. I might want the biggest, best and newest wood burning equipment, but can’t afford it. Until I can, I got the best of what I could make work well without breaking the bank. Leverage discounts for buying your supplies in bigger quantities, but don’t overdo it and put yourself in a less than desirable position that you’ll have to dig yourself out of. Doing so may make other opportunities hard to take advantage of when they arise.

Bottom-line, for me: Risk is necessary and can be very rewarding, but don’t blindly rush in because you simply want something that may make your job easier. Take the time, pencil it out, and bring patience.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookingoffleash/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CookingOffLeashwithSuzanne