Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Mann

Hi Erin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

My son came down with a severe illness and was hospitalized for his 1st birthday. After he came home, his immune system was wrecked and I couldn’t keep him healthy. We are seeing 3 specialist, and he was on 4 medications a day….at one! I finally asked one of his doctors “what can I do?? How can I help?”. His response to me: Nothing. Something happened that visit and I refused to take that as an answer. I came home and started researching every key medical word I had heard over the months. Long story short…my research landed on elderberry. I decided to make my own, with local honey to improve his stomach and allergy response, and another root food that is used to help strengthen the lungs. 6 months later, there was no medicine and no doctors. He had grown stronger and wasn’t missing preschool. We were released from all his doctors. A year or so later I started blogging, sharing our experience as a family. My goal was simply to educate Moms and give them the courage to say that being told they couldn’t do anything wasn’t the final say: they didn’t have to accept that. A year after that, the popularity of me gifting my syrup to others turned into a business, which flourished in the community thanks to attendance at local farmers markets. I was also selling online, shipping all over the country.

3 years later, I signed the lease on a commercial property, with hopes to move my commercial kitchen and business out of my home. I also wanted to start a cute little shop that housed all the amazing hand made items from people I had met over those 3 years…because I found we all had something in common. Our stories were all because a family member needed something that couldn’t be found, and out of love, they crafted the care their family needed, and they found out they were really good at it.

A year into the store opening, we added a coffee shop and an ice cream bar. This is where it’s really hard to describe “my story”, because it’s crazy and hard to understand the whirlwind it has been. I started doing small community events like a Trunk or Treat and a Christmas event, to bring our little community families together for something fun. The first one we had about 250 people. One year later, and we are getting over 2k in attendance. Erin’s Elderberries started out as elderberry syrup and honey, which is still is across the nation as represented on our website. But locally, we are a community store that values others and brings together multiple small businesses to work to make our community better through events and through communication. We are the “safe space” the tweens can ride their bike to, the space a mom can come inside in her dis-sheveled, baby burp t-shirt and crying child in and receive a hug and (probably) a complimentary coffee, and we are the safe space a child or adult with severe allergies can walk into, order their first ever milkshake and know it is free of the top 9 allergens.

As a the company’s owner, I’ve also branched out into a second business- The Kitchen at Vint Hill, which is my county’s first dedicated rentable commercial kitchen for small food businesses. The need was severely lacking in my area, and I wanted to fix that. I have since really started focusing on the Economic Development within our county, and how I can work to help other small businesses thrive and succeed in their goals. I tell everyone, I am just a person who likes to help, and when I see a need (whether it be health, business, food insecurity, etc), I try and figure out how I can help in a small way.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

I think I am blessed to say it’s a smoother road than I had anticipated. Having zero background or formal education in business or business management, I thought I would have a much harder time.

One of the biggest struggles was simply starting out. I had no understanding of the food laws in my state and it took me a very long time to get answers and explanations. I am not one of those people who just go and do, I do things the right way, the legal way..but sometimes, that is very difficult to navigate!

The other biggest struggle I had was when I opened up the store. I had no idea how to manage people other than how I handled training the ladies that helped me at my farmer’s market stands. I did my best, I tried my best, and I stayed up all hours of the night working on that to be better. However, people coming in for a job or working in an environment where the “boss” is also learning too, some are ok with that and others can not function in that. People want and need a cookie cutter explanation of how to perform their roles (and now I understand that!) and don’t care so much that you are a brand new business or care that you have no formal management training. It was a harsh reality, but it was a lesson learned. I survived it, others will too!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?

I am first and foremost known for my Elderberry products. I am secondly known in my community as a business woman who goes to any extent I can to help others whether it be their children, their child’s school, their business, etc.
I think what sets me apart from others is that I don’t care about money or profits. I care about the money I can put back into my community that has invested in me. I care how I leave my community, the mental and physical welfare of the community, that is my priority. I was told a month into my business by a mentor who was assigned to me (it was a non profit style organization): “if you care too much about the people and not the money you’re not going to survive. At this rate you will not survive past a year”. That was the last time I met with her. And that was 7. years ago.
If I had to let readers know anything about my brand it’s this: I still hand make EVERY item that’s got the Erin’s Elderberries logo on it. I still use the exact same ingredients (aka highest quality possible) as when I first started making the syrup for my son. I got into this to help people, not to sell things, so I won’t compromise on my ingredients. Also, if you see us on social media, you’ll see a lot of stuff in regards to the shop, but the website is dedicated to EE OG. We may be a community store also, but my main focus is the elderberry!

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?

Oh definitely! My biggest advice for a mentor- seek one out that’s in your area, and you respect. Flat out ask them to mentor you. We all have this thought as small business owners of “well they are too busy” or “they wouldn’t take time for me”. I can bet you, they’d be honored and they’d MAKE time for you. The thing is, we who have been through it, we want to be the people that we didn’t have when we were starting out. It’s an honor to get to do that.

I was told a month into my business by a mentor who was assigned to me (it was a non profit style organization): “if you care too much about the people and not the money you’re not going to survive. At this rate you will not survive past a year”. That was the last time I met with her. And that was 7. years ago. So my other mentor advice is: if they don’g align with your core values, what lets you sleep at night, it is not worth it.

As for networking: it’s always important. And honestly something I wish I had more time for! That being said, it’s very easy to get wrapped up in the costs, the time it takes, etc. So any advice on that matter is find a way that networking seems seamless and integrates into what you are already doing. Going to an event? Get there right when set up happens so you can get set up and talk to the others in attendance. Have a favorite Moms or Dads meet up group? Make sure to go once in a while…more than likely there are business owners there too, who understand what you go through as a parent.

Pricing:

• Only pricing is that I am WAY cheaper per serving of elderberry or aronia syrup than ANY one on the market.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.erinselderberries.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/erinselderberries
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/erinselderberries
• Other: https://www.thekitchenatvinthill.com

Image Credits

Lita Trimmings Photo
Megan Hollada Photography
White Duck Marketing