What are you working on—on the side?
I was approached, a little over a year ago, by my now Locurean business partner Whit Whitmire about an idea he’s had for a long time. I had no idea at the time that Whit was the land/agriculture/cattle buff he is, until I got to know him and see him in action. His family owns Brasstown Beef, a cattle farm that supplies all-natural, antibiotic, hormone-free pastured beef and pork. He began talking to me about all of the “problems” within the local farming, food, and drink industry. Indeed, he was greatly frustrated by the failings of the resources available—or lack thereof—for simply finding and connecting with conscious, responsible suppliers/vendors of the food and beverage products we want.
We’re tired of spending our time Googling search terms in hopes of discovering producers nearby. We don’t want to wade through the endless string of websites that boast “local” or “farm-to-table,” but no list of a single farm. We don’t want to waste our time on multiple user-UNfriendly, exclusionary, or crowd-sourced websites and listings characterized sharply by a lack of curatorial management.
I’m no farming/food expert like my pal, Whit, that is, unless liking good food makes me one, and yes, being born and raised in the South has made me appreciate the culture of food that much more. Just listening to what Whit had to say caused me to look at the industry in a new way. Not to mention, it was a great business idea. So, I jumped on board. We formed the partnership and got moving with idea generation and scoping out exactly what Locurean would be.
From local farms, markets, restaurants and supper clubs to distilleries, breweries, vineyards and much more, we look forward to offering the first comprehensive and holistic platform for finding businesses and organizations dedicated to the production, use, and support of local food and drink.
How do you manage to work on your side project(s)?
The way I manage everything else—with iCal.
Seriously, it took some time to figure it out, but it’s definitely doable. Takes some understanding from all parties involved. Communication is huge.
Why have side projects?
At Multiple, Inc., we have the opportunity to work with clients in all kinds of industries. So, we kind of know our way around a lot of different “things.” A side project is just one more way to learn about a different “thing.” Plus, when it makes a difference, all the better. Oh wait, and sometimes it can make you more money too. Sometimes.
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Diptych courtesy of Skot Waldron.
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Read more about the joy of side projects.
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