Fig Almond Spread

I opened RLC on May 1, 2013. The following month, I attended my first Fancy Food Show as a buyer. I found several things I was really interested in buying, but two memories really stand out from the crowd.

I was put in a program called “Business Builders,” which helped small businesses find better inroads with suppliers (most of whom were also small, so it was a win for both of us). The format is similar to speed dating: I sat at the table and a dozen companies would come to me and pitch one-on-one for 10 minutes. It gave us both the opportunity to ask questions and learn about our respective companies. My last meeting of the day was The Gracious Gourmet's s Nancy Wekselbaum, a well-established businesswoman. She gave me the best advice while we sat there and was clear that I could make purchases on credit with her, which was putting a lot of faith in me. We talked well beyond our allotted time and eventually they had to tell us to leave. But, Nancy and I became friends that day and I have always carried - and always will carry - an assortment of her products.