December 6, Speaker

What a treat to listen to local entrepreneur Shari Fitzpatrick as our keynote speaker this week.  Actually a double treat – considering the delicious chocolate dipped strawberries that she was kind enough to provide!  Ms. Fitzpatrick, founder of the renowned “Shari’s Berries,” and now president and CEO of “The Berry Factory,” told of her path from “rags to riches” as she developed her love of strawberries and passion for creative design into a multi-million dollar enterprise.  Starting in a one room office in Sacramento in 1989 with about $2,000 in borrowed funds, Shari began dipping her own strawberries and delivering them to local businesses, fairs and shows.  She recalls that she gave more away than she sold the first year, but their popularity spread and she was soon expanding and hiring help.  Eventually her focus on quality, service, and marketing helped “grow” her small business into a national sensation.

But Shari’s story was not all just about sweetness and success.  She told of a difficult time in her life when she was convinced to expand to “on-line” deliveries and relinquish control to investors who could take her company “to the next level.”  She quickly learned that with expansion comes a need for more capital, and that taking on more debt and new partners can lead to higher levels of stress and distractions.  Eventually Shari sold her “on-line” company, and its unique brand and patented delivery systems, to another corporation, a move she seems to regret.  But she maintained the right to compete and used her experience to begin a second company – the Berry Factory – which is going strong. 

Through it all, Shari reflects that she tried to keep things in perspective, and that her family (high school sweetheart husband Clay and three strapping boys) and religious faith were always her top priorities.  She is an excellent role model for small business entrepreneurs and is now releasing her hard earned secrets in several publications about her life’s work.  We thank her for sharing her inspiring story with us, and especially for sharing some of the delectable hand-dipped treats as well!