Eddie’s Energy Bars Blog

What better place for baking inspiration than the Green Mountains of Vermont? It’s where I grew up, still live, and will live for the rest of my life. I’ve already decided that. I like small-town Vermont. It’s very easy to test market a product here–even if it’s fried alligator (which is amazing by the way) Richmonders will try it. This is the route I took in test-marketing Eddie’s Energy Bars–two years of test marketing by the way. All these “test-marketers” (we’ll call them friends and family for now) asked me: Why did you do this? Do you like baking? Hmm……..that’s a toughy.

Of course I like baking! In fact, I don’t like it, I LOVE it! I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t like it (read this post). My baking inspiration started when my mom sold Pampered Chef products–I have no idea what the sales woman are called to be quite honest. Anyway, she was always in the kitchen baking up a storm–cookies, brownies, cakes, cobblers. Even with no kids in the house now, she still churns them out constantly, and when we come home from college–oh boy! It’s like she’s been sleeping in the kitchen or something. While my mom is a huge inspiration for me, at one time churning out pies for the Bridge Street Cafe, my dad is the scientist (literally) behind the scenes.

My Dad helped me develop the recipe when I was 16, and currently helps in the R&D department and technical logistics of the company, as well as speedy fast baker–but he isn’t really the business major (he has a PhD in Material Science–don’t even ask me to tell you what he does for a living). His response to any business related question I have is:

“Michael, I only know the mass of an electron.”

Either way, my parents are my inspiration for baking and the motivation to keep Eddie’s Energy Bars going. That, and food is central to my life–healthy food of course!

Purchase a great all natural homemade product from a Vermont baking family: Shop Now!

Michael Adams, Baking nutcase–Eddie’s Energy Bars

The Best Handmade Energy Bars EVER!

As many of you may know, I am a freshman at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI. A leader in the business industry, and churning out well rounded students into the workplace/”real world”, whatever you want to call it, Bryant is a great place for me to hone my business skills, and get the help I need to get my business to the next level–a goal of mine this summer. There are a few things that benefit me to own my energy bar business in college:

Business Professors
There are a number of professors here that have helped me shape my business, how I go about expanding, and improving my online presence. For example, Mr. Greenan (he thinks I walk on water) has been a great mentor to me, letting me know that education should be what’s important to me now, and that when I graduate (kind of like getting laid off from IBM, Ann), I become a full time energy bar manufacturer, and I have unlimited potential. The professors here are great. You don’t even need to be enrolled in their class to go to their office hours–it’s amazing!

Campus is like a little town
The Bryant campus is its own community. Everyone knows everyone, and as I develop my routine each semster, I see the same people inbetween class, at lunch, etc. People talk to people, and everyone knows everything within twenty-four hours. There are buildings on campus here that provide products and services essential to students. Could Eddie’s Energy Bars be one of those products? I am getting in contact with some people here on campus that might make that happen–it would be awesome! The great thing, is that there is a mayor (president) of every little town. I can go knock on his door and ask him to help me out in getting my product on campus. As the little kid in Angels in the Outfield says, “it could happen.”

Your Business is on a College Budget
To some people, this might be a bad thing, but to me, it is definately a plus. While in college, your business is probably part time, as mine is, and I only have so much money I can put back into my business. I haven’t worked in the corporate world, nor do I really want to, but I know I am limited to the money in my savings account and checking account. If I don’t have the money, I can’t run that special promotion. Being on a small budget gives me the ability to think creatively about promotions and products on a shoestring budget, something that will come in handy in the future when I have a bigger budget to play with.

Dorm Room Office Space
No normal college student can throw down hundreds of thousands of dollars and buy office space in the middle of a big city. This is why my dorm room is my office while at school. It is fantastic because I have my own desk, all the office supplies I need, and even my own phone line (my cell phone-haha). Granted, I share my “office” with a roomate, and visitors are frequent, but either way, it is still my office, and I conduct business frequently, and have the ability to work on my website from any computer with an internet connection (I thank Billy from Keyworth Graphics for that).

Continuing to run a business in college was a risk I was willing to take. Family and friends are continuously helping me out, and I thank them for that, but I am accomplishing so much with where I want my homemade energy bars to go, and from the college student perspective, this is real-world experience that I shouldn’t be getting till May 17, 2010.

Your College entrepreneur,

Michael
Eddie’s Energy Bars

Just released today was the list of the healthiest states in the United States for 2007, and guess what? Vermont was ranked #1. Here is a link to the article, along with a list of other states that made the prestigious list.

Honestly, I am not surprised that Vermont is numero uno. During all four (some argue five) seasons in Vermont, I constantly see people exercising, whether it be running, biking, canoeing, walking, a team sport, or going to the gym a couple days a week. I am so happy to be offering all natural homemade energy bars to this wonderful state to help people get outside and exercise!

Vermont has been number one six out of seven of the last years. That is pretty impressive for such a small state. I think it’s because of the opportunities that Vermont organizations and companies provide for our residents (or the fact that most of Vermont lives in the middle of no where). You can bike, walk, rollerskate, and run down on the waterfront bike path, walk up and down Church Street, or hike the beautiful Green Mountains (remember to take energy bars along). In addition, there are many food establishments that offer healthy alternatives to greasy, fried foods. The combination of exercising and a simple balanced diet would explain Vermont’s low obesity rate, however, it is still higher than it should be. Encourage everyone you know to get outside and do some exercise. It will be fun for both of you.

Does anyone think organized hikes, bikes, walks, and outdoor events during the summer sponsored by Eddie’s Energy Bars is a good idea? Please leave your input by leaving a comment below.

Congrats, Vermont!

Michael, Energy Bar Master and Vermont Lover
Eddie’s Energy Bars

“The Best Handmade Energy Bar EVER!”

I was at a comedian last night, and it turned out he was part motivational speaker. It kind of threw me off, but he was pretty funny–some jokes I had heard, some I hadn’t. Anyway, the subject here is being content and happy with your life.

Although I am not self-reliant on Eddie’s Energy Bars (yet), whenever I go to “work” it really is fun for me. It is a great experience in seeing how customers react to different promotions, my tasty homemade energy bars, and the fact that I am in college and own my own company. It may sound fake, but this is such a fun thing to do. It is part of the fact why I am dreading having to work part-time in the summer for someone. I don’t really like being managed, but it’s just something I need to get through. I like to be independent and make my own decisions. I don’t like being told what to do with my company. A couple weeks ago I had a discussion with Ann Zuccardy, probably one of the coolest people I know, and owner of a rockin’ business, Vermont Shortbread Company. She has chosen to grow her company at what some would call a “slow rate”. Sure, it might be slow, but it is how she wanted to grow it.

I am the same way. I am in college, and need to finish–it is my number one priority. I am choosing not to be like Bill Gates and drop out of college to make $30,000,000 a day. Gates has said that he has one regret: he wishes he could have finished college. That’s great–I’m finishing college–not even a doubt about that. Do I want to make 30 mil a day? Sure–that would be fantastic, but, would I be happy? Would you be happy? No one needs that much to live comfortably–just be happy doing what you are doing and have some fun with it–I sure am having fun, and I’m only 19. Anything you dream about and have enough passion for is possible. I will end today with another quote:

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” -Sarah Ban Breathnach

Get out there and accomplish your dream–what’s stopping you?

Michael Adams, Part-time dreamer, full-time college student
Eddie’s Energy Bars

“The Best Handmade Energy Bars EVER!”

As many people in the northeast should know, unless you are stuck inside a building with no windows, it is absolutely beautiful out today! It is sixty-five degrees outside and the sun is shining brightly. What a great day to grab an all natural, homemade energy bar and get outside–run, walk, play catch with a friend, etc. There are plenty of outdoor activities you can do once it gets warm–but it needs to stay warm too :). I have already crossed going to the gym off my list for today. I woke up at 6:30 this morning to go to the gym with my friend Lauren. She used to live in Essex, VT, so we have an instant connection being fellow Vermonters! Anyway, when we go to the gym, we make sure to do a thorough and complete workout.

What does a thorough and complete workout consist of, you may ask?

Cardio
Cardio is very important in maintaining a healthy heart, and it should be done for at least thirty minutes a day, with variance so you don’t get bored. There are many ways to get your heart rate up: basketball, treadmill, bike, hiking, etc. It is essential that you get your heart rate up to what is called your target heart rate. This helps you burn calories while not tiring out too quickly. Exercise at your target heart rate and you will start to see an improvement in just about every heart-related aspect of your daily life. Also, something that has benefited me from doing a lot of cardio is that my exercise-induced asthma is practically gone–I never thought that was going to happen!

Weight Training
Weight training is an integral part of your workout routine. Are you someone who looks at the weight machines with a confused look on your face? I was too, but I figured them out by asking people how to use the machine (people are really nice at Bryant University) or watching how others used the machines and followed suit with an appropriate weight for my beginner status. Before starting to lift, please, for the sake of your body, stretch out every muscle in your body for 15-20 seconds. This is important because you don’t want to be pulling any muscles when you are lifting. Don’t know what to do first? Start with larger muscle groups, and then progress to isolated muscles like biceps and triceps. To tone muscles (make them more defined) you should be looking to lift a lighter weight with higher repetitions. To build muscles (make them bigger) you would lift a heavier weight with less repetitions. The most important points when you start your weight training are BREATHE NORMALLY and lift only the weight you know you can lift.

It is very important to incorporate both cardio and weight training in your workout routine. If all you do is lift weights every day, sure, your muscles will get big and ripped, but once you start to run, you’re going to most likely be short of breath. The same with doing just cardio. You want to build muscle, which “replaces” the fat that you have lost in a way.

Let me know how you have been doing in your workout routine! Come back soon to look for tips on nutrition before, during, and after your workouts.

Michael, Owner
Eddie’s Energy Bars

PS: Eddie’s Energy Bars one-year anniversary is coming up next week! You are going to want to check back for off-the-wall promotions for next week! I’m thinking free stuff…this week I will post the promotion for next week’s week-long celebration.