Eddie’s Energy Bars Blog

Hey All,

This past week, I finished writing a draft of the Eddie’s Energy Bars Story. As we speak, it is being read by a couple of close friends and business partners for accuracy and grammatical errors.

As for page length, it is about fifty paperback pages. We plan on launching the book in a couple of months as an e-book, for a very reasonable price which has not been determined.

I wrote this book not only because numerous customers thought I had an interesting story to tell at my age, but because I wanted to look back on what we have accomplished in the year and a half we have been in business.

I will keep you all updated on the progress.

Michael
Eddie’s Energy Bars

The book “Let My People Go Surfing” by Yvon Chouinard, the owner and founder of Patagonia, is hands down the best business book I have read in a while.  Most business books are run of the mill, and spit out the same information, just by different authors.  This book is different, and really got me thinking about where I want my company to go, and what I want it to be all about.

In a couple of sections Chouinard comes back to the point of why he is in business, and the image his company is looking to portray. He’s in business to raise awareness of environmental devastation around the world, and wants Patagonia to be seen as a high-quality climbing equipment and apparel maker.

I know why I am in business, but am I in business for the right reason?  I personally started this business to gain experience in two areas: the business world and the specialty food industry.  And, of course, to try and make a buck.  I think I have succeeded at all three of these, but there is a however.

The reason I think I should be in business is to not only sell my product, but to make a difference in the lives of everyone around me.  I am starting to think that the real reason I am in business is to change the way people think about nutrition, fitness, and their overall health.

How should I do this?  I wanted to start the Eddie’s Energy: Get Outdoors program. Maybe I should really do it and help people, kids and adults alike, to get outside exercising, and eating right.

More on how I want my brand to be seen later.

Have a great day!

Michael–EEB

PS: I haven’t forgotten about blogging about nutrition and fitness…it’s been busy in the entrepreneurial ring.

I’m going on vacation tomorrow morning with the rest of the Eddie’s bakers (aka my family).  Where am I going you might ask?  Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  A nice four hour plane ride with a lovely lay-over in O’Hare should do the trick to get me there.

I am just ready to go on vacation, and take a break, like every entrepreneur should.  Vacations give me a chance to recharge my batteries, and come at the coming months with lots of chutzpa.

I wanted to touch on the book that I will be reading on my plane flight over, “Let My People Go Surfing” by the founder of Patagonia.  I’ve read the first couple of pages, and I already like his style and his company perspectives….I’ll update on what I think about the book.

Also, any orders for our homemade energy bars will be processed Monday August 20th.

Thanks for understanding.  I’ll have limited e-mail access, so I will try and get to your e-mails as quickly as possible.

Michael Adams, Owner
Eddie’s Energy Bars

A little bit different than my normal posts, but I thought I would recommend the book that I am reading right now.

Barbara Ehrenreich is one of my favorite authors.  Her most notable book is Nickel and Dimed, a book in which Barabara herself quits her job and lives in multiple states on a minimum wage as a waitress, cleaning lady, and a couple other professions.  When I first read this book, for fun I might add, I could not put it down.  I brought it everywhere with me.

It really brings home the point that it is near impossible to live on a minimum wage.  It really gives me the motivation to create my own job, and try very hard to succeed at it.  I highly recommend it as a summer reading book.

I recently picked up another book by Mrs. Barbara Ehrenreich, Bait and Switch, about the American middle class not being able to find jobs.  I have barely made it through the introduction, but I will keep you updated on how I think the book is.

Michael
Eddie’s Energy Bars

So I got home from college last Tuesday.  Great, grand.  I unpacked everything, and now I can’t seem to find anything.  I took a picture of my desk with my camera (I managed to find that), before when it was messy, then after when it was clean, but there is one problem. I can’t find the cable to put my pictures onto my computer that I was going to post in this entry on how an organized office/room makes you more productive.  Sure, my desk is nice and clean, but my closet is thirty some-odd cubic feet of disaster, along with my nightstand piled high in guerrilla marketing books by Jay Conrad Levison, and other random newspaper cut outs from various members of my family.

I don’t quite know if I have learned my lesson.  I went on this little rant this morning about how I can’t find anything, and that I want to get rid of everything in my room/office that I don’t need: All the chochtkes, the books I am not going read, and even my binders from high school that have taken over one corner of my closet.

Is this simplicity a bad idea?  Maybe this is just a phase.

Well, regardless.  Let the simplicity and organization begin.  This might involve a trip to Staples for organizing accessories, and maybe even Home Depot for extra shelving.

Michael,
Eddie’s Energy Bars