Podcast poems & Honey pairings 🐝

Thanks for coming over! Hope you brought an appetite.

Once upon a time, I was a dining hall matchmaker. I had a knack for scoping out all the different food stations, gathering ingredients that complemented each other, and pairing them in unexpected ways. (My friends told me I could write a cookbook for college kids trying to make the most of their meal plans.) I still love all kinds of cross-pollinating.

PAIR IT WITH A POEM: Wild Honey Tasting

Here’s a little pairing menu: I’ve matched each poem I read on the podcast with a thematically-related item from Wild Honey Words. Enjoy!

POEM #1: “Here’s to Being Human”

→ Pair it with a Judgment-Free Zone Beautiful Mess Journal.

POEM 2: “This River Has a Mind of Its Own”

→ Pair it with the Jazz Flows Through Our Veins Metal Print, Thousand Rivers Duffel, or Keep On Moving Longline Sports Bra.* [Update 4/24: This item is no longer available.]

POEM #3: “Arrhythmia”

→ Pair it with a BYO Heart-Centered Revolution Sticker.

POEM #4: “Self-Portrait, 1984-2023 / Reclaimed letters, starshine, brown clay / Dimensions variable / Not for sale”

→ Pair it with our Royal Treatment Slides. [Update 4/24: This item is no longer available.]

POEM #5: “The Art of Making History”

 
→ Pair it with an Urban Skylines Water Bottle & Thermos. [Update 4/24: This item is no longer available, however, this quote is available on our hardcover and spiral-bound Urban Blueprints Journals.]

POEM #6: “Everything I Know We Need I Picked Up at Trader Joe’s”

→ Pair it with the Validation Tote or another unique reusable bag.

GET CURIOUS: Why Make Business Personal?

Fun Fact: While finding my way into publishing at 22, I worked a stint at NYC’s Books of Wonder, the real-life place that inspired “The Shop Around the Corner” in the dawn-of-AOL romcom You’ve got Mail. In the movie, when tycoon Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) builds a big-box store that forces a cozy children’s bookshop to close, he tells the heartbroken small business owner, Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan), “It wasn’t personal.”

Kathleen says, “Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal.” It’s her charming touches and her relational way of serving the community that make her shop special to her loyal customers. Obviously, I’m fiercely hoping for a different outcome with my own entrepreneurial venture, but her philosophy resonates. 

A few pumpkin seasons** back, I spent a year and change flexing my small-but-mighty muscles in a Hawaiian t-shirt, helping folks make dinner decisions at Trader Joe’s. Once again, my culinary matchmaking skills came in handy. I liked giving customers foodie tips and recommendations. Over a decade earlier, I’d managed a camp store for two summers before living the Meg-Ryan-as-book-queen dream (minus her fabulous brownstone). Since working as an editor and freelance writer, I hadn’t planned to take on another sales job. Joining the crew at Trader Joe’s seemed like a career detour. But it expanded my understanding of the retail industry—experience that turned out to be invaluable because in 2021, aka the Year of the Pivot, I decided to open a boutique.

Ever gone through your pantry/life wishing you had different ingredients/experiences to work with and wondering what you can make with what you have? If you stay open to new ideas and trust your reinvention skills, the things that end up making sense together may surprise you.

KEEP LEARNING: Gems from Trader Joe’s

1. The best stories start outside the box.

Long before I landed a job at Trader Joe’s in Southern California, I was a die-hard customer, waiting in checkout lines that wrapped around every store in Manhattan then schlepping All the Things on the subway to Queens. I fell in love with those signature groceries even before tasting them, let alone reaching the register, thanks to TJ’s creative copywriters and talented artists. From hand-lettered signs to flyers and packaging, they do everything with flair. Each product has a story, entertainingly told with a witty sense of humor. Creativity has always been my secret sauce. You could say the spirit of Wild Honey Words was inspired by TJ’s Organic Spicy Honey Sauce… but the recipe is mine.

2. Every day is Bring Your Personality to Work Day.

(So don’t leave it at home or lock it in the car.) Trader Joe is a colorful character: quirky, friendly, upbeat. I mean, what other grocery chain has a distinctive personality? TJ’s proves that everyday routines can be infused with fun when we put diverse flavors together (including people) and embrace our quirks as assets. Now that I’m my own boss, I still can’t say every aspect of my job is an ideal fit, but I get to build a business/brand with a vision and a voice that feel like me. I’ve never found a suit that really felt right on me, though I’ve worn a few (gray, navy, black) and can navigate starchy environments when pressed. I’m naturally cut out to be flowy, bold, and bright. Little by slowly, I’m creating new patterns and learning to shape my work to match who I was made to be.

3. There isn’t one right way to be a person among people.

We all crave human connection and we all have different approaches. As an introvert and a Highly Sensitive Person, I find crowded places and high-contact situations overwhelming, so working in one of the original (read: tiny, hugely popular) Trader Joe’s stores required stepping out of my comfort zone. But in the blur, I made one-on-one moments matter. Sometimes this meant empathizing with customers’ feelings about recent losses, whether they were mourning the discontinuation of a product or buying food for a memorial reception. Care is in the details, in noticing needs, in anticipating the difference a small thing can make. Once I chased a customer into the parking lot and tucked a forgotten avocado into her backpack just before she took off on her motorcycle. I actually got to have some deep conversations while playing grocery Tetris. Connecting with people on a personal level continues to open up to all kinds of opportunities.

4. Growth is a team sport.

Even as a solopreneur wearing an overabundance of hats, I consider Wild Honey Words a “we” operation. I co-create with my Higher Power, partner with order fulfillment and shipping teams, and consult with my Honey Pod—mentors, supporters, and fellow business owners. I’m learning that the only way to sustain my energy, avoid burnout, hone my skills, and enjoy staying in the game is to ask for help and receive support on a regular basis. Healthy collaboration is an essential ingredient.

I’m so grateful for your help with growing this community! Your support makes my work possible.

All things delicious,