Why Popcorn?

I get this question a lot:  why popcorn?

I understand what makes people ask the question, especially if they know me.  I am a self proclaimed technology addict.

For the last several years I've made my living doing IT support, network administration, and web design.  I have and regularly use a laptop, smart phone, iPod, among other digital devices.   I live on the web.  Whenever any friend or family has a technology question or problem I'm the one they call.

Which brings me back to the question:  why popcorn?

I never really have a good answer for that question to be honest.  I usually just shrug and say it's because I like popcorn.  That's a good enough reason right?

I just watched a documentary tonight called 180 Degrees South.  It is about a guy who took six months of his life to travel down to Patagonia and climb the mountain Corcovado.  But what the movie was really about was living a life that's more in tune with nature and other people.  Escaping the over consuming, disconnected lifestyle that embodies what it means to be an American today.

This really hit home with me.  Countless times I've walked through the grocery store, or Wal-Mart with my ear buds in listening to music or a pod cast.  Other shoppers only represented moving obstacles that stood between me and whatever goods I was there to purchase.  Then there's the countless hours spent on the internet instead of face to face interactions with people and the world around me.

So what in the world does that have to do with making popcorn?  I think on a subconscious level making popcorn represents to me getting back to something more real, more natural.  It's taking things that are natural and making something out of them with my hands.  It's working alongside other people in a non virtual environment.  It's about handing a bag of gourmet popcorn to someone and seeing the smile it brings to their face.  It's about then having a conversation with the people I meet.  It's about connecting.

Now I know that I'm not out saving the rain forests or living off the land.  But it's a step in the right direction I think.  It's about not being buried in my computer or phone 24/7.  And so far it's going great!

Chad aka "The Popcorn Czar" 

Things are poppin'

It's hard to believe that just a few short months ago Chad's Carolina Corn was just an idea being tossed around.   I'm very blessed, and somewhat humbled, to see how far the company has come in such a short amount of time.

We have now moved from a concept we began in our kitchen to a production facility in Archdale, NC.  We have officially launched the website and orders have been coming in.  The product is on the shelves in Lewisville at Mostly Local Market, and in Thomasville at Shoppes On Main and Cedar Lodge Market.  More stores to come very soon....

And in a very excited surprise Chad's Carolina Corn was featured on WXII on December 1st!  We saw a jump in website traffic of 2700% the next day!  Thanks very much to the folks at WXII for giving us that opportunity.

All this for a company that didn't exist 6 months ago.

There have literally been new opportunities pouring in daily, and I am SO thankful!  The support that I have received from everyone is beyond what I could have anticipated.

As the story on WXII alluded to, this is really more than just about popcorn.  A big part of the reason for starting this company is to give me a way to better support my family.  It's no secret that times are hard for everyone right now, and we are not an exception.  I've been praying, searching, and brainstorming for what feels like forever about what to do and starting Chad's Carolina Corn felt like the right way to go.  It was, and to some degree still is, a risk.  But I have been SO encouraged by everyone's reaction.

So I just want to say thank you so much to everyone out there who has given me a word of encouragement, had good things to say about the product, and helped open doors for me!!!

More good news to come shortly.....

Chad aka "The Popcorn Czar"