Excuse me, but haven't we met before?

EXCUSE ME, but haven't we met before?

I recently got my writing act together and started this Blog. Now as you may know, I write business-savvy editorial-ish stories that integrate my real life experience into personal and executive business case(stories).  I’ve always believed in using a Collaborative Business Model to make operations succeed, and when you weave that into consultative sales, sometimes you get the ‘Midas’ touch.

A few weeks ago I was approached by artist and designer Jolee Pink of Wabisabi Green, who I’d never met before, to write a sustainability piece for the Encinitas Foodie Festival magazine. This is a ticketed family fun event, bringing the community together to elevate public awareness about locally grown sustainable foods and products while promoting the arts, local business and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  The event happens on Saturday, May 21st from 11am-4pm in the Lumberyard Shopping Center on South Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas.

One word led to another between me and Jolee, and I told her about my background in organizing and promoting large scale events and that I also happen to have many working relationships with Chefs and business in San Diego. You see folks, San Diego may look like a big city, but it’s really a small town, and like anywhere else I’ve ever lived, it’s ultimately about WHO you know more then What you know.  I have always been lucky enough to carry a little of both in my bag of tricks.

I realized I had the time and bandwidth to partner with Jolee to help pull off this event, and she welcomed my help.  Suddenly I find myself building punch lists, and the “collaboration” wheels are turning non-stop. Foodie Fest Encinitas aims to increase support for a greener earth by bringing ‘food activists’ together to educate while having fun.

On three stages, we’ve got chefs who will demonstrate their culinary expertise using local sustainable farm fresh produce and ingredients. The Chefs Roll will feature top chefs from around San Diego County, and our judges for the competition are some of our most distinguished colleagues including James Montejano, Andrew Spurgin, and Catt Fields White. Gourmet restaurant tastes will be provided by North County restaurants including Bistro West, Privateer and Wrench & Rodent, and The Barefoot Bar will showcase a dozen local companies including Meritage Wine Market, Ballast Point and y the Lost Abbey. Our Main Street Stage MC will conduct a “Bid for the Cure” for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation  and ten local artists will contribute to an “Art for the Cure” exhibit on display at the nearby E101 Gallery. 

Finally, there will be a VIP sponsor appreciation dinner Friday, May 20th from 6-9pm on the Coral Tree Farm in Encinitas featuring an optional farm tour and music by Barnwell Shift. Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar will be the MC at the dinner, and sponsors like Hamilton Meats, Fishbone Kitchen, and Gourmet Culinary will provide food while Festival Chefs cook a four-course tasting menu paired with La Jolla Brewing Company beer and local wines. 

Now, in the coming days and weeks I’ll be reaching out to some of my friends and business colleagues hoping to get you involved in this amazing festival collaborative and cause. As I’ve preached in the past, “opportunities in the ‘crowd-sourced’ arena are always ripe for the picking.” Get your name out there, and let San Diegans find out more about what you’ve got cooking! There is a lot of work to be done by Jolee and me, so if you have any interest in being involved and we haven’t reached out to you, please do send me brief on how we can work together at BioSystemicConsulting@gmail.com and let me what you hope to gain from your involvement. 

Sometimes when someone taps you on the shoulder (in real life or in cyberspace) and says “excuse me, but haven’t we met before?” just say yes even if you have not. Sometimes that’s how you create the opportunity to collaborate with great people!