Lori Taylor Divulges How She Keeps The Produce Moms Growing
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Challenge is unavoidable in our industry. In fact, it is the very root of the many successes and innovations that contribute to the achievement of the fresh produce sector today. Reflecting on the hurdles presented in 2021, The Produce Moms® (TPM) Founder and Chief Executive Officer Lori Taylor recently offered some insight on how to keep business evolving amongst these pressures.
“It may be shocking to hear, but 2021 was actually a more difficult year for The Produce Moms (TPM) than 2020. We were more successful from a business standpoint, which made it tougher to make ends meet,” Taylor explained in a recent article on LinkedIn. “That being said, I 100 percent believe that challenges in entrepreneurship make us stronger.”
These challenges surely did not hinder the growth of TPM, as the organization will be announcing its B Corporation certification in the coming weeks; was recently featured in Forbes Women; launched two co-branded retail items; and continues to grow in reach with its website, podcasts, and social media channels.
“The advice I would give to anyone—entrepreneur or not—is that you have to be able to acknowledge that you don’t know everything,” Taylor noted. “I know our egos can get in the way of that and we want to believe we don’t need other people, but we don’t know everything. By opening ourselves up to what others have to say, we gain knowledge and build trust with colleagues that can often become our mentors, too.”
Taking that methodology one step further, the industry experts also shone a light on the importance of planning ahead.
“Sometimes that means planning for something new and innovative. Other times it means setting a bigger goal for the business. Each year, I choose one big goal. [...] You constantly have to be thinking about what’s next," Taylor explained.
Last, but definitely not least, Taylor offered one more piece of advice that speaks to the perfectionist that is rooted deep within so many of us: Don’t be afraid to be wrong.
To see what Lori means by this, read the full deep-dive here. And keep clicking on AndNowUKnow for all your fresh produce industry updates.
