Congratulations on your beautiful family. What are your Father's Day plans?
It is all about quality time with my wife, Lindsay, and boys, Bennett (age 4) and Grant (17 months). At this age, we are always on the go and love to spend time outside. We get an early start at Pop’s Coffee Co. for coffee, chorizo empanadas, and to check out the motorcycles (fun fact - they recently restored my dad’s 1969 Triumph). After Pop’s, we head to Riverside Park for some playground time and exercise on the river walk. If the weather is nice, we have a stand-up paddle board and kayak that we love to take out. Then it’s time for lunch and naps. We spend time on our front patio where neighbors and friends are always enjoying each others’ company.
Naturally, Instead of Flowers would be on the menu for dinner. One of the things that make Instead of Flowers so special is that it allows the recipient to enjoy quality time with the ones they love. Though I love to cook on my Big Green Egg, this Father’s Day I won’t have to worry about making the trip to the grocery store or prepping the grill and cooking. Instead, I will get to spend all my free time with the family and enjoy a gourmet meal without the work! I look forward to our June meal of the month. The ribs are perfectly seasoned and make for the perfect Father’s Day meal. Bennett loves the kid's mac and cheese and Grant is a big fan of our chicken fingers, so I will for sure add the kid's meals to my order - something for everyone! Instead of Flowers makes so many great desserts, but cheesecake is one of my favorites, so I‘d choose that on Father’s Day!
How long have you been with Instead of Flowers and why is the business a good fit for you?
Instead of Flowers has been serving gourmet meals for 25 years. My business partners and I bought the company about 2 years ago. We had all been longtime customers, always gifting it to clients and friends. It's the perfect gift for any person and any occasion and it was always so well-received and appreciated by those we gifted to. When we learned the owner was retiring, it was a no-brainer to pursue continuing and building the brand. It was a service and business model we believed in wholeheartedly. I’ve always been interested in entrepreneurship. This business is unique in the world of gifting, so I was eager for the opportunity to make a shift from my role in the financial world.
Customers send gifts for pretty much any reason you can think of, though more common occasions include birthdays and the birth of a baby (hello sleepy parents), as well as bereavement and get well soon. My family was impacted by cancer when my mom battled a grade IV Glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer. In the midst of grief and treatments and so much else, having a meal to come home to was both a luxury and a necessity.
I believe so strongly in our mission and sending meals that matter. It’s personal for me. We want to create an amazing experience for both the gift giver and the recipient. We do that by showing kindness to everyone we serve and truly caring about the reason they are gifting in the first place.
Tell us about your family.
My wife Lindsay and I are college sweethearts. From the night we met, I knew I was going to marry her. This June, we will celebrate our ninth wedding anniversary (though we’ve been together much longer than that!). She is a nurse and works for Shepherd Center. I love Lindsay because she has an amazing ability to care for others, which is especially true for our family where she is outnumbered in a house full of boys. We have two sweet (and sometimes rambunctious) little boys, Bennett and Grant. They are at such a fun age, but it is all-go all the time. Bennett is so outgoing and adventurous. He has never met a stranger. He can remember names better than most! Grant loves to walk and climb everything. He’s a happy little guy and has such a fun personality. Our dog Banks is a big part of our family. His favorite things are catching tennis balls and chasing chipmunks. He loves the water - whether it's the Chattahoochee, at the lake, or the beach, he’s jumping right in. We’re also so lucky to have a strong community of family, neighbors, and friends.