Bored? Take a Risk - Cannon's Sweet Hots - Brief Article

IN 1992, DIANE CANNON AND HER HUSBAND JOHN FOUNDED Cannon's Sweet Hots, in order to produce a specialty chile sauce based on one of John's recipes. They had no experience in the food industry, no inventory no market for their product, and had never produced one jar of Sweet Hots.

Today, Cannon's Sweet Hots has 24 products. They are sold in all 50 states and as far away as the Netherlands, Australia, and Manila. Diane, the owner, and John, now vice president of operations, have been transformed from novices to successful business entrepreneurs. Diane describes their business as simply, "Home canning in a bigger pot."

In our research about what it takes to develop passionate work we found that risk taking is indispensable. Every single person we spoke to who was passionate about their work told us that taking risks is simply part of the territory. It makes sense, doesn't it? Doing things that are easy gets pretty dull after awhile. On the other hand, being stretched and challenged makes the heart pump a little faster, the brain operates a bit more sharply and the spirit summoned especially enthusiastically Risk taking was a prominent part of Diane's success in starting Sweet Hots.

RISK TAKING MEANS COMMITTING TO SOMETHING

We asked Diane when she first felt passion for her work. She told us that it occurred when she had to quit her other, full-time job. "At that time I went into the business full time. I became so proud of what we had accomplished. Passion came at a time when I was forced to commit fully to Sweet Hots. "We had to ask ourselves, what do we have to lose, what do we have to gain?" Committing to something risky is scary but essential for success. At some point you have to either do it--or not. And until you do, you won't be able to tap into the power that passionate work provides.

"My discovery,' says Diane, "is that once you take that first step, that leap of faith, if you've done your homework, if you believe in the product, and can convey that belief- they will buy it. You feel exhilarated. I personally was terrified. We felt crazy but said, isn't this great?"

RISK TAKING OVER TIME GETS EASIER

When Diane and John started, the risks seemed overwhelming. "Ordering chile was a risk," Diane says. "At first we ordered 8,000 pounds of chile. My heart..." She stopped mid-phrase and thumped her chest. You could almost visualize how hard her heart must have pumped. "My husband then said we needed more--so we ordered 16,000 pounds! We decided we needed to double that--now we ordered 32,000 pounds. We didn't have a market for our product and I was still working in reservations for Southwest Airlines. When we had to place a final order--it was for 50,000 pounds!"

"Now," she says, "we order 65 to 70,000 pounds of chile a year. My heart doesn't pound anymore." The act of taking risks to achieve something important transformed Diane.

RISK TAKERS STAY THE COURSE

Most worthwhile endeavors have significant obstacles that must be traversed. Diane could have closed Sweet Hots for any number of logical reasons. First, health problems could have provided a convenient excuse. Diane had brain tumor surgery. "It took three years to get back to where I could do things normally" But that was just one health-related obstacle. In August of 1993--heir first year, before any product was distributed anywhere--John had arranged to display and demonstrate at the State Fair. On opening day of the fair, Diane had gall bladder surgery (John continued to work there every day and sold 198 and a half cases.) John himself had quadruple bypass surgery in 1996. Second, there was no processing facility in Albuquerque at that time. John loaded up a truck, drove to pick up the chile they had purchased just outside of Hatch and then continued on to Lovington to make the product. Third, they started with no training or experience in the field. Fourth, they assumed personal financial risk and sacrif ice. "Over the first three years we invested a total of $40,000," she says. "We sold our stock, got a loan, and stripped our lives down to the bare minimum."

Their passion for Sweet Hots gave them the fortitude to stay the course. "What kept us going when we could have quit? It wasn't an epiphany We knew there was nothing out there which wasn't overcomable."

PASSION GIVES THE COURAGE TO TAKE RISKS

When others quit, when others won't take the first step, and when others become tentative, it is passion - doing meaningful work you love - which gives you the resolve to take risks. "I love it," says Diane. "But there are days you want to slit your wrists, pull your hair out, and leave the office and never come back. Of course," she chuckles, "I can't do that - my office is my home. I live there!"

Taking risks is one of the keys to transforming work. Goethe said, "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now."

PATRICIA BOVERIE, PH.D., IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO. SHE AND MICHAEL KROTH, PH.D., OWN BOVERIE, KROTH & ASSOCIATES. THEIR ROOK: TRANSFORMING WORK: THE FIVE KEYS TO ACHIEVING AND SUSTAINING TRUST, COMMITMENT. AND PASSION IN THE WORKPLACE WILL BE PUBLISHED BY PERSEUS PUBLISHING IN DECEMBER. IF YOU KNOW OP PASSIONATE EMPLOYEES, LEADERS, OR WORK ENVIRONMENTS WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT THEM.

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