When my wife Karen and I started this up over 30 years ago, the two of us did it all – orders, receiving, warehousing, billing, packing and shipping – all from the basement of our home. In the middle of a long workday, my wife unwrapped a Tootsie Pop. I asked for one myself, thinking a little sugar fix would help get me through the afternoon. While we were working and enjoying our lollipops, my wife got a bright idea – what if we snuck a few Tootsie Pops into the tube that holds the fabric, for our customers to enjoy?

I wasn’t convinced. I thought It would be a waste of money, and some customers might not appreciate the candy or even find it. We argued back and forth for a few days, but she decided to do it anyway without me knowing. A week later, I was talking to a customer over the phone, and before hanging up, the customer said, “I want to thank you for putting those Tootsie Pops in the fabric tube. You just made a very miserable day turn great and put a smile on everyone’s face in the workroom. I was caught off guard, started to stammer and stutter, and then said, “My pleasure!”

Well, the rest is history. To this day, we spend over $12,000/year on Tootsie Pops to brighten everyone’s day. Our customers love getting them, and some of the stories I’ve heard about those lollipops would have you falling on the floor, laughing.

The moral of the story? Do what your wife tells you and don’t fight the system!

What's with the Tootsie Pop?