Michele Northrup | Saucy Visionary
Michele knows that great ideas can sprout anywhere. While working in her kids’ school garden, she uncovered the perfect natural sweetener for hot sauce – the carrot – and in early 2007, launched Intensity Academy (intensityacademy.com). Since then, her products including a Chai tea-infused hot sauce are winning food competitions and garnering attention. “It’s been so much fun, a real rollercoaster ride,” she says. “The products have been embraced by everyone – veggie and vegan groups and those who like to grill with a variety of different meats.” Michele frequently travels with her husband and three sons to introduce the gourmet sauce line at food festivals. “It’s good for our kids to see what can happen from a great idea and hard work,” she says. Mom, entrepreneur and former honorary Guvna of Lutz – what’s next? Political office? “That’s too serious for me,” she laughs. “I’ll continue raising money for the community and groups that focus on children, moms and the environment.”
Michele says the name Intensity Academy came to mind – like her sauces – quite naturally. “Since I made my discovery working with the kids in the school garden, it made sense. I wanted to create a virtual academy focused on freshness and flavors,” she says.
She says she would like to explore developing pasta sauces next but doesn’t foresee this happening until next year. As she expands the label’s distribution in the area both online and at such local vendors as Nutrition Smart and Abby’s, she anticipates seeing the products expand to larger organic food stores in other markets, as well.
Michele attributes a positive outlook and boundless enthusiasm to her daily practice of meditation and the impact of reading Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret, a philosophy she says inspires her to believe in herself and show gratitude in everything she does each day. She frequently participates in fundraising efforts for several local organizations including Tampa Audubon Society, Lutz Civic Association and Earth Force. “I’ve come full circle yet again,” she says. “I started the company a week before my Guvna campaign. I gave and got back, a philosophy I always feel is just what you do. Give of myself, give my time and energy, however I can.”
*Article found in Skirt! Tampa Bay in the October 2008 issue.*
1 comments:
saucy indeed!!!!!
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