What Our Students are Saying

Our 2011 participants came from California, British Columbia, Maine, Washington State, Missouri, Florida and Indiana. Here are some of their comments:

“[The seminar] helped fill in a lot of the gaps and give me the background info that I had been looking for in one place, rather than having to take a lot of smaller classes or search the Internet.”

“It was very informative and worth every penny. I feel like I’ve gained so much knowledge and know where I am. I now have so many more contacts/points of view and confidence.”

“Thank you for your honesty and openness, and all the hands-on at Cheese Bar!”

“Heidi was an excellent hostess/coordinator/facilitator/guide.”

“The real estate and lease section was very beneficial.”

“The tax expert had great energy, and made the topic interesting and understandable.”

“[Steve was] fantastic, very informative, open, willing to answer all questions. Appreciated his willingness to give us free rein in his store.”

“I really enjoyed the program and found much of it beneficial. Because I had owned and operated a business for decades, some of it was not so much of value to me but I suspect excellent for the group at large. I enjoyed the “hands on” portion and appreciated Steve’s candor about the economics of his business. The internet segment was also exceptionally useful. I am looking forward to going over that material this coming weekend. It was a good investment for me. My math says the seminar cost me $1500. and saved me between $50,000-$100,000 !!! I’m not the right guy for a cheese store. Knowing that is priceless.”

In 2010, our participants came from northern and southern California, Michigan, British Columbia, Oregon, Arizona and Texas. Here are some of their comments:

“Just want to say thank you again for the valuable experience you put together for us.  Before we were feeling kind of jumbled because there was so much to do and we didn’t know where to start and now I feel like we are really close to having a step by step plan to get things moving.  Also, seeing Steve operate in his shop was perfect.  It was like a mini internship for us.”

“I definitely came away with the sense that I wasn’t completely insane, and that is always a good feeling. Each step of the way made me more confident in the industry and where it is going.”

“I particularly appreciated how approachable Steve was – particularly for a novice like myself.”

“I really like the way the days were planned – perfect amount of meet-and-greet, classroom, field trips.

“I loved meeting the cheesemakers at the farmers market.”

“The seminar put a lot of the unknown into perspective and has been very inspiring.  Leaving with “I can do it.”

“I had an amazing experience. I would have loved the seminar to be longer.”

“The seminar surpassed my expectations It gave me a road map for the first time. I can’t imagine proceeding without this experience.”

Our 2009 graduate Sheri LaVigne has now opened The Calf and Kid in Seattle. Here’s what she said about our class on her blog:

 

And, here’s what The New York Times says about The Calf and Kid

The New York Times August 12, 2010, “Seattle’s New Food Market”

Comments from participants in the June, 2009, seminar: