John, Cari and Anne Karonis of SKORDO: 5 Things You Need To Run A Highly Successful Family Business

Vision / Mission / Values — These must be clearly defined as the business is conceived and, while they may evolve over time, they must form the foundation for every decision that the business makes. I recall our first discussions around values in particular. After much debate, we collectively signed onto our set of core values.

As a part of our series about 5 Things You Need To Run A Highly Successful Family Business, I had the pleasure of interviewing John Karonis, ft. Cari and Anne Karonis.

SKORDO is both an online and local Maine destination for people who love to cook. Founded in 2016, this family-owned establishment is dedicated to enabling home cooks of all experience levels to create and enjoy good food with the ones they love. SKORDO’s mission is to empower both novices and foodies by equipping them with the best ingredients, accessories, and recipes, while educating them on and exciting them to experiment and have fun in the kitchen.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

After trying to retire in 2013 as retail consultants, both Cari and I knew that we had more we needed to accomplish. We knew nothing would be better than starting a business that combined our two passions: retail and cooking!

At the same time, my two daughters also had their own burgeoning careers: Anne, a CPA with a Big Four firm, and Erin, a very successful salesperson with a multinational company. They both shared our vision for SKORDO, though, and we decided to tackle this new adventure together and as a family.

Although Erin was later re-recruited back to her original company, five years later Cari, Anne, and I remain and are just as convinced now as we were when we opened that there remains a sizable retail space that is underserved, namely a lifestyle shop for people who love to cook. We are not just a spice shop, an appliance shop, or even a cookbook store. We are a shop where customers can engage with other like-minded people who share a passion for all things food. SKORDO is the product of this ambition and, as we like to say, it is the Karonis family on a plate.

Can you tell us a bit about your family business and your role in it?

We are a true family business, not just a family-owned business. We each have specific roles that play to our strengths and interests. Cari leads our Merchandising and HR functions, Anne leads Marketing and the online shop, and I lead the Operations, Finance, and R&D functions. And we have an amazing Head of Stores, Evelyn Smith, who we consider a part of our broader SKORDO family.

Our organization has evolved over the years and will undoubtedly continue on that path as we gain more experience and more business. We will continue to look at roles the same, however, ensuring that we are competently meeting our role expectations, while also further evolving in the process. And we’ll continue to collaborate. We’re all firm believers that bringing diverse ideas and skills together in one place strengthens the team. We all have a stake in our success and recognize that this is crucial to our success.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this career?

It’s really an ongoing story! Namely, watching how our business is changing as we grow. I recall the day we opened for business on our website; we were thrilled that we had ten orders, never mind that they were all from relatives and friends. In the ensuing months we would get so excited if someone that we didn’t know placed an order and we’d ponder how they heard about us, got interested, or found us.

Now it’s the exact opposite. Last year we shipped to every state and now have thousands of participants in our Insider Program. We’re excited when we see an order from someone we know or an old friend. And we’ve made many new friends along the way.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I remember when I messed up the proportions of spices on one of our first test batches of our Chesapeake Bay Seasoning. I had sent a sample to some friends in Annapolis, right on the bay, because they would know better than anyone what would complement those famous Chesapeake blue crabs. The feedback was diplomatic, but clear. Something was wrong, as both of their tastebuds were numbed following a quick tasting. I quickly found my error (way too much allspice) and now our Chesapeake Bay Seasoning is a top seller for the shop.

And what did we learn? The importance of adhering to processes. We now have a virtually foolproof process for making our blends, along with multiple checks to ensure that nothing leaves our production line that isn’t 100% right.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

As mentioned before, SKORDO is a lifestyle shop for people who love to cook. We believe this differs from so many other cooking-oriented shops that sell ingredients but fail to capture the enthusiasm and excitement that so many have for cooking. We define in our mission statement that our objective was to Equip, Educate, and Excite our customers.

Just this past Memorial Day weekend, we had many new customers enter our shop and tell us that they had been told by friends or family that when in Portland, SKORDO was a “must see”. Whether it’s smelling our blends and rubs on our testing wall, joining our cookbook club, or just sharing stories with our associates, they said they felt like they were entering our family kitchen instead of a retail shop.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Erin French, founder of The Lost Kitchen and acclaimed author and chef. Erin and her team have an online marketplace that showcases Maine-made products. Together, we’ve developed a set of spices and blends that complements her award-winning recipes in her cookbook. She has since paired this set with her book on the marketplace.

Beyond just bringing jobs to people in Maine and highlighting the many talents that Mainers possess, this project will give our customers a chance to understand Erin’s story. It is one of hardship, perseverance, incredible strength, and kindness. She is a role model for anyone who has faced adversity and had proven her strength to rise above.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Like so many, we give lots of credit to our fathers.

Cari’s dad, Dick, is a retired CPA and instilled in her the business acumen that we have leveraged to launch and grow SKORDO.

My dad and Anne’s grandfather, Peter, son of Greek immigrants and a career Naval Officer, made the kitchen the center of the Karonis house. That’s where we all developed a love for food and cooking. Many of our fondest memories were standing by the stove or sitting around the kitchen table.

This continues today, both at home and in our shops.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Our associates always remark that we have the nicest customers in the world. We don’t think that just happens. By building a true community, be it virtual or physical, we’ve engaged people and made them feel a part of something that is based on kindness and truly bigger than themselves. Most importantly, we value each customer, ‘earning them one at a time’ as we are fond of saying. We think they understand this and are happier and kinder because of it.

Ok thank you for that. Let’s now pivot to the main parts of our interview. How do you define a family business? How is a family business different from a regular business?

We consider a family business to be one that has multiple family members engaged in the business and the majority of ownership resides within the same family. The distinction for us, however, is between a family-run business and a family-owned business. Of course, it can be both, as it is at SKORDO. The key element here is that the family members are actively leading the business, on a day-to-day basis. They are hiring the team, meeting the customers, making the products (in our case), and telling the brand story. Each is a committed stakeholder and lives and breathes the brand.

In your opinion or experience, what are the unique advantages that family owned businesses have?

Many of the advantages stem from the common past that family members share. We grew up in the same environment and culture and thus have a common frame of reference through which we view the world. This aids alignment in thinking, planning, and execution, along with ease of communication. It also means there is some natural commonality of core values, ambitions, and prosperity.

Also, the fact that we’re all related can’t be understated. We would never allow ourselves to disappoint or let down one another. This translates into the business. We’re always there for each other, regardless of anything else.

What are the unique drawbacks or blindspots that family owned businesses have?

Family dynamics sometimes arise in the midst of business dealings. The Cleavers just don’t exist in the real world and every family has a bit of dysfunction at times. The key is having an open enough culture that when you recognize it, you can call it out and address it. We’re mutually dependent for success and even if there are potential hurt feelings or other issues, differences can’t be allowed to fester.

What are some of the common mistakes you have seen family businesses make? What would you recommend to avoid those errors?

Family dynamics aside, the biggest challenge seems to be how to evolve as the business grows. By its very nature, a family business was created and grown in the hands of family members. But as the business grows, those same family members can begin to inhibit growth. Insistence on being involved in every hire, micro-managing decisions, and the need to always be the center of attention will stifle the evolution of the business. Family needs to know when to step in and when to step out while trusting the team that they have built. All for the good of the business.

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders of family businesses to help their employees to thrive?

Treat everyone the same, whether they are family or not. Nothing can undermine trust in the business faster than a perception that people are being treated differently. This is heightened in a family business, given the natural expectation that family members will be given more opportunities and preferential treatment. As difficult as it may be at times, it must be a level playing field and meritocracy for everyone, regardless of familial bonds.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean with a story or example?

We take a simplistic view toward leadership. Leadership is setting a vision and then creating an environment in which motivated people can achieve that vision. It’s not about being the star. It’s about creating a team of stars.

Here is our main question. What are the “5 Things You Need To Run A Highly Successful Family Business”? Please share a story or example for each.

We don’t draw many distinctions between running a successful business and a successful family business. Requirements are the same for both but may just manifest themselves differently with family members. They are:

1. Vision / Mission / Values — These must be clearly defined as the business is conceived and, while they may evolve over time, they must form the foundation for every decision that the business makes. I recall our first discussions around values in particular. After much debate, we collectively signed onto our set of core values. These are non-negotiable now and, even to this day when making a critical decision regarding the business, we check in with our values and ensure complete alignment.

2. Run it like a business — Family or not, this is not a club or a hobby. Decisions must be made based on sound business practices. There’s little room for family dynamics or emotions. While it may sound harsh, everyone ultimately benefits.

3. Foster a broad ‘family’ — Ensure that you have created a culture in which everyone feels like family, not just blood relatives. I remember a customer asking which of the women working in the store were my daughters. One of them chimed in and said, “we all are.” She wasn’t, but I smiled.

4. Discipline — Defining the right way to do things and then ensuring that’s what we do, every day and every time. It’s so easy to take shortcuts, especially when under stress. Our customers rely on consistency of the brand experience and it’s our obligation to ensure that we always deliver this.

5. Resilience — 2020 and the Covid19 pandemic showed us how critical it is to be resilient when things don’t go as planned. The combination of 1–4 above, coupled with passion and positivity, can get you through anything. We’ve come out of 2020 stronger than we went in and now can build on this newly found strength.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

No need to wax poetically here. Cari put it best… “Enjoy the journey”. We have and will continue to do so. As a family.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)

This one is easy. Jacques Pepin. Over the years we’ve come to greatly admire and respect Jacques. His culinary expertise is unmatched, as is his ability to build on-screen rapport with his audiences. Even more important, however, is that he’s never changed who he is, despite his celebrity and fame. He’s clearly a wonderful role model for his family and followers and a genuinely kind person…and what knife skills!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Eating dinner together with family and friends! It sounds so simple, but today’s society has made it harder to connect with the most important people in our lives. Putting cell phones away, turning the TV off, talking with each other and sharing the day’s experiences…these will all make the bonds between people stronger and hopefully re-center values around what’s important…the people you care for and who care for you. And there’s no better place for this to happen than around a shared meal.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Your readers can stay up to date with all things SKORDO on our social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. They can also check in on our website www.skordo.com for new ingredients and recipes!

Thank you for your time, and your excellent insights! We wish you continued success.

Note: This was written from John’s voice but was a collaborative effort with Cari and Anne.