Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharon Arthofer.
Hi Sharon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
After college, I secured a marketing position in New York at Nestlé – a global leader in consumer-packaged goods. I was fortunate enough to receive best-in-class marketing training and opportunities to gain key brand management skills as well. After Nestlé, I had the opportunity to further build my skill set at publishing giant Time, Inc.
While I loved my corporate marketing experience, I realized that I was an entrepreneur at heart. So, I leveraged the valuable experience I had gained over the years and decided to launch my own retail business in New York and eventually grew it to three stores. I specifically focused on providing exemplary service to a very upscale market in Westchester County. Our customers were the likes of Peltz, Ican, Kennedy, Close, and the New York Rangers. The business was very successful, and our top-notch team perfected the art of delivering exemplary service and experience!
With my husband’s job relocation to Los Angeles, I decided to sell the retail business and focus on new ventures in Southern California. Shortly after our move to L.A., I was approached by two businessmen that wanted to start their own franchise snack food chain. They had a great idea and were hoping that my retail expertise would help them launch their business successfully. I helped them build a strong infrastructure and operations team and became their first franchisee. Their business has grown tremendously and is a major national brand that you will find in many malls. I’m proud to have been a part of their growth trajectory and have personally owned several stores over the years and still own one in San Diego.
The idea for Sip Fresh came to me as I watched the beverage industry explode as consumer demand for fresh, high-quality, interesting beverages has grown. Guests are attracted to our bold and vibrant storefronts that highlight our high-quality, eye-stopping, and fruit-based beverages. It’s so gratifying to watch our guests’ delight as they sample each of our fresh juices and leave our stores happily sipping on their beverage of choice. We love knowing that we are creating a simple, joyful moment in their day.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have those bumps in the road? I believe the struggles are what move us to the next level of excellence. Sometimes the bumps in the road are not business related but are invaluable lessons on leadership and life. In 2014 I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. This was a game changer. I went from business leader, family caregiver, mom, wife, and friend to needing to lean on others to keep the train on the tracks. I could not have been more grateful to have all of these incredible people in my life. It taught me that you truly get what you give. I try to live by this every single day.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sip Fresh?
Sip Fresh was created to bring a fresh, new offering to the quick service beverage category by combining quality ingredients that consumers already know and love and offering it to them in a fun, engaging, and delightful way. At Sip Fresh, fresh fruit and juice come together in unique and exciting ways that offer a deliciously visual and meaningful experience for the consumer.
We take pride in our high service standard. Our team of ‘Sipistas’ work hard to engage our guests by offering them samples and guiding them to find the beverage that matches their mood. Our goal is for every guest to walk away confident in their beverage choice. We get a thrill when they post our ‘Instagramable’ drinks on their social media pages and display their beverage choices with pride.
From a management perspective, we have a strong leadership team that has built a solid operations and marketing infrastructure that will help support our future growth and provide support for our future franchisees. Our new franchise development professional is active in building our franchise footprint in the region and will help us expand that footprint nationally over the next few years.
From an offering perspective, we are now providing take-home options for our beverages. These one-gallon offerings allow guests to bring their favorite drinks to be enjoyed at the next family gathering, BBQ, baby/wedding shower, or other celebration. Our guests use our vibrant juices to bring a special twist to their gatherings and occasionally ‘spice’ them up into the cocktail or mocktail of their choice.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
I grew up in Alexandria, VA across the street from a golf course. I am not sure that this would characterize my favorite memory, but it resonated with me! Every year I would watch the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon for kids, and before you knew it, I had a lemonade stand selling golf balls to the golfers who hit them in our yard and donated the money to MDA. It was a total of $46 some years. I think this was the launch of my retail career.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sipfreshjuice.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipfresh/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sipfreshjuice
Image Credits
Sip Fresh
