Deer Buzz

Interview with Deborah Re, CEO of Big Sister Association of Greater Boston

I had the pleasure of meeting Deborah Re at a recent Big Sister event where inspiring women of all ages came together to share stories about our Little Sisters and listen to guest speaker Trish Karter, CEO and cofounder of Dancing Deer Baking Company, who supports organizations that give back to the community, like Big Sister.  While Deb is petite, she packs quite a punch, running a hugely successful nonprofit with boundless energy and dedication.  Happy to help Gen Y’s navigating our own career paths, Deb took the time to answer some questions that I hope you’ll find helpful and inspiring—I know I did!

First-person ideas for small business recovery

(NECN) - In the New England Nexus segment of DC Dialogue, Dancing Deer Baking Company CEO Trish Karter talks about the impact of the recession on her business and shares her recipe for what the government might be able to do to help small businesses recover.
“You don’t hire someone because of a tax incentive, you hire them because the demand is there, the underlying economics are right and you need that position to do work,” Karter said. 
“The other thing that occurs to me is that you don’t hire someone because they’re unemployed, you hire the person that’s best suited to do the job.”

She said tightened lending practices by banks was a strain on her company.  And in her view, there is one thing that will lead to re-hiring laid off employees.

“It’s all about orders.  We see the volume, we hire people,” Karter said.  “There isn’t something that the government can do with a jobs bill and incentive that’s going to change whether or not consumers are going to the stores, corporations are giving each other gifts—other than to run efficiently.”

Bakery Holding Its Own After Cutting Its Workforce

Boston Business Journal: Out of Office

Nearly 100 current and former Big Sisters attended a recent celebration hosted by Big Sister Association of Greater’s Boston’s Alumnae Association to mark National Mentoring Month. From left, Terri Campbell, senior investment advisor at Liberty Mutual and Big Sister Association board member; and Trish Karter, CEO of Dancing Deer Baking Co and the event’s keynote speaker.

Live’s Holiday Savings Gift Guide: Gifts that Give Back

Dancing Deer’s Sweet Home Our Pick ($35.95) includes a Dark Chocolate Sweet Home Project House Cookie, Deep Dark Gingerbread Cake and 18 pack of Molasses Clove Cookies - 35% of the (retail) price goes directly to Sweet Home Project to help homeless mothers and their children fund educations, find jobs and move into homes of their own.

(correction for the video: the Real Simple editor mentions that Dancing Deer donates 100% of the proceeds to One Family - we actually donate 35% of the retail price of all Sweet Home products sold.)