Business Spotlight: Area Woman Turns Hobby Into Opportunity

Local editor Quincy Hodges sat down with Marlene McGinnis, independent Watkins Associate, to find out what Watkins is all about and what led her to turn a hobby into a business. 

Hometown: Melrose Park, Ill.

Age: 40

Background: MRI Tech for Open Advance MRI. Concordia University, B.A. in Science,

What is Watkins?

It’s a home-based business. Watkins was established in 1868. So, they have been around more than 141 years. They have gourmet-line products, they have products for your medicine cabinet. They have a personal care line, home care line. We also have a supplemental line. It’s about four different stores within the company.

When did you start with Watkins?

I started with Watkins about 4½ years ago, since November 2007. I got into the business because they have double-strength vanilla. You can use half the amount on your recipes and it has a very low alcohol content, so when you bake or cook with vanilla, all that alcohol burns off but still get the full flavor.

I’ve used their vanilla since I was a little girl and my mom only baked with Watkins’ vanilla. About six years ago, I began ordering products wholesale as a hobby but soon turned into a business by hosting craft events and home parties.

Instead of going to the grocery store, why would someone come buy products from Watkins?

Well, really it’s quality. The essential oils in our cinnamon are at a higher level and you don’t get the rich aroma in other brands. Other brands typically use fillers in their products such as cinnamon and pepper. Watkins’ pepper is unofficially known as sneeze proof because as the pepper corns are collected, the weeds are filtered out, twigs are filtered out before its granulated, which other brands ground with their pepper, causing flavor to be dissipated quicker.

Why did you decide to join Watkins and sell their products?

Because of their vanilla. I loved their vanilla, but what else do they have? I have found so many products that I have fallen in love with. We also have plant-based cleaning products, which will be featured in an upcoming cleaning class by .

Where do the products come from?

 Watkins is based out of Winona, Minnesota. All the products are made in the U.S.

What’s been the feedback from the community?

I find that people either know the product, they’ll come up to my table and I’ll get someone (saying) “I remember Watkins, I didn’t know they were still around, that’s a really old company, great products.” Then I get “Watkins? I never heard of Watkins. What’s Watkins?” My favorite thing is when someone comes up bragging about Watkins and that person who never heard of it, I just let them talk.

What’s been a popular product?

Vanilla, cinnamon and pepper has been my most popular product. My slogan is that “We are more than just vanilla.” Everyone varies a little bit, but I almost always sell out of my vanilla. Other things that are popular are our chicken soup bases. For example, it can make 57 cups of soup, it is more cost-effective buying ours versus buying a case of chicken broth or one packet.

Have you found Watkins to be profitable?

Well, as a hobby, no. I really wasn’t getting out there and I wasn’t marketing myself. So, now I join a networking group and I’m looking to join the Cary Chamber to be able to market myself. There are people who do Watkins and are millionaires. Watkins have incentives where people earn trips and homes when you produce a certain amount of sales, so there are people who make it. 

For more information on Watkins' products, contact Marlene McGinnis at 1-847-791-3629 or by email at marlene_mcginnis2000@yahoo.com.

You can also go to www.watkinsonline.com for a list of products. 

Are you interested in putting a business in the spotlight? Email local editor Quincy Hodges at quincy.hodges@patch.com.