Ann Forsthoefel

Pivoting? Going back to school? That's what I decided to do a year plus ago, and now I have something to show for my effort. Happy to share that I completed a graduate certificate in sustainable food systems. I remember the trigger was a news article that we only have 60 years of topsoil left before our ability to produce food for humanity is compromised. I’ve since learned that while that is partially true, it’s not the whole story. It’s also the materials we use to package our food, the distance our food travels, the type of food we grow and then consume, who is growing our food, and the role that food waste plays in greenhouse gases. I continue to be motivated to ensure food systems that provide for our families and communities.  Next up…graduate certificate in Sustainability Management. I'd like to ask that if you read my post, take an additional moment and learn one thing about YOUR food system today.  Where do the tomatoes in your grocery store come from? *Check out this TedTalk.  https://lnkd.in/dztBzxnb How many farmers are farming in your state? *Check out this USDA report. https://lnkd.in/dHxGe34B Does your community have a policy or program to encourage (require) customer to use their own bags at the grocery store? *Check out the program at my local PNW grocery store. New Seasons Bag-It-Forward. https://lnkd.in/dGyEH3z9 Is there a food waste or compost program in your community? *Check out this county program in my area. https://lnkd.in/dJMSqbgV #foodsystems #continuouslearning #sustainability #foodwaste #composting #reuse #farming A huge thank you to my instructors Gregory Norris, Mark Leighton, Dan Goldhamer (He/Him/His) Helen Silver, JD MA and Emily Holleran.

Hi friends, After 22 incredible years co-founding, funding, developing, marketing and selling AeroGardens (www.aerogarden.com), the time is right to pass the business on to new hands. During those 20+ years our incredible teams took the concept of simple indoor gardens and created an entirely new product category, now with dozens of competitors and millions of global users. What was once just an idea among a few friends is now here to stay.   AeroGardens were first-to-market with a simple goal: to easily grow usable quantities of fresh herbs and vegetables indoors, any time of year. When we launched there was nothing like this on the market. It took 4 arduous years of research to create it. We raised millions of dollars to fund the research – and it felt like we raised it one dollar at a time.   But it paid, and we launched in 2006, growing to $40 million in sales in just 3 years, with approaching 10,000 retail storefronts (remember those?) – all as the world hurtled into the  2008 global financial crisis. 2008 slowed our roll, but we survived, in the meantime pioneering the use of smart garden technologies and LED grow lights. By 2021 we had achieved $120 million in annual sales and been fully acquired by Scotts Miracle-Gro. So now is the right time to part ways. Scotts has been an amazing partner, and their stable capital (starting in 2013) funded the innovative product development and inventory levels that helped fuel our explosive growth. Moving forward, I will be leveraging my broad entrepreneurial background and extensive global contacts to help entrepreneurs and influencers develop, source or manufacture their own products – enabling them to move quickly and inexpensively from napkin sketches and concepts to finished products – at reasonable prices. We can also help optimize existing supply chains.  In my time with AeroGrow, I ran most aspects of the business at the Executive VP level - leading R&D, marketing, sales, investor relations, customer service, and I’m sure a few more.  But my love was product creation. We launched 100’s of products, on insanely fast launch timetables, while growing at a more than 35% CAGR over the last decade. I learned a lot, and now I want to help others experience that same thrill and get more amazing products to market. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll share more about the business we’re building. In the meantime, if you know ANYONE, who wants to make ANYTHING, please hook us up. We can help! 

Moving up in the world!

Walking into 2019 like… 🎉🔥😍 Excited to kick off the new year by going freelance full time! I’ve been scheming and dreaming to make this happen for a while now, and am so grateful to my family, friends, and teammates for their encouragement and support so I can finally go for it. Looking forward to working hard, having fun, and embracing the growth that comes with stepping outside my comfort zone.