It's 10.55pm here and I just finished my last SQF consulting project.
I always wondered how it would end - well, I just rewrote SQF Code 2.9.2 for a sweetener company, did a guide for their QA Manager and owner and uploaded it along with 17 other rewrites to DropBox.
Then I sat back and drank the last of my cold RYZE Mushroom coffee (it keeps my memory from degrading) with Coconut creamer and a little bit of Monkfruit sweetener and thought - wow, there's no retirement party - I mean really, after 20 years in SQF Auditing and then my own SQF consulting company (ok, we did BRC, IFS, GlobalGap, Organic, Non-GMO, Business, Marketing and a bunch of other consulting endeavors but it always came back to SQF, kinda like first love.
This last project however was anything but love - this was an absolute bear of a project with a client that first told me their audit was in April, then it all of a sudden changed to January and then to May - and then I get leaned on, because it wasn't any of those - it was this coming week - like on Tuesday!
This is what happens sometimes - communications can be an issue with family operations which we have always seemed to specialize in and have attracted to us.
It's been a very interesting careeer that I would not trade for just about anything - cept for what comes later this year...
I am retiring from SQF Consulting on the public side and becoming a co-owner of a food company and chain of organic health food stores with healing centers built into them - the first one will open in North Carolina and Massachussetts next year.
I have to say, I look forward to the day I get to hire an SQF Consultant that is not me because that person will have their work cut ou as we want to have both the food company and the stores along with a farming operation/packaing facility certified under Organic & SQF Certifications.
If any one has some time available next year to help with this (no, I am not talking for free) please let me know - we plan on being fully non-paper based - which frankly is something I've done for 20 years and gee whiz I am tired of it.
So, this is my retirement message - and if any of you reading this are thinking about becoming a food safety consultant or related please feel free to speak to me - I've learned some things over the years that you may need in your new career.
Goodnight all - going to my retirement party now - tea and bed in 10 minutes!
