Growing up, we camped all over California, but this was not my favorite vacation choice. Sure, I enjoyed being outside, hiking and fishing. I loved sitting around the campfire at night with my family, eating smores, sharing stories and listening to the sounds of nature. That was always the highlight of the trip. The negative for me was sleeping in a tent on the hard, rocky ground. No sleeping bag could shield a body from that discomfort.
When preparing for the next episode of my show, brick-and-mortar businesses as well as food truck catering options were my focus. As I was researching, a business owner mentioned her smores charcuterie business. Amidst the charcuterie board business trend, her menu was quite different. So I decided to ask her if she would like to be interviewed at a glamping campground. Luxury camping also piqued my interest. What goes better with camping than smores?
I contacted a Glamping campground to see if I could film an episode of my Hey Stacey Marie program at one of their tents. To my surprise, they had one available and invited me to stay for the night, so I could capture the ambiance of this experience. I was thrilled!
The filming date was set and my reservation confirmed. I headed to Monument Glamping, in Monument, Colorado. It’s located on Chris and Wendy Jeub’s property, away from the city on a dirt road. It’s a beautiful area! They have several tents and a container home to choose from. I stayed at their Sunshine tent site.
When I arrived on this chilly day, Chris greeted me at my tent to make sure I was comfortable. We had a nice chat and then I unpacked and prepped to interview Shalesa Aldrich from S’mormet Gourmet S’mores company. The temperature began to drop and the wind picked up right when Shalesa met me.
We quickly settled in and began the interview. She brought samples and I brought dinner for after the interview. Since I’m always very interested in how people find their business inspiration, my first question was how she transitioned from the insurance industry to gourmet smores.
Shalesa discovered her niche during a family fun night six or seven years ago. While making smores with chocolate sauce, strawberries, fruit, and marshmallows, she wondered why you can’t walk into a restaurant and order gourmet smores. There was nothing like that out there. It’s exciting to discover a product line that might take off, but that’s just the very beginning.
Like every entrepreneur, it took several years before she could quit her job and finally launch. Shalesa had many decisions to make and needed to change her business plan frequently. But sometimes, challenges created new opportunities. For example, Shalesa wanted to partner with a local marshmallow wholesaler for cost management and to secure a reliable resource. Nothing worked out, so she decided to make her own marshmallows. From there, the sky was the limit. She infused her sweet delights with a variety of flavors and themes. This month, she features “freedom mallows” and “lavender and lemonade.”
We sat around the firepit eating delicious homemade marshmallows. I tried vanilla, German chocolate, espresso, black forest cherry and her top sellers: toasted coconut and chocolate peanut butter. She told me that there are endless combinations of smores you can make. She brought graham crackers, pretzels dipped in chocolate, and other delicious sweet eats to add to our smores.
As we continued to nibble and visit, I learned that Shalesa is a strong supporter of women owned businesses. With the ever-rising cost of living, more women are starting their own business. They choose building their dream over working for someone. Women prefer the independence and flexibility of business ownership. They want to set their own hours, with family in mind.
I was impressed with Shalesa’s drive and determination and enjoyed getting to know her, especially over such amazing treats! In fact, by the time we were done filming, we were too full to bother with dinner. The wind was unbearable and we were freezing our tushes off, so it was time to call it a night.
After Shalesa left, I went into my tent to check out the campground goody box. They provided plates, cups, coffee mugs, utensils, cooking oil, and much more. My tent also came with an outside hot tub, barbeque and firepit. Propane can be purchased with your reservation or you can bring your own. Guests have a very nice private bathroom with a shower. You can also request a heater, which makes sense in this kind of weather! For my evening tea, I boiled my bottled water in their outdoor enamel pot over the firepit.
Just before dusk, a little motion in the nearby brush drew my attention. A deer and a fawn wandered close by. The city lights in the distance provided a lovely glow as the sun set. The crackling fire did it’s best to warm me, but this is Colorado. Very soon the wind gust was up to 65mph and the temperature dropped to 38 degrees. Clearly, it was time to get inside the tent. The bed was super soft and I slept like a baby!
I woke up the next morning, cooked my breakfast and headed home, feeling refreshed and inspired. Thank you, Chris and Wendy Jeub, for inviting me! I had a blast staying in one of your luxury tents. I will for sure come back to this campground with my family.
I highly recommend making Monument Glamping your destination when traveling to Colorado. There’s just nothing like having all the perks of camping without the heavy work or discomfort of sleeping on the ground! No more sleeping bags for me! And I will never, ever pitch another tent! Reserve your next vacation here: www.monumentglamping.com.
And a big thanks also to Shalesa Aldrich, from S’mormet Gourmet S’mores, for coming to the campground to film an episode with me. Your marshmallows are absolutely delicious! Order a S’mores kit or book her for your next event.
S’mormet Gourmet S’mores
