SPEAKER_01: 0:30

My name is Leanne Schwope and I have a couple of different businesses. So Leanne Schwop Consulting LLC, where I do strategic planning for B2B companies. And then I also own Moose Apple Christmas Tree Farm in Berryville, Virginia.

SPEAKER_02: 0:47

Awesome. Some fun things. I can't wait to just learn about everything else you do within your businesses. So, you know, for listeners meeting you for the first time, can you share the story behind Moose Apple Christmas Tree Farm and how your journey brought you to where you are today?

SPEAKER_01: 1:04

Yeah, so it's a really interesting story. So it started with a divorce, which may seem like a bad thing, but it it ended up being really positive. So I got divorced and decided to move from Ohio to Virginia. And my best friend that I have had for a very long time lives here as well. And gosh, I think it was maybe six months after I lived here. I'm not entirely sure. She came to me with this opportunity to say, remember when we were teenagers and we said we wanted to buy a farm together? And I was like, Yeah, that's a crazy idea right now. Like, let's not do that. And she was like, There's this Christmas tree farm that we could buy, and we ended up buying it together. And it's been an awesome, amazing opportunity.

SPEAKER_02: 1:56

What a fun story. Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 1:58

Your dreams came reality. Right. It just took a long time for us. I mean, we talked about it when we were teens, and now hate to say it, we're in our 40s.

SPEAKER_02: 2:07

So that's awesome. A lot of time and work has been put into it. Yes, 100%. And you've described Moose Apple as a Hallmark movie experience. What do you want families to feel the moment they arrive?

SPEAKER_01: 2:24

So, number one, happiness. So when people come to buy a Christmas tree and also come to tag their Christmas tree, we want them to just feel calm and peaceful and have family moments and just kind of make it a magical experience. So we play Christmas music and we try to make it relaxing. We work really hard on the staff that we hire to have the best team there such that people can feel like they're appreciated. We try to make every component of the entire environment just really positive for people. So we have a reservation system, which a lot of Christmas tree farms don't. But the reason we do that is that way people can come in slowly and then not feel like they're waiting forever. And so it just makes it far more positive than if there were a line of cars and you were just waiting and waiting. Because then by the time you get in, you're just frustrated. So we just try to make everything beautiful. And the view is spectacular. There's the mountains behind it, and we have donuts and hot chocolate, and we just try to make everything as perfect as possible for families that come.

SPEAKER_02: 3:40

Absolutely. I can attest to that myself. I have been and I absolutely love it. We always look forward to it and the memories that that come with it. I love that you have been there. Yes. Yes. And when you look at Moose Apple today, what is something you're especially proud of that most people might not see behind the scenes?

SPEAKER_01: 4:02

So number one is the way that we pick and grow the trees is amazing. So Tyler Wegmire is the person that is in charge of all of our trees on the farm. He's my he's one of my business partners. And he does just such a great job of just keeping them healthy and the right shape, which means not absolutely perfect, but good enough with a little bit of like feel to them. You know what I mean? So he has done such a great job with that. And then I will also say that what we have done with the store is just making people feel like when they come in there, they can get lots of things that they love and have like buy their Christmas gifts there and all of those things. And then lastly, we have a wreath making business, which has grown over the last two years since we've owned the farm and we hope to continue to grow it. And we've just ke been working on how to make those wreaths better and better every year.

SPEAKER_02: 5:04

Okay, awesome.

SPEAKER_01: 5:05

Yeah. Kind of like a one-stop Christmas shop. Yes, absolutely. And we want like we did fun things this year. Like we had bowling pins and we turned them into little Santas. You know what I mean? So we just try to have really unique things for people that you would never find at other stores, box stores.

SPEAKER_02: 5:26

Absolutely, unique finds. Yes. And you built something that, you know, is truly both beautiful and intentional. What guides, what values guide the way you run the farm and also welcome people in?

SPEAKER_01: 5:41

So I think the values, I mean, start from what my parents taught me from the beginning is you should just do everything with authenticity and you know intention. And as we do that, we're we're just focused on making the customers happy while running a successful business because you can't just always focus on one or the other. You have to do both in a, you know, delicate manner. And so that's what we've been focused on. And I think it's working really well. I think that we have changed a few things. The previous owners were amazing and they ran that business for 20 years and they did an exceptional job. But we've changed a few things to make it a little bit more for what we need in this time and age, you know what I mean? And to help other people. And there's more things that we're going to fix going forward, but that is top secret. Ooh, it's under wraps. Well, I'm excited for when it is released.

SPEAKER_02: 6:43

Awesome, awesome. And you've shared that your consulting work helps fuel the long-term success of the farm. How do the two worlds kind of support each other?

SPEAKER_01: 6:55

Yeah, so that part is a little bit of a challenge. And it's funny because I do coaching for my consulting business where I help people with these types of things. And so it's really interesting for me then to be living that life and I have to do it by myself. But yes, I have it. Sometimes feels like, especially during like September through December, that I have two full-time jobs. Like it just, it's a lot to handle. But how it works is the consult, I mean, the farm does not pay for itself on its own. And so therefore, my consulting work pays for to keep the farm open and running and doing those sorts of things. It doesn't mean that the farm isn't profitable, but I mean, it's it's an expense, it's 33 acres in in Berryville. I mean, it's an expensive piece of property, you know? Absolutely. And so I work really hard on making my consulting business work well such that we can keep the farm up and running, which is really important to me. Absolutely. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 8:03

It's kind of a cohesive balance you got, you know, to kind of do get the best of both worlds for each of your businesses.

SPEAKER_01: 8:10

I actually love it. Like I sit in front of the computer all day long, or I'm on travel with clients, and then I get to go into the Christmas tree store and make bows, or make, you know, bowling pin Santas, or you know what I mean? Any of those things, or look online for the ornaments that we want to have in there. And so it's really fun because my brain is a little bit all over the place. I hope in a good way. And so I do have that engineering brain, which helps with my consulting, but I also have this really creative side. And this has really helped me to use that and explore it in a more intentional way than I have in the past.

SPEAKER_02: 8:53

That is truly so inspiring. I feel for other business owners too, to kind of follow that business model if they're looking into having, you know, another business to help support the other.

SPEAKER_01: 9:03

Yeah. And and I think it's also like better than I mean, the alternative would be that you sit down and watch TV all night or you do something like that. Instead, I go into the store and I work on things, you know? And and I think that is really good for mental health. Absolutely. I think it's important.

SPEAKER_02: 9:23

That's a great point you bring up, just about productivity and how that can, I mean, it's it does wonders for our mental health. What does sustainability look like for you, not just environ environmentally, but financially and practically, so the farm can thrive long term?

SPEAKER_01: 9:42

Yeah, so I think, and and I don't want to specifically speak for my business partners, but I think we would all agree to this that we want that to maintain being a Christmas tree farm. And I know the previous owners would absolutely want that. I mean, this was basically their baby that they started. And so every Christmas tree that we sell, we replace the next year so that it's replanted so that the farm can keep going over and over again. And in the long run, you know, we work really hard on like we allow people to decorate their trees. But then we all, myself and the team, we spend time cleaning up anything that is left around to the environment to make sure that everything looks really clean and healthy and all of those things. And then lastly, I think it's just really important to keep 33 acres of green land right outside of Washington, DC, just to kind of like help the environment, you know, all of those things are really important. And so in the long run, I just hope that I mean, you never know what what the future is gonna hold, but I hope in the long run, once we're too tired, keep running this business as the previous owners got to, which is okay, you know, because they did it for a very long time, that we can find someone else that will take it over and keep it going and still make it the best Christmas tree farm in Nova.

SPEAKER_02: 11:12

Absolutely. Kind of pass on the torch. Exactly. Yes. I know you'll find the perfect person for when that time comes. And hopefully have a Hallmark movie in the middle of all of that. There, there you go. There you go. And you know, you have such a clear long-term vision for your future. How does Moose Apple fit into your broader financial strategy and the legacy you're intentionally building?

SPEAKER_01: 11:37

Well, the long run, the the business is one thing, but the the house and the land are another thing. And so my vision in the long run, I have always been a philanthropist and I've always wanted to give back to lots of organizations. There's a few that I am very passionate about, one of being Suroptimist, a second being WePan, another one being Junior League, lastly, foster care systems. I mean, I have also food banks. I mean, the list goes on and on. And so my goal that I get through working two jobs sometimes is that in the long run, when the time comes, there's enough dollars in order to help all of those organizations to make it a little bit better.

SPEAKER_02: 12:27

That's beautiful. Oh my goodness. I love that. You guys are doing such amazing work and keep keep up the good work, truly.

SPEAKER_01: 12:35

It's hard. I mean, it's hard. People, there's a lot of people that I know that, you know, sleep a lot or watch TV a lot, and instead I'm making bows or working in the store or mowing the lawn or working on my consulting job on the side and all of those things. But I think in the long run, it will be really good, you know, and it can help a lot of people. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02: 13:05

You're definitely making an impact and a far bigger impact in the future. I know it. I hope so. And what mindset or habits have helped you stay committed to building something long-term, even when it requires balancing multiple responsibilities?

SPEAKER_01: 13:25

So, number one, structure, I think is really important. So having a routine. So the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is I make the bed. Like I think it's really important to just start your day by checking that box. The last thing I do at the night is I floss and brush my teeth. If I I remember hearing from someone that if if you don't have the energy to floss your teeth, like what do you have the energy for, right? So what that means is then all of the time in between there, I can do lots of things in order to be productive. And it's hard sometimes to switch. I mean, I feel like I am wearing multiple hats, you know? And it's hard to switch that. But I think as long as you have, I mean, I make very long to-do lists and I prioritize them. And sometimes my priorities are not what other people want them to be. And and I know that can be frustrating, but I have to choose what is best for all of my businesses on a daily basis. And sometimes things have to wait. And depending on the timing.

SPEAKER_02: 14:32

Yeah, it's kind of like creating a game plan. Sometimes you need to make adjustments. It's like playing chess. Absolutely. Yeah. I love that analogy. And when it comes to the shop and the customer experience, you're intentional about sourcing and supporting US made and local goods.

SPEAKER_00: 14:51

Why is that so important to you?

SPEAKER_01: 14:56

I think it's important because there's been so much conversation about that, but what stores are really actually doing that? And I think there are so many creative people, small businesses. Like I have met so many small business owners that have just melted my heart over the past year. And I know that there's more and more of them. And I have found that sometimes you can try and buy things online that is technically a US-owned business, but none of that is actually manufactured here. And so it's not about that sometimes there's the right products to be purchased outside of the country. But for what we're doing at the store, there's no reason for crafts and all of those things to be brought in right from here. Candles and, you know, lots of different variety of things that just make people feel good. And if that helps our economy and it helps our the people that come to the store in some way, shape, or form, that's just a win-win scenario. It just I don't know, it just makes sense to me.

SPEAKER_02: 16:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 16:09

Yeah. It makes sense to me. It's just really logical. And that doesn't mean for the record that our store is 100% all products made in the US. I can tell you that we do have things that are made outside of that. But I think that over the next couple of years, we can continue to adjust that. And we're trying to do a better job with signage in there so that people know. Like we have this really cool ornament business that we purchase from, and those are all made outside of the country. However, they go to orphans that are in Africa. And that's absolutely beautiful. You know what I mean? And so we're gonna continue to do things like that because it's just the right thing to do.

SPEAKER_02: 16:51

Absolutely. Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_01: 16:54

That's awesome. And they're beautiful ornaments, like they are so well made and absolutely gorgeous. Well, I'm gonna have to stop by and come see them.

SPEAKER_02: 17:02

Yes, 100%. And you know, for someone planning their first visit, what would you tell them to expect? And what is the perfect moose apple day from your point of view?

SPEAKER_01: 17:17

Am I allowed to have two answers on this? Of course. Okay. So I think sometimes the perfect moose apple day is the day after Thanksgiving, because it's pure mayhem. I mean, it's nonstop families, everyone is there, they want to get their tree. I mean, the donuts are going, the hot chocolate is going. I mean, it's just buzzing, right? However, that's very busy. If you come, you know, on a we we're open on Thursdays and Fridays, the first weekend in December. If you come on one of those days, you're gonna come in and you're gonna get a full core customer service experience because there's only maybe, you know, 50 people that are coming versus thousands, right? And so it just it changes the environment. And so it's just really what you what you want to experience. But I think what I hope rather is that what people should expect is that all of the staff are gonna be super kind to you. They're gonna help you solve your problems, we're gonna give you a saw, we're gonna give you a sled, and you can go pick from 33 acres of trees. We have seven different varieties. I mean, they have so many options, and so it's gonna be really magical. And it depends on where you want to go. Like sometimes people tell me that they want a white pine, and I'm like, you realize that that is all the way in the back end of the property. You're gonna have to bring that tree all the way back up there. They're like, we know we've done it over and over again, and they love it, and that's just sort of how they're spending their day, and I think that's absolutely beautiful. And so the day can be what you make of it, or you could just show up, buy donuts, sit down with your kids and enjoy them, and get a pre-cut tree and not do any of that work. Like you could do either any of those things, so there's so many different options.

SPEAKER_02: 19:16

It's honestly such a customized experience, and I love that you bring that up. And also your team, too. You truly have the most helpful, energetic, enthusiastic team. It's it's awesome.

SPEAKER_01: 19:28

And I cannot take credit for that for the record. My business partner, my my friend that you know, we decided when we were teenagers we wanted to buy a Christmas tree farm or we wanted to buy a farm. We never said Christmas trees, we just said a farm. She handles all of that. And she does a really great job of, you know, vetting candidates and onboarding them and doing all of those things. And then we just try to make a really magical experience for the team that is there, not just the customers, because I think that's important. If you don't have good work ethic and good leadership within there, people aren't going to want to come back. But we have, I mean, we have only owned the farm for two years now, and we have had a really good return rate of the staff that has been working there, which I think is a positive sign. Oh, 100%. And they're happy. That's wonderful.

SPEAKER_02: 20:21

That's wonderful.

SPEAKER_01: 20:22

I hope they're happy at least. I believe so.

SPEAKER_02: 20:25

I know, I know they are. They have to be in such a beautiful place like that. And shifting to your consulting work for a moment, what do you most love about helping clients grow and kind of find their sweet spot?

SPEAKER_00: 20:42

So I love it because since my background isn't in engineering, we can design anything that we want.

SPEAKER_01: 20:50

I mean, we could truly make a thousand dollar pencil if we wanted to, right? But that doesn't mean that there's a market for it. And so when we help people find their sweet spot, that kind of helps bring people to finding out, you know, where the market is and how they design products in order to get there. And I love when I do a strategy session, like I just completed two of them for two businesses that are struggling right now. And I love when the kind of the light clicks on and you can see that they're like, oh, I I get this. I see why we're doing this. So I have something called a strategic blueprint that really helps businesses just put all of their plans for the next three to five years on one page. And that sounds crazy to be one page, but what that really does is it helps them move forward and have a good way to communicate to their entire team so that everyone is aligned and moving in the same direction. It's really confusing for organizations when the entire team doesn't know where they're going.

SPEAKER_02: 22:01

Sure. No, that makes perfect sense. Kind of gives the guidelines to follow and and everything else in between. Exactly. Super duper helpful.

SPEAKER_01: 22:10

Yes. And I try to bring with that a very real and authentic personality to it. So I don't I try to adapt to what people are doing and and make sure that that works well for them because every customer is not the same. You have to work differently with them.

SPEAKER_02: 22:27

Absolutely. Kind of meet them where they're where they're at. Exactly. Yeah. And I saw you brought a few books with you. Would you mind telling me a little bit about them? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01: 22:37

So um the first one I wrote was a section in perspectives, which is all about authenticity in the workplace. And I wrote that quite a few years ago, but I think it's really important. And I did a ton of research in order to pull this content together. And it can really help you think about how to run your team, how to make sure that your business is operating correctly, and all of those things. There's also two other sections from other authors within there.

SPEAKER_02: 23:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 23:09

And then I wrote another one with Mission Matters, which again, I have one section in here, and then the rest is written by other authors, which I absolutely love because then it's not just one viewpoint, it's a variety of them. And this is all about how do you plan your career path and how do you think about the right things to do. So it was based upon, I love the book, The Giving Tree. And so it was really based upon that and how it's important to think about the right people and things to have in your life. And so the reason I was motivated to do that is because of the career transitions that I have done, which sometimes you just outgrow a place that you're not supposed to be any longer. And it may be a hard choice to move on, but it's the most important choice to have. Okay. And then lastly, uh, this one I did not write personally, but it's I used to work with Amphora Consulting. I was a partner there for five years. And this is all, I mean, this is how I learned to be a really good consultant. And this is great about understanding. I mean, it's basically a mini MBA in a book. So I highly encourage people to pick that up. However, this one, the team of us at Amphora Consulting all wrote this is a series of all of our blogs that we did that support this content to make it like a little lighter and less academic in order to go through it. So I have all four of those that I think are the most exceptional books out there.

SPEAKER_02: 24:44

Absolutely. Thank you so much for sharing that with me. No problem. I know what I'm gonna be looking into later. And just kind of a general question for you. You know, leadership and humanity are clearly at the heart of how you show up.

SPEAKER_00: 25:00

How do you define strong leadership while still leading with empathy and integrity? I think I think the keyword is authenticity.

SPEAKER_01: 25:11

So um that's how you do it. You can combine those two things. I will not say easily, but you can combine those two things when you do it correctly. So most of the so there's a there's a standard statement that people don't leave a company, they leave a manager or they leave a leader, right? And that happens because they're not they're not leading correctly, and that creates some challenges. And what I have found is when I choose to leave somewhere, it's because people aren't making crucial decisions or they're making decisions that are about finances versus the right thing for the team. There's conflict that people aren't resolving. You can fix all of those things if you just show up and you have conversations, you know? I mean, I I have some team members that I've had to have really crucial conversations with. But as long as you go in there authentically and you're honest and you plan it, you can resolve those things. And if you can't resolve it, that's a good thing. That means that you guys can go your separate ways, but it's not impossible to do that. And I think it's really important because I think that if people could be happier at work and felt better treated too, sort of like how I think all of you guys here at Alamon feel, that then you would be happier when you go home, then you'll be happier in other things. Like it will just make the world a better place. Like for me, it's kind of simple. I and I don't understand why it's not hard to be authentic and kind. I think it's really simple to do those things.

SPEAKER_02: 27:07

Yes, I completely agree. It's something that does not need to be complicated. It kind of comes to you. Yes. And I think also when it comes to a workplace, you know, you want to feel like you belong, a sense of belonging. Yeah. And I think that's kind of what you're touching on too.

SPEAKER_01: 27:21

So I think it's I think it's really important for people to feel like they belong. So the whole reason that I wrote this book or this section of this book in perspectives is because someone told me a story one day about how they felt like they couldn't belong in their workplace because of their lifestyle. And I just don't think that's okay. I think that everyone should be able to walk in and feel like their true self. Now, that does not mean that you can be a jerk or be a me be mean, or you know what I mean? But that you can like talk about your family, that you can talk about what you did, you can talk about your religion, you can, you know what I mean? You can share things, or you can choose not to, and that be okay too, right? Either of those things are completely okay. And I think that that's really, really important. Absolutely. Yeah. Just being human at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_02: 28:22

We're all human.

SPEAKER_01: 28:24

Well, and why it's important for a business is if if your employees are spending time trying to hide who they are, or you know, not feel like they can be their full, authentic self there, that means that then they're not giving 100% to the job that you're asking them to do. So you're basically losing dollars. So again, to me, that just doesn't make sense. Like allow people to bring their full self there, and then everything else will work out, you know?

SPEAKER_02: 28:58

That's some great philosophy and advice. I think we it we can all take something from that. And, you know, as we wrap up, is there anything you'd like to add that I haven't touched on today?

SPEAKER_01: 29:13

I would hope that everyone will come in October to come and tag their tree at Moose Apple Christmas Tree Farm and buy a wreath and come visit the Christmas tree store. And for any B2B business, I would absolutely love to do strategic planning with you. And I can also do one-on-one coaching. I do it specifically for women in STEM, although I have made exceptions for that for other people who it just feels like it fits well, but I would do a one-on-one call before that. And then lastly, I just think that we should all just be a little happier, a little kinder, and make the world a better place. Because I think that will help all of us.

SPEAKER_02: 29:58

Of course. That positivity, right? Yes. It's contagious. Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 30:02

Thank you. Think. Oh, go ahead. May I have add one more thing? Of course. I forgot to mention, you know, your previous podcast guest that you had here, my other business partners for Family First Fitness. So we have a whole motivational focus on getting families to be, you know, focused on their fitness, how they're eating, their exercise, and spending time together. And so you can find all of those things at familyfirstfitness.com. And there's a whole link trade with our YouTube podcast and all of those things. Okay. Got it. All the essentials, right? Gotta take care of ourselves while we fitness is exceptionally important in order to complete all of the things. Like if I didn't live a healthy lifestyle, I would not be able to be running the businesses that I am right now.

SPEAKER_02: 30:53

For sure. You gotta put your well-being first. So you have help others. Yes. You gotta take care of yourself to be able to help others. Yes. Put your oxygen mask on first, right? Absolutely. Thank you so much, Leanne, for joining me on the podcast and sharing your story with us. I know I am looking forward to coming back and visiting the farm with friends and family. And, you know, I just wish you the best of luck in all that comes your way in the future. Thank you so much. Thank you. We finished. How did it go? You did awesome. And then I'm just gonna ask you a couple questions. Video is ended now. Okay. But I just want to get I like to capture just a quick reflection from guests about their experience. And it, you know, helps future guests to know what to expect. How did the past podcast experience feel compared to what you expected? And I I I think yours would be your answer should be interesting since you've already done a podcast with us.

SPEAKER_01: 31:58

Yeah. So I mean you guys did a great you did a great job of preparing differently than I can't even like we said, I can't remember the last person that I did the podcast with. That's okay. But it still went well. I mean, in both cases, it was very professional, it was organized. I mean the the instructions are very clear as to where you're supposed to go. I mean you guys you you just do a great job. So I mean I don't I don't know for and I guess but the the other thing is I mean I think at this point I've done probably 40 podcasts, right? So it's like not hard for me to think about what's gonna happen, right? Absolutely. Yeah. Okay. Some of your questions were a little hard, but that's good. I mean, I like that. I think that make I think that makes the podcast better. Like when it's super soft, like that's not okay. So sure.

SPEAKER_02: 33:03

Yeah, I love I love when like you kind of ask a question and they like take the guest takes a moment to pause and think about it. Yeah. And I don't know. I I think when you have that pause and you think about it, like you just get such a better answer. I think some people they try to rush, they they try to answer too fast sometimes. So you can definitely see who puts like the thought into a meaningful response.

SPEAKER_01: 33:25

Yes. And your pace is is amazing. Like you're so like you're so good about keeping the pace going really, really well. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02: 33:36

And did anything about today surprise you or stand out? I know we talked about the questions a little bit.

SPEAKER_01: 33:43

No, I mean some of those questions I I was a little surprised about, but that's okay. I mean I was able to figure out answers to them.

SPEAKER_03: 33:54

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02: 33:56

And do you see this kind of visibility helping your business?

SPEAKER_01: 34:01

I hope so. I mean, the only thing is what I told you before. The last time I loved the voice content that we had on the podcast, I just you should go back and look at the images. You will see. Like I just, I just the images were just awful. And so I'm just hoping that that is different. Only because I do take it really personally that it's important to be healthy in life. You know what I mean? And so I just did not like the way that I was sitting and the background and the clo it just did not work at all. Sure. And this was a complete different experience. But I've been here now. Gosh, I think this is the fifth time I've no, the fourth time I've been here. So I mean, I'm getting kind of familiar.

SPEAKER_02: 34:48

Absolutely. Well, thank you for coming back to us. Of course, we appreciate it. And we love having you here. Oh, you're so sweet.

SPEAKER_01: 34:55

And did you