A Secret Recipe Scores Big at Heroes to CEOs
October 10, 2017
Mutt’s Sauce has a story that is almost as good as the secret recipe. First developed by Charlie “Mutt” Ferrell Jr. in 1956, Mutt’s Sauce was designed to be a versatile sauce to be used with every meal. This tasty topping recently won $25,000 from Bob Evans Farms and coaching from Daymond John of ABC’s Shark Tank. This grant competition is from their “Our Farm Salutes” program, designed to help former military members achieve their dreams as successful entrepreneurs.
“The value of what Bob Evans Farms has done is to show the world the importance of investing in veteran-owned small businesses. Veterans, in my opinion, are ‘hard wired’ to serve others. They hold themselves to a high personal standard, and are taught the importance of maintaining excellence in all they do,” said Charlynda Scales, current CEO of Mutt’s Sauce.
Charlynda formerly served in the United States Air Force as a data analyst for the Small Business office in the Pentagon. Her duty to serve came from her grandfather, Charlie. Charlie served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, serving his country bravely. Charlynda’s grandfather was instrumental to her success, as she grew up in Cookeville, Tennessee with her grandparents, mother, and aunt.
Scales says that, “He was the main provider for all of us as well as a father figure in my life. Many of the largest decisions I’ve made in my life were due to his influence.”
When Charlie died in 2005, many in the family wondered what would happen to his beloved famous recipe. Then suddenly, in 2013, Charlynda’s mother told her that Charlie had left the secret recipe to her. She was shocked and humbled by the honor given to her. With no instruction, a company was born.
Making sure the sauce tastes great to the consumer is a top priority of Charlynda. Although she is allergic to pepper, she ensures that she is serving a great product to her customers by tasting the first production.
“Yes, I’ve taste tested the Sweet N Spicy and the Ghost Pepper” Scales said. “It involved ‘pre-gaming’ with lots of Benadryl!”
Her ultimate goal is getting her sauce into stores in states across the country.
“The grant for $25,000 was just enough to help each entrepreneur get to the ‘next’ level, not the highest,” she said. With the grant and invaluable advice from Daymond John, the sky is the limit for Mutt’s Sauce. Charlynda hopes to see explosive growth this upcoming year and continued expansion. “The success of Mutt’s Sauce is a testament to his [Charlie’s] leadership and passion,” she added.
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Through her success, she also wants to help out those who served our country. Beginning on November 11th, Mutt’s Sauce camo apparel will be released to “pay homage to our veterans and veteran owned businesses.” A portion of the proceeds raised will be donated to help out homeless veterans in our community.
To keep up with Mutt’s Sauce and order your own, you can visit their website here. To visit Charlynda Scale’s personal entrepreneurship website, click here.
