AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services
His successful business decimated by the COVID 19 pandemic, Schmidty’s Kettle Corn owner Daniel Schmidt found himself broke, homeless and in the throes of a mental breakdown during the darkest period of his life.
To Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s Spring SHOP LOCAL Fun Fest shoppers on May 3rd, however, Schmidt was a new vendor popping and selling kettle corn of varied flavors along with pork rinds and cotton candy.
We learned about Schmidt’s unlikely journey from success as a disabled business owner to near failure and back again to success from Chamber CEO Liz League. She’d met the young man during a multi-chamber event, found his story fascinating, and invited him to be a vendor at the Spring SHOP LOCAL event.
We briefly met Schmidt at his stand and our curiosity was peaked when he drew our attention to the fact that he was a disabled business owner. He agreed to meet us for an interview at JB’s at Park Plaza to learn more about Schmidty’s Kettle Corn. (He’d enjoyed being next to the JB’s/Park Tavern staffers, who’d been helpful, during the SHOP LOCAL Fun Festival. He wanted to give back by giving them some business.)
Schmidt, known to his friends as Danny, developed a learning disability after suffering bacterial Meningitis as a six-month-old. However, his IQ tests normal, so he never really considered himself disabled. A native Californian, he’d successfully held various sales jobs as a young man. Later, he held high-paying positions working in the health care field for a company and later for himself. He was good at it and things were going well.
It wasn’t until 2015 that he developed a serious anxiety disorder when he moved to Maryland after his wife Tracy obtained a scholarship to American University. As before, he was employed as a caregiver. But, given the stressful nature of the work, he began having panic attacks and simultaneously experienced depression. By the time he understood what was happening to him, Schmidt had lost a number of healthcare jobs along with the income they provided.
Unable to support himself, he reluctantly accepted his wife’s advice to apply for disability. While going through the disability application process, he accepted a position as a caregiver for a 66-year-old gentleman with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Sadly, the patient’s declining mental state led him to enter an assisted living facility meaning Schmidt would be losing the $25 an hour job he depended on.
“I realized at that point that, if I was going to survive, I needed to start a business of my own. (I’d worked for a kettle corn company back in California and felt that a good possibility.) I asked my client’s wife if she’d be interested in making an investment to help me get started,” he said.
She replied that, since Danny was her husband’s best caregiver, she would help him and asked how much money he needed. He answered that $5,000 would cover his costs so she wrote him a check for $5,000 with the understanding that it was a gift, not a loan, and he wouldn’t need to pay her back.
Thanks to her generous gift, Schmidt was able to open the first Schmidty’s Kettle Corn booth in July of 2018 at the Takoma Park Farmer’s Market. Sales were great throughout 2018 and 2019 for the entrepreneur and the business expanded to a number of other markets.
Unfortunately, in 2020, disaster hit in the form of the issuance of COVID 19 social distancing guidelines, curbing or closing many businesses.
“I lost seven markets and had only one left,” Schmidt said. “At that point, I had a full mental breakdown that was so bad, I didn’t want to get out of bed.”
The increasingly bleak situation took a toll on the Schmidt’s seven-year marriage, and they separated.
“I had to move out and eventually became homeless. Finally realizing that I, ultimately, had to help myself, I first lived in a motel room, then a less expensive room and even in my van but I still managed to do my kettle corn business when I could.
In a year or so, with COVID 19 ending, the business came back and Schmidt was able to sell Schmidty’s Kettle Corn at five markets. Building on that success, he expanded the company’s product line to include regular, white cheddar and caramel kettle corn, pork rinds and cotton candy. He’s now able to hire helpers.
These days, Schmidty’s Kettle Corn is available for fundraisers, events and parties. The business does lots of school fundraisers giving 20% of its profits back to the schools.
“One of my current goals is to get into retail markets,” Schmidt said. “Another is to have a storefront. Because of Maryland’s Cottage Food laws, I must operate as a homebased business and limit the scope of products I make and sell. I’m unable to sell a few products I’d like to market like caramel apples because I don’t have a commercial kitchen. It’s too costly to rent one just now but I’m thinking about doing that in the future.”
The most exciting development for the “Popcorn Man”, as he’s known to kids, is that he now has his own “Schmidty’s Kettle Corn Live” You Tube channel which has steadily grown in popularity, attracting more than 2,300 subscribers meaning it is now monetized. People seem to enjoy watching videos of him making kettle corn step-by-step. He’s achieved number 5 on top plays and is now earning consulting fees from You Tube viewers who wish to start their own kettle corn businesses.
Schmidt has always loved making and selling kettle corn dating back to the days when he learned the craft while working for a company in California. Though he’s something of a people person who enjoys interacting with customers, he’s perfected every part of the process, from kettle to sifter.
Speaking as an expert, he says to make quality kettle corn, you must use mushroom popcorn because sugar coats better on its round shape. It’s also lighter and fluffier than the butterfly shaped popcorn sold in supermarkets and has less shell.
“When popping the corn in its kettle, I’m careful to add the sugar and salt at precisely the right moment so it doesn’t burn” he noted. “I always use a wooden paddle to better distribute the sugar and salt.”
In addition to rebuilding his business, Schmidt has rebuilt and added balance to his life. He’s developed several interests and now has a number of friends. He also likes to encourage and help other disabled individuals who wish to start their own businesses. In fact, he’d like to start a non-profit to help them do so.
Daniel Schmidt has, admittedly, had more than his share of trials and tribulations. Yet, through it all, he has always had support in one form or another.
“I’d like to thank my Mom and Ed, my aunts and uncles, and grandparents and my ex-wife Tracy for helping me get my business started and being there for me for my ups and downs,” he said.
Tracy, in particular, did everything in her power to help him get his business started, financially and with her time. Though divorced, they remain friends.
Schmidt still suffers occasional anxiety attacks, but he’s learned to control them, and usually manages to ward off depression by talking himself out of it. Meantime, he loves having a successful business and is moving full steam ahead.
As a vendor, he enjoyed and was very much impressed by his first experience at the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s Spring SHOP LOCAL event. So much so that he plans to come back to Park Plaza as a vendor for the Chamber’s October event referred to as SHOPTOBERFEST with a Trick or Treat Twist.
Free youth event, “Balancing Life at Severna Park and Beyond on May 27th
The Parenting for a Different World organization is holding a free talk with current and past Severna Park High School students for the benefit of younger kids and their families. The younger students will be able to see what life can be like for kids in high school and after.
The event is being held Tuesday, May 27th from 7 to 8 pm at St. Martin’s in-the-Field Episcopal School.
Parenting for a Different World has been hosting these talks for six years. It’s a great way for kids to get first-hand perspective. For more information, visit PDWorld or Facebook.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
