The Braidwoods

FROM PHARMA to Following the Crush

WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER PHOTOS BY SUSAN BLACKBURN PHOTOGRAPHY

The jump from clinical pharmaceutical research careers to selling olive oil seems like a big one. Both are part of the science of being healthier and happier – and one local family’s proof that with life, like with food, when you need to make a choice, it’s best to just trust your gut. A ROBUST TASTE FOR ADVENTURE Barbara, and her husband Clint Braidwood (as well as his brother, Chad) were all working in medicine when they decided it was time for a change. Their research brought them face-to-face with patients across the country who were in the later stages of devastating illnesses. It was depressing and they wanted to switch their focus, instead taking on a more proactive role, focusing more on prevention than treatment. That’s when they stepped into a shop in Maine that exclusively sold olive oils and vinegars. “We’d always loved traveling and would follow the crush overseas, but you couldn’t get good olive oil in the states. Once we saw that though, we knew we could do it here, too,” said Barbara. GO WITH YOUR GUT Research has shown that a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil can be beneficial. It can reduce the incidences of health disease and cancer, and its anti-inflammatory properties can help with conditions such as diabetes, arthritis and asthma. Extra-virgin olive oil is like wine; what’s good one year may not be the next. They’re both fruit juices, but unlike wine, with olive oil, freshness is critical. The older olive oil is, the more nutrients are lost. The majority of extra-virgin olive oil imported into the U.S. is old by the time it gets to you and is of such a low-grade that you’re not getting these health benefits. The Braidwoods decided in October 2010 to change all that and open a small olive oil business in Saratoga. That year, they told their family over Thanksgiving dinner. “To me, it seemed like a no-brainer but we had a baby on the way and we were leaving our six-figure jobs to do this. The jaws just dropped around the room,” said Barbara. “They said, ‘Don’t quit your day-job’ but later they told us, ‘we all thought you were crazy,” added Clint.

HARVESTING VALUABLE INGREDIENTS Before they opened in April 2011, in his head, Clint was counting the number of bottles they’d have to sell to make rent. “It seemed like we didn’t see the light of day for two years. It was just us. We were the sole people running this business. We opened, closed, and had the baby with us all the time,” said Barbara. The community embraced Saratoga Olive Oil, Co. and by 2012, the Olive Oil Times named them among the Top 5 shops in the world for selection. “Right from the moment we opened the doors, it was a success and we knew we had something really special here,” said Clint. Saratoga Olive Oil Co. purchases product every month so it is very fresh. Their varietal (unflavored) olive oil changes with the new crush every 6 months. Their many different flavors of balsamic vinegars are imported from Italy and have no added sweeteners, fillers, or artificial ingredients. They encourage you to taste-before-you-buy. Communication is a main ingredient in their recipe for success. “We rely on each other and my brother. We bounce ideas off each other and respect each other’s ideas. Our employees have great ideas, too, and we push those ideas forward. We’ve put people in place to get our goals, visions and dreams created,” said Clint.

GOING FOR IT

For the Braidwoods, taking chances has paid off.

Today, Saratoga Olive Oil, Co. has maintained their Broadway location while adding stores in Lake Placid and Burlington, VT. Their products are sold online and shipped from a distribution center that opened in January in Moreau.

The Saratoga Olive Oil brand is now recognized across the country. People will beep as they drive by on the highway. Once, when they were wearing t-shirts with the Saratoga Olive Oil name, while waiting to get on the Splash Mountain ride at the Walt Disney World resort, a couple from the Midwest pulled them aside to tell them how much they love their products.

“Being recognized and feeling like a celebrity, we never expected that,” said Clint.

“Recognition like that is heartwarming and unexpected. It’s also wonderful to see people who have healthier diets, who have lost weight, are handling diabetes, who are changing their lives,” added Barbara.

Now, they also have the flexibility to spend more time with their kids, Sophia, 9, and Griffin, 7, and have created a legacy for them to inherit.

Clint wraps it up perfectly, “I’m grateful for that. Money isn’t everything. Quality of life is more important. Yes, it was scary, but it’s brought us so much happiness. If you’re thinking of doing something like this, I say, go for it. Take that chance.” S S