November 29, 2024

Why This Small Business Saturday Matters More Than Ever ❤️

by Laura Jorgensen in Articles

Hey Friends,

It's Small Business Saturday, and this year hits different than it has in the past.

When we started Fuel Goods we knew it was going to be epic battle to break through the noise and get our voices heard amidst the big brands and budgets in the space.

What we didn’t know was that everything we were building would come to a screeching halt in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

But being a part of the Asheville small business community in the aftermath of this disaster has been gut-wrenching and beautiful all at once.

The resilience, support, and grit we’ve witnessed remind us why small businesses matter so much.

And today, in the spirit of Small Business Saturday, we have a few things to say:

THANK YOU…

To every single person who has supported our business — or any other Asheville business — as we fight to make it through the other side of this. Whether you’ve shopped with us, ordered a Together We Rise shirt, shared a post, or just given us a hug and told us to keep our head up, YOU’RE THE REASON WE’RE STILL HERE!

2. KEEP GOING…

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you’re currently staring down the face of hard times, you are not alone. We’re in this together. Grit and community can move mountains and TOGETHER WE WILL RISE.

SHOP SMALL TODAY

It's the one day of the year I can shamelessly plug Fuel Goods and ask you to show us your support, tell your friends about us, and shop small. Go show us some love and slam through your holiday shopping list all at the same time. We have a fancy new website, and I think you might just be surprised at all the gems you can find there.

And if Fuel Goods isn’t your thing, we get it – but do us a favor, shop somewhere small today—especially at an Asheville business. Let’s keep our dollars where they matter most, supporting the community —not adding another gold-plated rocket ship to Bezos’ fleet 🚀

Today is about lifting up the dreamers, doers, and downright badasses working their butts off to make something amazing.

Thanks for letting us be one of them ❤️

Laura and Courteney

PS - Following our story on social media doesn't cost you a dime, but it's a huge way to show your support.

November 4, 2024

Confessions of a (Reluctant) Runner: My Couch to 5K Comeback

It’s Laura, co-founder here at Fuel Goods, and I’ve got a little confession: I haven’t REALLY run in over a decade. My knee decided running wasn’t its thing, and honestly, I didn’t argue. But this month, I’m ready to give it another shot. It’s time to swap the bike shorts for some running shoes (pray for me) 🙏🏻 So, I’m inviting you to join me on a Couch to 5K journey, leading up to a Turkey Trot at the end of the month. Courteney (my new coach lol) has built me a training plan... It’s 3 runs a week, and just to keep things spicy, she added a little extra zip into weeks 2 and 3. I’ll be out there huffing, puffing, and I want you to join me! Whether you’re a total beginner or just need a nudge to smash out a three week training block, let’s do this together. You can follow along the journey on our Instagram and (our new) TikTok to see all my frustrated outbursts and - let’s be honest - probably feel a little bit better about your own progress. Let’s make this November one for the books (or at least for the blooper reel). Download my training plan here PS - while we’re seasoned athletes, we’re definitely not running coaches. If you’re looking for expert guidance, check out our friends at Team Run Run. PPS - I made myself a Turkey Trot Survival Kit and I’m sharing the goods. It’s nearly $50 worth of essentials, but since I’d love some company on this little adventure, it’s yours for $35 with code TURKEYTROT. (just, uh, don’t tell Courteney 😉)

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October 29, 2024

Beyond Hurricane Helene: Fuel Goods' Journey to Reconnect and Rebuild

You Are Making a Difference! It's been almost exactly a month since Hurricane Helene hit our HQ in Asheville, NC. And thanks to your unbelievable generosity, we've sold over 750 Together We Rise shirts, amassing nearly $20K to give to local businesses severely impacted by the storm. Meet the Businesses You're Helping We want you to meet some of these amazing organizations firsthand. I'm linking out to their Instagrams because their stories are too good not to be told. Check out these businesses. Follow their journeys. Donate directly to them. Buy a TWR shirt. Heck, you still have 2 days to buy the nutrition you're already using and have 10% proceeds go directly to these businesses. Rockgeist Bikepack USA These are our literal next door neighbors. They walk 4 steps down. We walk 4 steps up. That was the difference between losing it all and having something to salvage. Unstoppable Strength Endurance & Adventure Coaching Tera Pruett is an amazing human, coach, and pillar of the Asheville endurance community. This is her gym 👇🏼 Asheville Adventure Company Asheville Adventure Company is the hub of all things outdoors. They had three buildings. All three are completely destroyed. On Your Bike Coffee and Bike Shop I can't write this one without getting emotional. I go went to this coffee shop almost every Saturday during my long rides. They took on 27 feet of water. TWO-SEVEN. Their rebuild is almost unfathomable and yet they're waking up every morning and pressing on. It's devastating yet inspiring to watch the recovery efforts. If all you can do is give these companies a follow, that's wonderful. Do that. I've linked directly to them to make it easy. Every little bit helps as we rebuild. Ending on a High Note We co-sponsored a community running event this weekend. Why? Becuase no one even knows where to run. Roads are gone. Trails are destroyed. Helene took a lot from us. But you know what she didn't take? Our spirit. Together We Will Rise. PS - We only have 8 states left to get the TWR shirts coast to coast! If you know someone who lives in one of these states, SEND THEM THIS LINK!!

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October 27, 2024

These 2 Fall Skratch Cocktails Are Addictive

Last time Skratch Labs dropped a limited-edition flavor, we whipped up some epic cocktails, and the response? Let’s just say you loved them so much, we practically had people toasting us from coast to coast. And now Skratch is back with their Limited Edition Apple Cider, and it’s pure magic in a bottle so, naturally, we knew we had to craft a couple of cocktail recipes that do this flavor justice. BEWARE: if you make these, be ready to share. The Fashionably Fall It's the warmth of an old fashioned with a kick of refreshing apple.It's so simple yet shockingly good. We even made a little video for you that shows how to make it. Ingredients: 1/2 scoop Skratch Apple Cider Hydration 4 oz water 1 tsp maple syrup 2 oz bourbon 4 dashes orange bitters Shake with ice & garnish with orange peel And if you're feeling more adventurous, this one is an absolute showstopper. It's literally my favorite drink right now. Plus, the video includes a blooper reel so..... Skratch Spiced Apple Margarita The balance of sweet, tart, and spicy makes it irresistibly refreshing and undeniably delicious. Ingredients: • 1/2 scoop Skratch Apple Cider Hydration 🍏💧 • 1/2 a lime, squeezed 🍈 • 1 tsp maple syrup 🍁 • 0.5 oz triple sec 🍊 • 1-2 oz tequila or mezcal 🌵 • Ice 🧊 • 2 dashes spicy bitters 🌶️ • Garnish with an orange peel 🍊✨ There you have it - 2 recipes to make you the mixologist hero of fall. And remember, whatever you sip on, please drink responsibly! Want a non-alcoholic version? Easy! Just swap out the spirit in either recipe for the same amount of water.

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