We had the good fortune of connecting with Shawn Simon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawn, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Interesting question. Not really a single answer here, but preparation, planning and strategic action are always the key. Add in strategic points of differentiation from competitors in the market. Branding is critical. What’s unique about your product/service – drive that home non-stop.

What should our readers know about your business?
Simon’s Mountain Top BBQ was formed after lots and lots (2 years) of testing on friends/family. Extremely important to us to have the best product in a category we are creating – Gourmet BBQ. Feedback from customers/clients is a wonderful motivator for us as we expand the menu of product and services.. We’re not just a Gourmet BBQ provider – we’re an Event company with our BBQ leading the way.
There’s no secret in getting this venture where we want it to be; it’s having the best product, great service, target marketing to your strategic customer base, community involvement, follow up with all customers/clients and just not stopping.
Our home base is in a beautiful setting in Rydal/White, GA. We’re building out a facility where customers/clients can come and get their Pick Up BBQ orders and hang out for a while – enjoy the scenery & solitude. We’ll be expanding north into the Chattanooga, TN area and replicating our facility here in the near future.
Simon’s Mountain Top BBQ

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I like this question – easy answer as we do lots of entertaining with our business. We just had really good friends come in from the Seattle, WA area for our Fall Block Party and Fundraiser.
Friends flew in on a Thursday and made their way to our location in the foothills outside Cartersville, GA. Friends stayed at Lazy B Ranch – a 700 acre, beautiful property owned by a dear friend and neighbor – bed & breakfast style. Friends stayed through Sunday and enjoyed the country scenery, front row seat for the BBC ride on Saturday (Beautiful Backroads Century – bike ride through North Georgia) and our Simon’s MTBBQ Blockparty with BBQ menu samples with Live Karaoke to end the night.
Activities to add if there were time: Boating on Lake Allatoona, hiking outside Chattanooga.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Everything is about family, friends and God. A bit more specific detail – my business partner/significant other (Lisa Lohmann) handles all the PR/marketing and is the creative ‘side dish’ guru. Impossible venture w/o her. Every Event we do she leaves a lasting impression with our customers/clients – vibrant personality is the best descriptive.

Website: https://MountainTopBBQ.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-lisa-b021b8314 (Simon’s Mountain Top BBQ, LinkedIn)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552823844578 (Simon’s Mountain Top BBQ, Facebook)

Image Credits
Shawn & Lisa

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