Jill Pepin came to campus with pep in her step, a dream in her heart and a recipe in her pocket. 
     And in less than one year, this enthusiastic neophyte graduated into a world of opportunity to become one of Oklahoma State University's most inspirational entrepreneurs.
     Pepin, retired at the age of 35, had always planned to establish some sort of self-help facility such as a bed and breakfast or retreat house of sorts where people could escape when they needed life tools and refreshment. 
     However, after a summer's visit to St. Peter's Cathedral in Austria, Pepin emerged with a better idea. Only it was more than an idea — Pepin had a dream. 
     "When I stepped out of that cathedral, I knew I was going to Stillwater. I didn't know why, it was just a feeling," Pepin said. 
     With her dream as her guide, the Florida native left her lifelong family involvement in the beer industry and followed her heart to Oklahoma.
     For 10 years Pepin had made a spicy, bittersweet dipping mustard for her friends from an old family recipe. It seemed she couldn't go anywhere without either taking a batch or all the equipment to make her special potion. 
     Eventually Pepin grew tired of traveling with her double broiler and took her friends' advice: She would market her mustard in retail stores nationwide and finance the dream she was chasing. All profits from her specialty mustard would be dedicated to establishing a working ranch for abused and neglected children.
     "I want my mustard out there because it is a good product. But after I really got into doing the mustard, I learned what this is truly all about, and it is the kids that I'm going to help," Pepin said.
     It was Pepin's service with her brother in the Stillwater community's Court Appointed Special Advocates program for abused and neglected children that initiated her desire to create a self-help haven for Oklahoma's children. 
     "The abuse in the world today just turns my stomach. I know it has always been there, but since I've been exposed to it, I know it is more prevalent today than ever."
     So, dedicated to her dream, Pepin wasted no time in starting her mission. While driving through her new Stillwater neighborhood, Pepin took the first step toward her goal. She pulled into Meridian Technology Center in search of advice and direction, where she was referred to the OSU Food and Agricultural Products Research and Technology Center, or FAPC. 
     It was during her first visit to FAPC that Pepin gained real confidence and direction for her project. She presented her mustard to the marketing specialists at FAPC, and, with much of her dream hinging on their advice, she anxiously awaited their response.
     "They tasted it, and they liked it," Pepin said.
     "This isn't just mustard that you put on a ham sandwich," said Corey Stone, FAPC business and marketing specialist. 
     "Unlike many of the products we see, the uniqueness of this product, especially in this region, will allow this mustard to be successful," he said.
     For products like mustard or other condiments, a natural sales spike occurs in the summer, which coincidently is when the mustard hit the market. This peak in condiment sales carries through football season and phases out near the holidays. However, with this being a gourmet product, sales will pick back up during the holiday season, said Stone.
     Pepin's mustard is a multipurpose product that can marinade hams, dip pretzels, devil eggs, top crackers and easily compliment a score of homemade recipes, Stone said.
     As Pepin's grandmother used to say, "This mustard is a lot like my personality: really sweet at first, then something in it bites you and you just keep coming back for more."
     Prior to Pepin's mustard venture, she had sold beer and Eagle Snacks following her career as a flight attendant. Her father never liked the idea of her working, so she retired at the age of 35. After 10 years of retirement, Pepin caught up on her computer skills and immersed her heart and soul into the production of her new product: Pep in the Mustard.
     With the assistance of FAPC, Pepin's next step was to recreate a recipe that could be produced by a co-packer in bulk quantities of 500 gallons while maintaining its distinct taste. Three cooks were hired to tweak the recipe to perfection, which actually was the longest process in Pepin's adventure. 
     "After talking to co-packers I found out I had to find a substitute for the real eggs in my recipe. Then, because we couldn't create a suitable substitute for the name brand dry mustard in my recipe, I made arrangements to use Coleman's name brand product in bulk," Pepin explained.
     "There is a lot more that goes into this business than I ever knew about," she said. 
     From the start of her venture, Pepin was overwhelmed by the helpfulness and expertise of FAPC's staff.
     "I can't believe how good OSU has been to me. I never thought a university would help me the way they have helped me," Pepin said of her experience with FAPC. "I just didn't know universities did this stuff."
     However, Stone insists FAPC's staff is committed to providing assistance to Oklahoma's entrepreneurs.
     "The immediate and foremost mission of FAPC is really to add value to Oklahoma products and keep the money from them here in Oklahoma's economy," said Stone. 
     "FAPC works with clients in a 49/51 relationship. That means if a client will do 51 percent of the work, we will be happy to pick up the rest, just as long as the client retains ownership of the product." 
     From building business plans and conducting workshops to performing recipe tests and marketing home products, FAPC's services are available to any Oklahoma entity, whether it be Oklahomans, Oklahoma companies or national companies marketing in Oklahoma. 
     "My time and other marketing specialists' time is always free for Oklahomans," said Stone. "You can be assured it is always covered."
     FAPC was established in 1996 by Oklahoma legislation to add value to Oklahoma commodities and keep the revenue in the state. Therefore, FAPC's services are based on a client's ability to pay.  Equipment and facility usage is charged at cost unless it is used by a large established company, who then pays full price for the facilities, equipment usage and utilities. However, in any case, FAPC's services always will be less expensive than private services, said Stone.
     With the guidance of FAPC's specialists, less than a year has passed since Pepin's vision in Austria. Pep in the Mustard is already a hot item in private homes throughout Oklahoma with the potential to be on store shelves in the near future, but Pepin admits the biggest challenge of her venture is patience.
     "I have my dream. Now I just have to slow down and let it happen," Pepin said. 
     Pepin continues to follow the philosophy instilled in her by her father that has guided her throughout her venture: "You have to sell yourself before you can ever sell a product. Making friends is our business, and you can sell 10 for $4 before you can ever sell one for $40."
     Although it is important to Pepin that her trademarked product is sold under a "Made in Oklahoma" label, her work to market her product across the United States is far from done. 
     "Budweiser sells itself, mustard doesn't," Pepin said, reminiscing of her family heritage in Anheiser-Busch and her work as a beer saleswoman.
     "If I have to sell this out of the trunk of my car, I will do that," Pepin said. But Stone insists, with Pepin's business savvy, that will never be the case.
     "With her enthusiasm and business sense along with her great personality, there is no way she'll have to sell this out of her car," Stone said with a laugh.
     "With a product like Pepin's and with her level of commitment, it is pretty easy to get her product into the marketplace," he said. 
     Pep in the Mustard has been targeted to a wide variety of outlets ranging from Pratt's grocery chain to gourmet shops such as House of Flowers and Harry and David magazine as well as to local restaurants such as Eskimo Joe's and Kyoto Sushi House.
     "I don't want to be so high priced that not everyone can buy my mustard. I want the average Joe to be able to have my mustard," Pepin said.
     "I'm not in this to make a buck. I'm in it for the kids."
     Once the project takes off, research for the ranch will begin. Pepin will go through training to learn how to deal with and provide for abused and needy children and will begin the search for a ranch, counselors and other staff. 
     Mustard Seed Ranch will be a haven for Oklahoma's abused children. The working ranch will be a place where they can receive self-help tools and stay as long as it takes them to learn the skills they need to face life. The ranch will be complete with horses, chickens, dogs and other animals that will be used to teach children how to nurture not only themselves but also other living things. 
     Although Pepin is uncertain where the ranch will be located, she does know it will be somewhere in Oklahoma.
     "The people in Oklahoma are absolutely wonderful," Pepin said. "There is incredible energy in Oklahoma and it is a positive energy. 
     "Everyone has been so nice. This has been a fun and interesting experience, but it wouldn't have been like this in Florida.
     "I am working so that kids won't be thrown back into the system. They will leave with the tools they need to look into themselves and find happiness in this mean world," Pepin said.
     Mustard Seed Ranch will be funded by Pep in the Mustard and will house a gift shop where the mustard will be sold, along with other products that the children have made.
     "I always knew there would be kids in my life and now there will be," said Pepin, who has never had children of her own. "This is my mission in life. I just know it."
     While Pep in the Mustard has proven to be one of FAPC's favorite home-to-shelf success stories, it is the purpose of the venture that gives
a whole new meaning to Pepin's recipe of success. 
     A lot of products come through the center, and many have been successful, but this venture and Pepin's heart for philanthropy gives uniqueness to her business, said Stone.
     However, much like the old cliché, a woman's work is never done. 
     "Someday, I want this thing to be on Oprah," Pepin exclaimed.
     Pepin foresees no end in sight to her already successful project. Her genuine love and concern for children along with her peppy personality and demonstrated business sense will allow many of Oklahoma's children to turn the bitter knocks of life into sweet success. 
     She put the pep in more than just her mustard.

By Abby Payne
Beaver, Okla.