Small Town, Big Success

Stephanie Stober learned the entrepreneurial spirit at an early age. Her father passed away 3 months before she was born, which left her mother with 7 children, ages 1-8, while still pregnant with her. She grew up watching her mom struggle to make an income for the kids. From baking cinnamon rolls to sell, to butchering chickens, to raising acres of garden produce. Stephanie learned her creativity and “not afraid to try” attitude from her mother. Stephanie’s mother was her inspiration.

Eventually she moved to the farm and didn’t want to be the typical farm wife. She began selling Mary Kay Cosmetics in a very rural area of North Dakota where you have to drive 70 miles to get to a city the size of 40,000. Within a year and a half she earned the coveted “pink car” and was a Director at Mary Kay.

While pregnant with her first child in 83, she decided to stay home and take care of their first born. She wanted to help make an income right there from the farm. She heard about a Chinese Shar-Pei dog on Johnny Carson that sold for $2,000. She lit up with curiosity, acquired a pregnant dog and 2 weeks later Stephanie had a litter of pups.

Always interested in being a veterinarian, she suddenly was in a new occupation having to learn quickly. The number of animals accumulated rapidly including, Miniature sheep, Pot Belly Pigs, Fainting Goats and more.
This was a great career move; she was highlighted in Country Women and local newspapers. Even spoke at
Successful Farming conferences which led her down an exciting new road. She visited Siberia, talking with farmers and Universities about the aspect of being your own boss, both women and men.

This led to Stephanie’s current career, still on the farm. With neighbors 3 miles away and the town of Goodrich 6 miles away, she was still determined to become big success with small town roots. The public school K-12 system where Stephanie still resides has only 23 kids!

In 2001, Stephanie started selling flax seed as it was a grain that grew on their fifth generation family farm. The medical community was starting to talk about this ancient grain with Omega 3, Fiber, Lignans and Protein. She began heading to local craft shows, even traveling all the way to California to show at Home Shows, to Minneapolis Farmers Market, and places in between, there Stephanie’s new career was born…

FLAX USA has created many products making it easier to consume flax, including products for cats and dogs. They have introduced a Real Cold Milled method, currently sold nationwide, allowing the consumer to simply
add it to liquids or food without the grinding. The milled flax is shelf stable for 22 months, and this new method has been a national “hit!” FLAX USA is sold nationwide and starting early April 2011, their brand new concept, the only product of its kind in the world, Flaxmilk will launch. Flaxmilk is lactose free, soy free, dairy free, gluten free, now your entire family can drink their Omega’s and it’s tasty! The legacy continues as Stephanie works together fulltime with her husband John and son Jared to reach out to America on the benefits of flax and the national platform of FLAX USA.

Stephanie wanted to tell her story to inspire others not to give up on their dreams. “You will never know unless you try. It doesn’t matter where you live or the circumstances of your life at present, there is always a way. If something does not work, you are not a failure, you tried and it wasn’t for you, but another window will open.”  Reach Stephanie at 701 884 2732.

Find me at: www.flaxusa.com