Brittney’s passion for food began as a goal familiar to many women—to prove her husband wrong.
“It started when my husband told me that healthy food doesn’t taste good. All his meals consisted of broiled tilapia seasoned with pepper alone, plain brown rice and steamed veggies straight from the freezer. It’s been my mission ever since to prove him wrong.”
A woman on a mission
When she’s not managing accounts and preparing press releases in our Duluth Office, Brittney, a PR assistant and account coordinator at WestmorelandFlint, enjoys cooking a variety of experimental, healthy meals.
In fact, she cooks a five-course meal every night.
Okay, okay… the five-course part might be a stretch, but she does cook delicious, inventive meals most nights of the week. Just ask her husband, who, by the way, openly admits that Brittney has proven healthy food does not have to be bland and boring.
“I love Brittney’s cooking,” says her husband Eric. “We are both active people, so we want food that is good for our bodies as well as our taste buds. Brittney somehow manages to accomplish this with every meal she cooks.”
His current favorite? A flank steak sandwich with roasted bell peppers, balsamic onions, arugula and a variety of other veggies, all sautéed and placed into a pita pocket.
Her current favorites? Venison steak stir-fry with fresh veggies and jasmine rice, homemade black bean burgers with roasted sweet potato fries, and falafel sandwiches with yogurt dill sauce.
“I really like cooking because you can experiment with mixing different ingredients together, and you can never really mess it up,” says Brittney, proudly noting that she’s finally mastered the art of falafel. (And yes, falafel is an art.)
From food to fitness
Brittney’s love of food goes hand-in-hand with her devotion to fitness.
“I want to set a great example for my children, when we have them, and I want to be healthy myself,” she says.
Her passion for fitness began with her discovery of kettlebells, a workout that uses cast-iron weights to build functional muscle and core strength.
“I like to try new things and take on new challenges,” says Brittney. “When you’re working with kettlebells, you have to give it your all the whole time, and that’s a great thing to take with you out of the gym.”
Brittney and Eric began training at a local kettlebell gym, and loved it so much that they soon invested in their own kettlebells to train at home.
One tough couple
The two fitness enthusiasts are currently using kettlebells as part their training for a Tough Mudder race—a hardcore 10- to 12-mile obstacle course that tests strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie.
“It’s kind of like a Warrior Dash, except it’s a 10- to 12-mile race, rather than a 5k race, through mud and up, over, under and through different obstacles,” says Brittney, noting that one such obstacle is running through live electric wires.
Brittney says, “We thought it looked super challenging, exciting, maybe a little fun, but mostly it looked badass and would give us something to work toward. Honestly, the Tough Mudder terrifies me, and that’s part of the reason I’m doing it!”
Get to know a Flintster: Q + A with Brittney
What’s your dream job?
Anything that allows me to grow as a person and as a professional. Oh, and has amazing vacation time.
Which job would you not want to have?
President of the United States.
What was your first job?
I worked at Dairy Queen in Grafton, N.D. It dropped the franchise, so if you’re driving through Grafton, N.D., it’s now the Ice Box—stop and grab some fried pickles!
What did it teach you?
Teamwork and self-discipline.
What is one thing you’d be willing to practice for an hour a day?
Active listening.
What’s the best advice you ever got?
Be yourself.
What sound do you love?
Two sounds: water/waves and laughter (not necessarily together).
What scent do you love?
Fresh-cut grass.
Attendees were able to claim their business’ listings on each of these spaces. But more importantly, they learned why these spaces matter. They learned best practices for managing and updating their listings, responding to customer comments, and encouraging reviews from their customers. And they all left with a renewed energy for connecting in real-time with their customers.
