Bossy

Written by Sue Kurta & Photography by Emma Boonstra

Fall Issue '24 - Online Shop

Sue Kurta grew up in Berkley, Michigan and has had three distinct careers, so far. A decade in the music industry in New York, Chicago, and London, a decade in corporate finance in New York, and a decade as one of the early makers to produce cheese in Northwest Lower Michigan, founding Boss Mouse Artisan Cheese in 2012. She is a world traveler, operates a rabbit rescue, is a member of a cassette DJ squad, and owns a 1986 Dodge convertible. Along the way, she has collected a treasure trove of experiences and wisdom, and has shared some of that knowledge here. Pull up a chair, make yourself a little charcuterie plate, and let Sue remind you that you are right where you are supposed to be, right now.  

Why the Name

Mice & cheese. A mighty, tiny thing. It's fun to say, the words work together. That's all there is to it, it doesn't mean anything.

Adopt a pig

Marshmallow the pig needed a home. I met her in 2022 at a youth camp, the site of a wedding of some good friends. Pigs are, as you've heard, clean, smart, affectionate, and boisterous. Caring for a pig is like having a very messy child.  She is delightful, stubborn, and funny. As humans we need to consume less animal products (including cheese), and getting to know a meat animal helps convince you of this truth. I think everyone should have some animals in their lives to learn from, care for, and help. 

Passion

When I worked in the New York finance world, I was also learning hobby cheesemaking. I would spend my weekends at small farms on the East Coast learning to milk goats, make basic cheese, and how to farm. I would come back to work Monday morning on fire, ultra-inspired and telling my coworkers all about the things I'd learned. One day one of my colleagues, a highly paid and highly successful banker, replied that they "wish they knew what they were passionate about.” That is a real dilemma. We hear a lot about following your passions, but what are they? How do you know where to look? They are right beside you. They are everywhere, and they change as we do throughout our lives. Passions mean something to you alone, something that sparks your interest or makes you curious. Like love, they take you by surprise sometimes. Passions are wholly yours and do not need to be for someone else, and you don't have to adopt someone else's passion. Being passionate about things enriches your life and makes you a more interesting person. It is one of the reasons we are here. 

Authenticity

When I moved to Kingsley, I wasn't sure this was going to be the place for me. Unwelcoming neighbors and a futile job search made me question my decision to move back home. I was from Michigan, but I wasn't from "here,” and the locals let me know it. A recruiter told me "nobody will hire you with those tattoos,” and even with a rock-solid resume and interview skills, the answer was always no. In life, doors close. What to do? BE YOURSELF. If you present yourself how you really are, dress how you like, talk how you talk, you can't lose. Some folks won't hire you, they will politely decline, some people just won't like you. But if you are true to yourself, in the long run, you can't lose, and in time you will find your people and your place.  When I was growing up, my parents always repeated the old adage, "bloom where you're planted.” I believe that. Really, really stop worrying about what anyone thinks of you.

You can do What You Want

Small business isn't for everyone, but most everyone thinks they will be good at small business. Some of the reasons I think Boss Mouse succeeded weren't the usual things. I never made a business plan, I didn't use investors, and looking back on when I was new, I improvised a lot and faked it until I made it. I was never driven by profit. I feel if that is the reason you do anything you won't ever really succeed, because it won't ever be enough. You can always start over, start anew. Here are some random business tips: 

- Pay a living wage

- Trust your employees

- Don't create work by endlessly analyzing the money

- Not everyone is going to like your product or what you are selling, and that's OK

- If morale & company culture is good or bad, it is because of you

- Make or do whatever it is as high quality as possible

- Be on time

- Don't micromanage your staff

- If you have high employee turnover, it's you, not them

- Don't be cheap

- Hustle hard

- If you start to hate it, quit and try something else

Do something because you love to do it, regardless of its mass appeal or profitability. In addition to your day job (which you shouldn't quit), enrich your personal life with things that appeal to you. Consume a lot of art, music, reading, travel, self-care time and hobbies, that is the wonderstuff. Cultivate golden friendships. Take an interest in others, volunteer, put your phone down.

Go Outside

Mother nature cures it all. Everyone should spend some time outside every day. Slow down and listen, nature has a lot to teach and tell you. Outside is available to all of us at no charge, no matter where we are, and has a direct and seismic effect on our mental health and spirit. 

Cheese as a Metaphor

Making aged cheese takes several months. Making it is complicated, lots of specifics to do with temperature, pH, time, ingredients, and process. Then it goes to sleep for a long nap in the cheese cave. It is a true labor of love, and at the end it may not taste great. It is a slow food and you guide it along, hoping for the best outcome. Like everything, right? Do whatever you are doing slowly and with good intentions, giving it your very best effort. That is the best shot for the outcome you desire. 

My Favorite Teacher: Farming

I apprenticed on a small goat farm in Maine when I was learning about cheesemaking. I romanticized farming a lot. The more I did it, the more I believed that we all should be living the agrarian way, growing our own food, living slowly, making and harvesting and sustaining! I told my mentors this and asked, why doesn't everyone live this way? They replied, "because it is so, so hard.” I was naive. Farming is rewarding and beautiful, difficult and physically grueling. I have hurt myself really badly on my farm, seen indescribable beauty, connected deeply with nature, and learned an ancient craft that is uncommon in our times. Everything you do is your teacher; everyone you meet and everything you make. Just like our passions, our teachers are all around us.        

Broken Hearts

I was in Manhattan on 9/11. I survived a violent rollover car accident. And you have had your heart broken too, we all have.  How do you get up after that stuff? I think getting up after bad things is essential to growing and becoming who you are, there is no acceptable alternative. Several things in your life will not go how you expected them to go, that is a truth that applies to all people. Getting back up on the horse, recovering and moving on is the only way forward. It is hard work and doing it makes you strong and wise. Don't let the awful things define you. Pick up your heart and fight!      

There are a Million Ways to do Everything

Do you. It's perfect, just like you. Everything I have shared here is just how I did it, but none of it is "right.” Know that how you are and how you feel is exactly right, and if you stick to that and let your heart guide your choices and do your best, you won't go wrong. Now, go outside.

BIO

Sue Kurta grew up in Berkley, Michigan. She bought an historic 1867 farm in Kingsley, Michigan and founded Boss Mouse Artisan Cheese in 2012. Before moving home to Michigan, she spent 10 years working in corporate finance in New York and prior to that, 10 years in the music industry in New York, London, and Chicago. She instructs cheesemaking classes for Michigan State University, and lives and works on her farm with her companion dog, cats, pig, bunnies, and a chicken. Sue is a dual US/UK citizen, whose hobbies include travel, cooking, and spending time with friends.

Emma Boonstra, a native of Michigan, is the founder of Fieldstone Creative LLC, a creative marketing agency located in Chelsea, Michigan. Emma believes that visual storytelling and digital marketing should coexist and enhance each other in a deliberate, refined, authentic, and intentional way that reflects the unique stories of businesses and their owners. Outside work, Emma finds joy in tending to her garden, exploring new recipes, traveling the world, savoring a strong cup of coffee on her porch, and adventuring in the woods with her husband, Kevin, and her lovable pup, Rosie.

Fall Issue '24 - Online Shop