From Three Ovens to a Toledo Tradition: Rachel Marciniak Matthews and Jennifer Sims on Growing a Local Favorite

Some businesses begin with a detailed plan, a storefront, and years of preparation.

Rachel Marciniak Matthews started with a popcorn recipe, three ovens, two toddlers, and an idea she had been keeping in her back pocket.

Today, that idea has grown into Rachel Michael’s Gourmet Popcorn, while another chapter of Rachel’s entrepreneurial journey has placed her and her team at the helm of one of Toledo’s longstanding local businesses, Bassett Nut Company.

In this episode of Women in the Driver Seat, host Mary Helen Darah sits down with Rachel and Jennifer Sims, manager and part owner, to talk about taking chances, growing a business, preserving local tradition, and why being part of the Toledo community means giving back to the people who support you.

Their story is filled with creativity, persistence, and plenty of popcorn, but underneath it all is a lesson familiar to many entrepreneurs.

Sometimes the opportunity you never expected becomes the one that changes everything.

A Recipe That Became Plan B

The beginnings of Rachel Michael’s Gourmet Popcorn go back years before there was a storefront.

Rachel’s family had fallen in love with gourmet popcorn during visits to Chicago, which inspired them to experiment with creating their own version at home.

Rachel eventually developed a recipe she began sharing at parties and with clients while working as a pharmaceutical sales representative.

People loved it.

One friend, Michael, loved it enough to ask for the recipe.

Rachel refused.

She joked that the popcorn was going to be her backup plan if her current career ever disappeared.

Eventually, that day came.

Rachel was downsized, and Michael followed through on an earlier promise to become her silent partner.

Suddenly, the backup plan became the plan.

Rachel began making popcorn from her home while raising two toddlers. At one point, she had three ovens running as she worked through holiday orders.

It was hectic.

It was demanding.

And it showed there was a real appetite for what she was creating.

Eventually, another opportunity emerged to move the growing operation into a dedicated space.

The home kitchen business was becoming something much bigger.

Taking on a Toledo Tradition

Years later, another unexpected opportunity arrived.

Rachel Michael’s had already expanded beyond popcorn and was selling nuts, although on a much smaller scale than it does today.

Then, in 2022, the owner of Bassett Nut Company approached Rachel about purchasing the longtime Toledo business.

For Rachel and her team, preserving Bassett locally mattered.

The company was approaching a century of history in Toledo, and they wanted to make sure that tradition continued here.

They purchased Bassett Nut Company and expanded the operation, bringing together two businesses rooted in products people often associate with celebrations, gifts, holidays, and shared memories.

Taking ownership of an established local name came with responsibility.

It was not simply about acquiring another business.

It meant becoming stewards of something generations of Toledo families and businesses already knew.

That balance between preserving tradition and continuing to grow has become an important part of the journey.

Learning to Handle Whatever Comes Through the Door

Entrepreneurship has taught Rachel plenty about patience.

She is also quick to admit patience is not necessarily her strongest trait.

Small problems can sometimes feel enormous, while major challenges seem to bring out a calmer, more determined side of her.

One principle has remained consistent.

They find a way to get it done.

Late holiday orders, unexpected requests, and busy seasons all come with the territory.

Rachel and Jennifer have learned to adapt, divide responsibilities, and keep moving when the workload grows.

That partnership matters.

A growing business needs people with different strengths, and throughout their conversation, it is clear Jennifer provides an important balance within the operation.

The result is a team that can handle the practical demands of growth without losing the personality that made the business successful in the first place.

Keeping Creativity on the Menu

One way Rachel and Jennifer maintain that personal touch is by listening.

Customers bring ideas.

They make requests.

Sometimes they want something created specifically for a shower, party, corporate gift, or special occasion.

Instead of dismissing unusual ideas, the team often experiments.

That has led to flavors inspired by customer requests, including butterscotch, cookies and cream, puppy chow, and many others.

For Rachel and Jennifer, those conversations are part of the fun.

Growth does not have to mean becoming less personal.

It can mean having more opportunities to listen to customers and create something they are excited to share.

Rachel also welcomes constructive criticism and new ideas because she sees them as another way to improve.

That willingness to experiment has helped turn popcorn into a creative product with possibilities far beyond the traditional sweet or salty choices.

Growing With the Community That Supported Them

For Rachel and Jennifer, owning a Toledo business also means being part of Toledo.

They talk warmly about the people who continue supporting the company and the loyalty of customers who return year after year.

That support is something they want to return.

The businesses have participated in community events and philanthropic efforts, including local fundraisers and organizations throughout the area.

Rachel sees that relationship as a two way street.

The community helps local businesses grow by choosing to shop locally, place corporate orders, purchase gifts, and recommend them to others.

In return, businesses have an opportunity to support causes, events, and organizations that make the community stronger.

That connection is especially important during the holiday season, when Rachel encourages Toledo businesses looking for corporate gifts to consider sending something made locally.

Keeping those dollars and relationships in the community helps another local business continue its story.

Refusing to Let Someone Else Set the Limit

When Mary Helen asks what advice they would give a woman considering starting or buying a business, Rachel does not hesitate.

Do it.

Do not be afraid.

Entrepreneurship requires the ability to hear criticism, navigate uncertainty, work long hours, and continue when something does not go according to plan.

But Rachel also believes women cannot allow someone else to decide what they are capable of accomplishing.

Her reaction when someone tells her she cannot do something?

“I dare you.”

It is more than a funny line.

It captures the determination behind her story.

The woman who once made popcorn in a house filled with toddlers and ovens did not know exactly where that work would lead.

She kept going anyway.

Today, the result is a growing local business, a nearly century old Toledo tradition being carried forward, and a team continuing to find new ways to create, serve, and give back.

Rachel and Jennifer’s journey is a reminder that entrepreneurship rarely follows a perfect path.

Sometimes it begins with a career change.

Sometimes it begins in a home kitchen.

Sometimes an unexpected opportunity arrives years later and asks you to take an even bigger leap.

The important part is believing you can figure out what comes next.

👉 Watch now to hear Rachel Marciniak Matthews and Jennifer Sims share how a homemade popcorn recipe grew into a Toledo business, why preserving Bassett Nut Company matters, and what they have learned about creativity, perseverance, and taking the leap into entrepreneurship.