There are times in which a person enters the world of entrepreneurship by choice, and in the case of Todd Harris, there are those times in which the choice is made organically.

As with many people during the pandemic, Harris was let go from his job and looking to determine his next steps. “I started posting foods that I liked to eat on Facebook,” said Harris. “Also, I had created this barbecue sauce using my own recipe mixed with a store brand, so it allowed me to try something different.”

“I started going around different restaurants, asking if I could do reviews for them, to let people know that they were still in business.”

In addition to that, his children were home from school, so it gave him an opportunity to explore their creativity. “I told them ‘Let’s do some challenges,’ so I would have them cook eggs, pizza, and other food items. We did about four videos showing what they could do. It was a lot of fun!”

While his children were developing their culinary skills, Harris also began to develop his with the barbecue sauce. “I went to make the sauce and then I would get people from other states asking me, “How can we try it?” So, I started sending samples in 4-ounce containers, as well as taking it to the hospitality ministry at my local church. I got excellent feedback from everyone who tried it.”

Inspired by the feedback, he took it a step further, completing certification classes and officially became an LLC in August. The sauce was gaining attention, particularly from an old friend.

“He was a meat manager at Hy-Vee, a chain of supermarkets in the Midwest,” said Harris. “He wanted to sell my sauce in the meat department, and the first order was twelve containers in a case. They sold out on the first day.”

Harris was also able to sell the sauces in Minnesota stores, as well as local Ace hardware stores.

Where did the name Papa Bruce come from? “It was named after my father,” said Harris. “He was such an inspiration to me, and I felt it was the best way to honor him.”

The barbecue sauce business is a competitive one, so Harris knew that he had to have something different to make it stand out. “With our sauce, you can still taste the flavor of the food. If you’re a vegan, you can put it on Brussel sprouts. One of our friends visited our house recently, and she was a vegan. I told her that we were going to make pulled pork, but what we did was cook the barbecue sauce with oyster mushrooms. She really enjoyed it.”

Currently, Neighborhood Cookin LLC has two flavors, and Harris has plans to make a Carolina Reaper flavor in the near future. Speaking of which, what else would he like to see happen with the business?

“I want to create a store that can be family-owned, so we can pass it down from generation to generation.”

What would he say to someone who wants to make the move into entrepreneurship? “Keep your ideas fresh and have an open mind, and always pursue your passion.”

Neighborhood Cookin LLC will be at the Manassas Farmers Market on Saturday and at the Dale City Farmers Market on Sunday. Visit his website and on Instagram for more details.