Featured business person: Steve Einsel

After decades of teaching students about business, Steve Einsel finally entered the business realm himself. And admits he had a few things to learn.

“I never thought I would do this at all,” Einsel said.

Einsel started his teaching career in the 1970s on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He moved on to teaching jobs in Liberal and then Derby, where he taught marketing, business and computer applications for 23 years before he retired.

At each stop, Einsel was faculty sponsor for the school’s DECA chapter. DECA is an organization that prepares students for careers in business. Einsel himself first got involved in DECA as a high school student in Scottsbluff, Neb., winning a first-place award in a national competition.

He stayed involved as a teacher and even in retirement because of “the interaction with the kids.”

“They almost become part of your family because you work so closely with them and you know them so well. And I’m competitive. I like having the kids do well and bring home trophies and stuff.”

Einsel was recently given DECA’s Outstanding Service Award during its annual international conference in Orlando.

His move into business came about four years ago, when his pear trees produced a bumper crop that he didn't want to see wasted. “I started doing jams and jellies. I never canned before in my life.”

Today, he and partner Ken Smith sell 90 flavors of jams and jellies in local farmers markets, including concoctions such as Pina Colada Jam prepared with chunks of pineapple and coconut, and Black Forest Jam, featuring dark red cherries, Ghiradelli chocolate and Amaretto liqueur.

“I’ve been amazed at the things that I’ve learned,” Einsel said. “I think the biggest thing, the most amazing thing is customer loyalty. It’s awesome to see the loyal customers we’ve got.”

Joe Stumpe

This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Featured business person: Steve Einsel."