McKinney Businesswomen Infuse Salsa with Texas Spirit
Dallas Morning News - July 1, 2006

by Asther Asmelash

Spirit of Texas Salsa business partners Bobette Hilliard and Dixie Thomas personify the American dream. To some, this might seem like an overstatement, but then, maybe they haven't tried the salsa.

"It is the best I have eaten," said Jan Warford of McKinney. "From the very first time I tasted it, I was hooked."

Dallas resident Ryan Sherman raves about the product as well.

"The salsa was great," he said. "My wife couldn't stop eating it. I had to hide one of the bottles so I could enjoy the salsa."

Hilliard and Thomas, who describe themselves "as two middle-aged McKinney housewives," have been making their homemade salsa since 2003.

"We originally started out making the salsa for friends and family at Christmas time because we were low on fund," Hilliard said. "From there, people started requesting it. It was then suggested we take it to the next level. We didn't know enough about the whole process to be afraid to give it a shot."

Two years later in November 2005, the entrepreneurs engaged a Dallas bottling plant to begin professionally bottling their product to make sure it met all of the health code requirements for retail sales. The business is now in full swing, and the salsa is available at several retail stores in three states.

The ladies say their biggest hardship was regularly hearing "no" when they began peddling their product around town.

"No one would call us back or want to meet with us," Hilliard said. "However, our motto is 'if the worst thing that happens today is being told no, then it has been a good day!'"

Hilliard and Thomas are especially thankful to their fans in McKinney who have been on board for almost three years.

"What has been really exciting is telling those folks that they can buy the salsa at the Albertsons Stores and D & L Feed Store here in McKinney," Hilliard said. "We're really proud of that."

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