Lisa Morgan & Dana Oye
What started as a visit to Oklahoma to meet “The Pioneer Woman”, Ree Drummond, quickly unfolded into a beautiful story starring two sisters, Lisa and Dana, a Hamilton the Pig short story, a serendipitous drive from Oklahoma to Mellette, South Dakota, and a livestock trailer.
Nearing two years into the start of their business in Fall 2022, Lisa and Dana reflect with pride and gratitude on the decision to follow their hearts and take a chance on a lifelong dream. The entrepreneurial spirit was not foreign to them; their father and mother owned a business, which planted the seeds of entrepreneurship early in their lives. The "pickling" aspect of their business name is a nod to their childhood on the farm, where pickling was a familiar method used by their mother to preserve produce. This deep connection to their roots influenced their mission: to feed the farmers and properly nourish those who work tirelessly to provide fresh produce for others.
A glimpse of the trailer's humble beginnings and it's progression into the Pickled Pig food truck.
As they near the two-year mark since leaving their respective careers as a Target manager and a treatment coordinator, Dana and Lisa describe their journey as blessed, wonderful, and rewarding. Their mobile business—a converted livestock trailer—allows them to be a part of people's joy, playing a role in events across the country while enjoying the flexibility that comes with a mobile operation.
The decision to run a mobile business was not only a clever tie-in to their business name but also a strategic move to avoid the overhead costs of a traditional brick-and-mortar setup. While the business is still in its early days, many of the lessons Dana and Lisa applied to their business structure came from on-the-job learning, including the importance of saying no to certain events if time is too tight.
Working in a small, tight-knit community has provided tremendous support for the sisters. Everyone has played a part in their success, from the local chamber of commerce to hospitals and community members. Dana and Lisa believe that the blessings of a loving community fueled the quick success of their business. Along with word-of-mouth, they actively use their Facebook platform as a one-stop shop for learning more about the business and the sisters' journey. Their active presence on social media helps them maintain strong connections with customers and community members alike.
Lisa and Dana with their transformed food truck, while serving lunch!
Lisa and Dana have always been a team, and that close-knit bond enables them to run their business smoothly, with family members also pitching in on menu planning. Their story is a testament to anyone who dreams of starting their own business but hesitates due to insecurity or the high-risk nature of entrepreneurship. Their first piece of advice? Investigate your dream. Understand what it requires to fulfill it. Don't rush to make a decision; they strongly believe that everything aligns at the perfect time.
Typically, businesses feel pressured to have a defined long-term plan, but after years in corporate America, these sisters are consciously stepping back from that pressure. Instead, they focus on living presently in their answered prayer—doing what they love, trying new recipes, and experiencing new events. Lisa and Dana's story proves that any dream can become reality with heart, hard work, and faith.
