Lemons, Flying and Children's Books: All Part of One Woman's Career

In the early 2000s, with eCommerce growing quickly, Karen Morss saw an opportunity to make a business out of one of her hobbies, growing Meyer Lemons.

Every Sunday, Ms. Morss picks the lemons and packages them based on the orders received from the internet. Every Monday, the lemons are shipped across the country and arrive on peoples’ door steps by Wednesday.

“Organic citrus fertilizer, water, sunshine and love”, are the secrets to her ingredients, according to Morss.

“Lot of effort, time and love goes into them,” she added.

Though approximately 80% of Ms. Morss’s lemons are shipped throughout the country, they can be purchased at select peninsula establishments such as Robert’s of Woodside, in Redwood City, Buck’s Restaurant and , where they are featured in a delicious lemon tart.

For Morss, however, this is not her first or her last career.

Despite having never attended college, Morss worked her way up the ranks at Salvin Business Machines and eventually became their top salesperson.

Eventually, she started her own business working on turning information from paper to digital.

By this point, however, Morss had become a chain smoker and was in serious health risk.

“My doctor said I needed a new hobby,” said Morss.

As a result, Morss began to fulfill her long-held dream of earning her pilot’s license, which she did. But, being the entrepreneur that she is, she proceeded to buy a Flying School in San Carlos and ran her own business training new pilots for another five years.

“The best way to quit smoking was to get my pilot’s license,” said Morss.

Morss has since sold the Flying School, but now spends her time growing lemons and pursuing yet another new career of writing children’s books. She has already written an award winning sale at the Apple Store, and has plans to write more in the future.

For Morss, now over 60 years old, whether with selling Meyer Lemons or other endeavors, the world still seems ripe with possibilities.

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