Our Group Expert Wall of Fame
In September of 2020, we started a Facebook group called, "Making Vanilla Extract by VanillaPura". It was developed to create a safe place online to share best practices for the craft of making extracts at home. There was so much misinformation online we wanted to create a place where the best ideas could be submitted and rise to the top. A truly vetted source for accurate extract making information provided by extract making experts all around the world.
Since starting our group, it has grown at a pace that we could have never imagined. By the end of 2021, we had over 50,000 members. By the summer of 2022, we had more than 70,000 members. By the end of 2023 we had more than 100,000 members, and we're still growing today.
Group Experts
With so many people in the group and so many comments being offered, we want to make sure that new members know when a comment comes from someone with extensive experience. At any given time, we will have 6-12 group experts that will have a "group expert" badge next to their names. Group expert terms last six months, and then new group experts are promoted.
To become a group expert, the following must apply:
- You must be a member of our group for at least 1 year.
- You must have been nominated for "Free Beans for Kind Words" at least once.
- You must have been recognized as a top contributor by the group's admins.
Posts and comments from group experts carry a little more weight because you know that they have met the three criteria listed above.
It's also important to us that group experts have interacted with VanillaPura products, so each group expert is given $150 in VanillaPura gift cards over their six-month term. A $25 gift card after 2 months. A $50 gift card after 4 months. And a $75 gift card after six months.
In 2024, we added "All Star Group Experts" to those that we invite back a second time (maybe more in the future) to be a group expert again. They are awarded $225 in gift cards over their six month term. A $50 gift card after 2 months. A $75 gift card after 4 months. And a $100 gift card after six months.
There is no requirement of time spent by group experts and there is no expectation for them to remain an expert for the entire six months if they choose to leave. It is completely voluntary.
We greatly appreciate those that choose to accept the invitation and accept the "Group Expert" badge next to their name.
Once a group expert, your name is added to our "Wall of Fame" where it will remain forever. Here is our current Wall of Fame as of September 2023. It will be updated again in March of 2024.
VanillaPura Group Expert Wall of Fame
| Connie Robison Alexander | Justin Barrett |
| Carol Denney | Susan Hovorka |
| Eddie Mitchell | Michelle Morgan Olson |
And Introducing our first-ever All Star Experts
(Previous experts asked to return)
| Lori Lanford | Debbie Perry Thomas |
| Jeannette Ainsworth | Debbie Bennett |
| Dana Zastrow-Letts | Shannon Sprau (MoonBabe Olivia) |
| Hollie Kaplan Tiemeyer | Kathy Norvell Wilkins |
| Sharon Barton | Ladon Berndt |
| Julie Provost Hardman | Raquel Maria |
| Nancy Ripley Meahl | Kristina Olson |
March 2023 - August 2023
| Laura Achten | Colleen Balak |
| Lorie Bischel | Debbie Foreman |
| John J. Meyer | Diane Kagy Olp |
| BJ Shaw | Mary Elizabeth Terberg |
September 2022 - February 2023
| Therese Di Carlo Bach | Callie Beason |
| Ann Bushon | Cathie Donaldson |
| Bonnie Foskey | Krista Howard |
| Jeanette Iongi | Roxanna Kuusela |
| Mark Lally | Ruth Lord |
| Ramona Hook Wysong | Roxann Young |
| Lori Lanford | Allen Clabo |
| Michelle Pojeta | Debbie Perry Thomas |
| Jeff Sewell | RuthAnn Batten |
Visit our Extract Making Guide Center to see all of our highest-rated best practices for extract making in one place.
If Facebook isn't your thing, you can also follow us on these social media platforms for discussion, classes and more: (Click the link to be directed to our profile page on each platform)
