About Kickin’ Dips & Salsas
Shawn Miller comes from an interesting background. While most know him as a funny, cheerful and energetic person, he was not always living his best entrepreneur life. Shawn was raised by his single mother who worked hard at times often more than one job to provide for the family. Thankfully Shawn had an amazing caring extended family who also played a large role in his life. Shawn grew up locally and is a proud graduate of Langham Creek High School in the Cypress Fairbanks ISD. Shawn’s life changed while in high school. It was in high school when Shawn gained a stepfather. The addition to the family was not the only big change during high school. As Shawn was given an amazing opportunity to play varsity football in high school while not an upperclassman, he attended practices and it was scrimmage day. This was the last time Shawn stepped foot on the field. During this scrimmage, he became dizzy, began to lose his balance, Shawn saw Doc and said he was not feeling okay. Shawn figured he needed water and walked to the side line. Once he sat down, drank some water and poured water on his head, Shawn collapsed, and had a seizure. Thankfully, his step father, who was a paramedic, grandparents, aunt and uncle as well as his mother were in the stands. It was at that moment when his grandfather saw him collapse and told Gary (Shawn’s stepdad) something was not right. Gary, rushed to the field alongside the athletic trainers and on site paramedics. At that moment Shawn was no longer with us, his heart had stopped beating. Shawn passed away three times that night on the field. Shawn was 15 years old and was due to start his sophomore year at Langham Creek high school very soon.
According to the accounts of the evening, Gary worked very hard to resuscitate Shawn and keep his heart beating, until life-flight could arrive to take him to Hermann Hospital. Shawn had a subdural hematoma (a blood clot between his brain and skull) which required surgery on his head. As a result of the injury and surgery, the dream of Varsity football and a once in a lifetime opportunity was gone forever. The surgery and injury still to this day creates challenges and struggles which Shawn works daily to overcome. Which is why he writes everything down. One of the challenges is huge gaps in his memory. Sadly, most of Shawn’s childhood memories were lost due to his injury.
When Shawn graduated from high school in 1997, his dream was to become a Marine and serve his country for 20 years. Sadly, this dream was crushed once it became time for the physical with the Marine Corps. Shawn passed all the written tests with no problems. But the doctors for the Marine Corps said that he was too much of a liability to go through Boot Camp. After this crushing blow, Shawn decided to apply for the Air Force, the Army, as well as the Navy. However, Shawn was met with the same answer time after time, you are too much of a liability to go to Boot Camp.
As we fast forward a few years into adulthood, when Shawn was 20 years old he became a proud father to Shawn Jr. who is currently serving our country in the United States Marine Corp as a Staff Sargent. As a result of growing up without a father, Shawn vowed that until the good lord takes him home, he will always be an active father. Shortly, after Shawn Jr.’s first birthday, Shawn and his wife separated and Shawn began raising his son on his own. As his son got older and older, Shawn began to understand the effects of his career choices on his family. While working for oil and gas, stationed in Oklahoma, he decided that Shawn Jr. needed to have his father present and actively involved. Being gone so much was not in the best interest of his family anymore. Shawn eventually remarried, and then was not only the full time father to Shawn Jr., but had also taken on the role of father to his then wife’s daughter, Amanda, and had another daughter Kathleen. Shawn’s goal of being an entrepreneur only grew. However, like most, he experienced tough times during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The impact of COVID cost the family their business and several of those extended family members who played large roles in Shawn’s childhood. Eventually Shawn too caught COVID, which resulted in missing his grandfather’s funeral to avoid exposure to the family as well as the past three years’ Christmases due to his own exposure. Shawn has always tried to be as active as possible within his family and still holds a very close relationship with them. During the recovery efforts of COVID Shawn and his mother began making salsa in her kitchen. The ability to have the refreshing taste of fresh ingredients became a staple to every meal. As Shawn continued to make salsa, he began sharing it with family, friends and neighbors. After pouring hours into each recipe, taste tests with the neighbors, family and friends, the recipes started being modified to be what we know of Kickin’ Dips and Salsa, LLC. About three years ago, Shawn began to create another core foundation in Kickin’ Dips and Salsa, LLC which was to serve our local community. Shawn is a product of our local community and strives to stay active in the community. All three children Shawn Jr, Amanda and Kathleen are either products of or current CFISD students. Shawn and his girlfriend Stephanie are active supporters of local charities such as Cy-Hope and various Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters. Over the past few years, Shawn has become a member and certified through Go Texan, which was formed to demonstrate the heart and growth of Texas, and began growing Kickin’ Dips and Salsa, LLC to larger platforms including commercial exhibitors through Go Texan at various Stock shows.
As busy as owning his own company can be, Shawn still makes it a point to be present in various events such as CyFair Country Christmas, supporting Cy-Hope through markets, and can be found weekly at the Tomball Farmers Market located off Main street. Shawn makes it a point to not lose sight of family. This can mean long nights and busy weekends because family is a priority. There are times when he must step away from the kitchen to take Kathleen to running club, mentor Amanda through high school, or catch up real quick with Shawn Jr during deployment or have weekly family dinner with his mom and dad.
When did you first get started?
September 2020
What inspired you to start your business?
Bringing natural and fresh dips, salsas and seasonings to the world.
What is your favorite thing to make/produce?
I love making all my products, as well as creating new products. Wrangler Ranch brings a smile to pretty much everyone that taste it.
Where are you from/where did you grow up?
Cypress, TX
Share a fun fact about yourself you’d like your customers to know!
I love to combine different flavors and cuisines to create a meal. Such as Cajun seafood enchiladas! Which is a fabulous dish.
