Tampa toffee maker represents small businesses nationwide in Washington, D.C. [Video]

TAMPA, Fla — When Lisa Schalk started making her own toffee in her Tampa Bay kitchen 26 years ago, she’d have no idea one day she’d be representing small businesses across the country on Capitol Hill.

“I was a stay-at-home mom on a tight budget, and we would give our family toffee away as holiday gifts,” said Lisa. “The reason it was named Toffee to Go is people would come to my house, get it, and go.”

Lisa and her husband, Jim, officially opened a brick-and-mortar store in 2002, Toffee to Go & More. However, it wasn’t until a decade later that they gained national attention, landing on Oprah’s List of Favorite Things.

“I mean, people were just so happy for us. To me, that was the greatest thing in the world,” said Lisa.

Just when Lisa thought business couldn’t get any better, this year, the National Retail Federation named …