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The Bread Winner Podcast

Caroline Bower

Welcome to The Bread Winner Podcast, the show for microbakery owners who want to create a successful microbakery without spending every waking minute in the kitchen. I'm Caroline Bower, and I bake over 100 loaves a week from my home while still getting 8 hours of sleep and having time to be fully present in the important moments with my family. If you're looking to build a thriving sourdough business from your home, you're in the right place.

Every Thursday, I'll be sharing new episodes packed with practical advice on everything from marketing and sales to process optimization and real-life strategies to maintain a healthy, intentional lifestyle. We'll dive into how to get started, attract (and keep) your first raving customers, plan your ideal week, scale your operations, and price your products. Plus, we'll occasionally have some fantastic guests who are experts in the sourdough world.
This podcast is all about giving you the tools and confidence to cultivate business that fits into your life, not the other way around. So, hit that subscribe button, do your next round of coil folds then grab a cup of coffee and get comfy for the next 20 minutes. Let's start building your dream microbakery together!

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  • 22 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 25 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • S1 · E139
    Thursday · 22 min

    139. Is Sourdough Still Growing? Here's What the Data Says

    If you asked me whether ingredient costs have gone up across the board the last few years, I would have said yes without a second thought, and I would have had zero actual evidence for it. So I went and pulled the real numbers, and butter genuinely surprised me. This week is a different kind of episode. Instead of a how-to, I am walking you through three things I found when I actually researched what is happening in the bread world right now: whether sourdough demand is really holding up, how your customer's eating habits have shifted without much fanfare, and what ingredient prices have actually done over the past year versus what we all assume they have done. Plus, a baker's question about blending whole grain flour into a familiar dough, and my new favorite inexpensive kitchen tool. 🔪 The immersion blender I'm loving right now: https://rivr.link/0bw-Qb_ISG 🎙️ Send me a voicemail on SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/breadwinnerpodcast 🍞 The Bread Winner Inner Circle opens twice a year. Get on the waitlist: https://www.carolinebower.com/innercircle 📋 Download the FREE checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery: https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist 🧮 Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: https://www.carolinebower.com/calculator ✉️ Join my email list: https://carolinebower.myflodesk.com/newsletter 🛒 Shop my sourdough microbakery favorites: https://www.carolinebower.com/links 📱 Follow me on Instagram: @carolinebower_sourdough

  • S1 · E138
    August 20 · 36 min

    138. 9 Things I'm Doing in August to Prep for the Holidays

    There is a two-gallon jar in my bakery right now full of vanilla beans and cheap vodka, with a piece of masking tape on the lid that just says December. It is not going to be ready to sell until the holidays, and that is exactly the point. This week I am walking you through the nine real things I am doing in my own bakery this August to set up a smoother November and December. That includes auditing my menu and my prices in the same sitting, scheduling a recipe testing day before the holidays get loud, starting a slow-build gift product that needed to begin this week instead of in December, and getting my workshop tickets live before people start Christmas shopping. The last two are not holiday prep at all. They are how I am setting up January, including a first announcement I have been sitting on for weeks. 📖 Read the full show notes: https://www.carolinebower.com/9-ways-to-get-your-microbakery-ready-for-the-holiday-season-episode-138 🎙️ Send me a voicemail on SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/breadwinnerpodcast 🍞 The Bread Winner Inner Circle opens twice a year. Get on the waitlist: https://www.carolinebower.com/innercircle 📋 Download the FREE checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery: https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist 🧮 Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: https://www.carolinebower.com/calculator ✉️ Join my email list: https://carolinebower.myflodesk.com/newsletter 🛒 Shop my sourdough microbakery favorites: https://www.carolinebower.com/links 📱 Follow me on Instagram: @carolinebower_sourdough

  • S1 · E137
    August 13 · 24 min

    137. What Every Home Baker Needs to Know About Cottage Food Laws Right Now

    Did you know that up until the fall of 2021, selling a loaf of bread you baked in your own kitchen was completely illegal in New Jersey? Not just restricted — illegal. They were the last of all 50 states to change that, and it only happened because a group of home bakers decided to go and ask. That story is the backdrop for this entire episode, and I think it is going to encourage you more than you are expecting. This is a topic I have touched on before but never gone this deep on — and after spending a couple of weeks doing real research, I have a lot to share. There is genuinely good news happening in the cottage food law landscape right now, there is some misleading information out there that could get bakers in trouble, and there are real, practical steps you can take if your state's laws are holding your business back. Whether you are just getting started, approaching your income cap, or feeling frustrated by restrictions in your state, this episode is going to give you clarity, encouragement, and a clear path forward. 🎙️ Send me a voicemail on SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/breadwinnerpodcast 🍞 Join the Bread Winner Inner Circle: www.carolinebower.com/innercircle 📋 Download the FREE checklist — Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery: https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist 🛒 Shop my sourdough microbakery favorites: www.carolinebower.com/links 📱 Follow me on Instagram: @carolinebower_sourdough

  • S1 · E136
    July 30 · 25 min

    136. What I Wish I Knew Before I Started Selling Sourdough Bread

    Two years of the Bread Winner Podcast, and the episode you keep coming back to is the one where I looked back at my very first year in business. So I am bringing it back for our two-year birthday month. I am wrapping up year three now, baking out of a brick and mortar with a bread oven and a commercial fridge, and I have been out of the house for over six months. All of it was built on what year one taught me. This replay of Episode 82 walks through the processes, the systems and the mindset that made years two and three possible, including the parts I got wrong and the growing pains I would warn you about. If you are in your first year right now, this is the episode I would hand you. One more thing. I have added a new segment to the show, so you can record me a voicemail with your question using the SpeakPipe link below and I will play it and answer it on air. I would love to hear your voice on the podcast! 📖 Read the full show notes: https://www.carolinebower.com/what-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-selling-sourdough-bread-episode-136 🎙️ Send me a voicemail on SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/breadwinnerpodcast 🍞 The Bread Winner Inner Circle opens twice a year. Get on the waitlist: https://www.carolinebower.com/innercircle 📋 Download the FREE checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery: https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist 🧮 Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: https://www.carolinebower.com/calculator ✉️ Join my email list: https://carolinebower.myflodesk.com/newsletter 🛒 Shop my sourdough microbakery favorites: https://www.carolinebower.com/links 📱 Follow me on Instagram: @carolinebower_sourdough

  • S1 · E135
    July 23 · 23 min

    135. Seven Steps to Owning the Value of Your Microbakery Business

    If you have ever answered the question "so what do you do?" with "I just have a little sourdough business" — this episode is for you. This is one of my most personal and most passionate episodes, and I am so glad to be bringing it back for our two-year birthday month because I believe it deserves to be heard by every single baker who has ever minimized what she is building. This is not a tactical episode. It is a heart-level conversation. And it might be exactly what you needed to hear today. In this episode I am making the case — clearly and with a lot of passion — for why it is time to drop the word "little" from your business vocabulary for good. What you are building is significant. The impact you are having on your family, your community, and the next generation is real and it is worthy of being spoken about with pride and confidence. I am giving you seven concrete, actionable steps to help you start owning the value of your business in the way you talk about it, think about it, and show up for it every single day. By the end of this episode, you will have a clear path forward — and hopefully a whole lot more confidence in what you are building. 🎙️ Send me a voicemail on SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/breadwinnerpodcast 🍞 Join the Bread Winner Inner Circle: www.carolinebower.com/innercircle 🌐 Join the Bread Winner Network: www.carolinebower.com/bwnetwork 📋 Download the FREE checklist — Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery: https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist 🛒 Shop my sourdough microbakery favorites: www.carolinebower.com/links 📱 Follow me on Instagram: @carolinebower_sourdough

  • S1 · E134
    July 16 · 50 min

    134. How to Use Text Marketing to Grow Your Sourdough Microbakery

    I have been talking about Project Broadcast on this podcast for years — and in this episode, I finally got to sit down with the CEO himself, Jake Dempsey, for a conversation I have been looking forward to for months. If you have ever wondered why texting works so well for microbakery businesses, how to set it up, or how to use it in a smarter way, this episode is going to be a game changer for you. Jake has been building Project Broadcast for nearly a decade, his platform has sent over a billion text messages on behalf of small business owners, and he genuinely cares about helping entrepreneurs grow. We walked through my exact texting workflow, he gave me feedback on what I am doing well and where I am leaving opportunity on the table, and we answered some of your questions from the Bread Winner Summit too. There is so much practical gold in this one. Links: Join Project Broadcast Here: https://app.projectbroadcast.com/sign-up?referral=breadwinner 🎙️ Send me a voicemail on SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/breadwinnerpodcast 🍞 Join the Bread Winner Inner Circle: www.carolinebower.com/innercircle 🌐 Join the Bread Winner Network: www.carolinebower.com/bwnetwork 📋 Download the FREE checklist — Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery: https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist 🛒 Shop my sourdough microbakery favorites: www.carolinebower.com/links 📱 Follow me on Instagram: @carolinebower_sourdough

  • S1 · E133
    July 9 · 24 min

    133. The 4 Things to Do Before Selling Your Sourdough Bread (A Listener Favorite, Revisited)

    It's the two-year birthday month of the Bread Winner Podcast — and I am celebrating from the road! My family and I are on an epic three-week road trip this July, and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to bring back some of the most loved episodes in the show's history. We kicked off the month with Episode 132, where I turned the mic on my kids and let them share what it's really like to grow up watching me build this sourdough microbakery business. If you haven't listened yet, I really encourage you to — especially if you're a mom who wonders about the impact this business has on your family. Today I'm bringing back Episode 85, one of the top downloaded episodes of all time and a listener favorite for a very long time. This is the episode where I walk you through the four most important things to do before you start selling your bread. Whether you're just dreaming about turning your sourdough passion into a real business, or you've already jumped in and feel a little in over your head, this one is foundational. A few things in my own context have shifted since I now have a commercial bakery, but the four steps themselves? Absolutely still the same. In this episode you'll hear: The four foundational steps to take before you ever sell your first loaf Why getting these pieces in place early saves you so much stress down the road How to build a business that doesn't just look good on Instagram but actually works for your real life Encouragement for the baker who feels pressure to just "get started" before she's ready One more exciting thing: Starting in August, I'm adding a brand new segment to the show called SpeakPipe! You can click the link in the show notes to send me a voicemail with your question, and I'll play it live on the podcast and answer it. I am so excited to connect with you on an even deeper level — so go ahead and send your questions now so my inbox is full and ready when I get back from the road! Links: 🎙️ Send me a voicemail on SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/breadwinnerpodcast 🍞 Join the Bread Winner Inner Circle: www.carolinebower.com/innercircle 🌐 Join the Bread Winner Network: www.carolinebower.com/bwnetwork 📋 Download the FREE checklist — Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery: https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist 🛒 Shop my sourdough microbakery favorites: www.carolinebower.com/links 📱 Follow me on Instagram: @carolinebower_sourdough

  • S1 · E132
    July 2 · 40 min

    132. Handing the Mic to My Kids: What It's Really Like to Have a Baker for a Mom

    This episode is one of my favorites I've ever recorded — and I think you're going to love it too. I handed the mic to my two kids, Jamey and Lila, and we had the most honest, sweet, and surprisingly insightful conversation about what it's actually like to grow up with a mom who owns a sourdough microbakery. From the early market mornings to the ribbon cutting at the brick and mortar, they share their real experience — the good, the hard, and everything in between — and I think their perspective will encourage you more than you're expecting. We talk about what it looks like to bring your kids into the bakery space, how to create a little corner that feels special for them, why letting them have a job (even a tiny one) matters more than you'd think, and what it means to build something that your children actually feel proud of. If you've ever wondered whether all of this hard work — the early mornings, the long bake days, the juggling act — is worth it for your family, I hope this conversation gives you your answer. Spoiler: straight from the mouths of my own kids, it is. Resources: Join the Seen and Sold Sprint: https://carolinebower.thrivecart.com/sprint/ Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E131
    June 18 · 20 min

    131. How to Get Moving Again After a Big Push in Your Sourdough Microbakery

    The Bread Winner Summit was incredible — and then I crashed. In this episode, I'm getting really honest about what happens after we give everything to something big: the pre-orders that don't pause, the follow-up emails that get delayed, and that nagging feeling of having overpromised and underdelivered. I'm walking you through why this happens (hint: it's not a planning failure, it's a best-case-scenario problem), and why building in a buffer — for prep days, for big launches, for life in general — might be the single most useful shift you can make this year. This is also a permission-slip episode. Because here's the thing: two things can be true at once. You can be proud of what you built and also be completely wiped out by it. You can need rest and also need to come back before the silence turns into hiding. I'm sharing exactly what got me moving again after two weeks of catching my breath, including the one-small-thing approach that's helped me rebuild momentum without forcing it. If you've ever pushed hard for something big and then felt like you disappeared afterward, this one's for you. Resources: Join the Seen and Sold Sprint: https://carolinebower.thrivecart.com/sprint/ Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E130
    June 4 · 35 min

    130. Your Questions, My Answers: Live Q&A from the Bread Winner Summit

    If you've ever wished you could sit in on a real, unfiltered business conversation with me, this episode is exactly that. I'm pulling back the curtain and sharing the live Q&A session from this year's Bread Winner Summit — our annual sourdough business conference — and it is a rapid-fire, honest conversation covering so many of the questions I know are on your mind. From time blocking and work-life balance to building a loyal customer base and navigating cottage food laws, we dig into the real stuff that doesn't always make it into a polished podcast episode. In this conversation, I tackle questions about ordering platforms, growing your pre-order list, overcoming self-doubt, finding your first hire, knowing when you've hit your ceiling, and so much more. Whether you're just getting started or you've been baking for years and feel like you're ready for the next level, there's something in here for you. I love these kinds of conversations because they're messy and real and full of the kind of practical nuggets that actually move the needle — and I can't wait for you to listen in. Get the Bread Winner Summit All Access Pass! https://carolinebower.thrivecart.com/2026aap/

  • S1 · E129
    May 28 · 7 min

    129. Why the Bread Winner Summit Matters So Much

    In this short episode, I’m sharing why I believe the Bread Winner Summit is so much more than just another online business event for bakers. As I’ve been recording sessions and sitting in conversations with some of the most thoughtful voices in the sourdough world, I’ve found myself deeply inspired—not just by the practical strategies being shared, but by the reminder that we are part of something so much bigger than ourselves. Building a sourdough micro bakery can feel isolating sometimes, but this summit is designed to help you feel connected, encouraged, and equipped to build a business that is sustainable, impactful, and deeply aligned with your values. If you’ve been wondering whether to join us, this episode is my encouragement not to sit this one out. Join us at the Bread Winner Summit! http://carolinebower.com/breadwinnersummit

  • S1 · E128
    May 21 · 15 min

    128. How to Navigate Summer as a Sourdough Micro Bakery Owner

    In this episode, I’m talking all about navigating the transition into summer as a sourdough micro bakery owner and why this season can feel both exciting and incredibly overwhelming at the same time. Between changing family rhythms, travel, hotter temperatures, lower energy, and shifting customer habits, summer often asks us to reevaluate the way we run our businesses. I share some of the different approaches I’ve taken in past summers—from maintaining a steady bakery rhythm to intentionally scaling way back—and how those decisions supported both my business and my family in different seasons. We also talk about how to make intentional decisions for your bakery this summer instead of reacting out of stress or burnout halfway through the season. I walk you through practical questions to help you evaluate your goals, your capacity, and the opportunities available to you so you can build a summer rhythm that actually fits your life. Whether you want to rest more, grow strategically, focus on education, or simply create more breathing room, this episode will help you approach summer with clarity and confidence instead of guilt and overwhelm. Resources: Join us at the Bread Winner Summit! http://carolinebower.com/breadwinnersummit Get the Bread Winner Business Alignment Journal: https://carolinebower.com/journal Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E127
    May 14 · 34 min

    127. The Best Marketing Strategy for Sourdough Micro Bakeries

    In this episode, I’m walking you through the three marketing channels I truly believe matter most for sourdough micro bakeries—and why trying to be everywhere at once is probably exhausting you more than it’s helping your business grow. If social media feels overwhelming or like you’re constantly posting into the void, I want this conversation to feel like a deep breath and a reset. We’re talking about how to simplify your marketing, focus your energy where it actually converts, and build a system that feels sustainable instead of draining. I also share the marketing tool that has completely changed the way I run my bakery and communicate with customers week after week. We dive into why visibility alone isn’t enough, the difference between followers and actual buyers, and how to create a simple marketing pipeline that works even when you’re tired and covered in flour. Whether you’re just starting your micro bakery or feeling spread too thin trying to keep up with every platform, this episode will help you get clear on where to focus and how to market your bakery in a way that feels practical, intentional, and burnout-proof. Resources: Join us at the Bread Winner Summit! http://carolinebower.com/breadwinnersummit Join Project Broadcast here: https://app.projectbroadcast.com/sign-up?referral=breadwinner Get the Bread Winner Business Alignment Journal: https://carolinebower.com/journal Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E126
    May 1 · 18 min

    126. The Power of Personal Connection in Your Bakery Business

    In this episode, I’m sharing one of the simplest shifts I’ve made in my bakery that has had a surprisingly powerful impact—and it has nothing to do with my bread, my menu, or anything I’ve purchased. It’s a small, intentional marketing practice that’s helped me build stronger relationships with my customers and create an experience that keeps people coming back. I want you to think about the places you love to visit and why you go out of your way for them. Most of the time, it’s not just about the product—it’s about how you feel when you’re there. That feeling of being known, seen, and genuinely welcomed is something we have the unique ability to create in our micro bakeries. We talk about how this simple approach can become one of your most powerful retention strategies, especially in a world where most transactions feel impersonal and rushed. I walk you through how I’ve been implementing this in my own bakery, even though it doesn’t come naturally to me, and how you can apply it whether you’re baking from home, running a pickup model, or selling at a market. This isn’t about adding more to your plate—it’s about using what you already have in a more intentional way to build real connection, strengthen your community, and grow your business in a way that actually feels meaningful. Resources: Join us at the Bread Winner Summit! http://carolinebower.com/breadwinnersummit Get the Bread Winner Business Alignment Journal: https://carolinebower.com/journal Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E125
    April 23 · 27 min

    125. Hobby Baker vs Business Owner: The Shift That Changes Everything

    In this episode, I’m talking about one of the most important shifts you can make in your sourdough micro bakery—and it has nothing to do with your recipe, your oven, or even your sales. It’s the shift from thinking like a hobby baker to thinking like a business owner. I walk through what that actually looks like in real life, especially if you’ve found yourself saying yes to everything, underpricing your work, or feeling like you’re working really hard but something still isn’t adding up. If that sounds familiar, this conversation is meant to help you pause and take a deeper look at the decisions you’re making every day and how they’re shaping your business. We get into the patterns that keep so many bakers stuck—reactive schedules, emotional pricing, overextended menus—and how shifting your identity can change everything about the way you run your bakery. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about making more intentional, aligned decisions that support your time, your energy, and your income goals. By the end of the episode, I’ll give you one simple but powerful action step to help you start stepping into that business owner role right away, so you can begin building a bakery that truly supports your life. Resources: Join us at the Bread Winner Summit! http://carolinebower.com/breadwinnersummit Get the Bread Winner Business Alignment Journal: https://carolinebower.com/journal Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E124
    April 16 · 31 min

    124. The Marketing Mistake That’s Keeping Your Sourdough Microbakery Invisible

    In this episode, I’m diving into one of the most common frustrations I hear from sourdough micro bakery owners—feeling like your marketing just isn’t working and that you’re not being seen. If you’ve ever sat down to post and then talked yourself out of it because it didn’t feel “good enough” or “new enough,” you are not alone. I walk through what’s actually happening in those moments and why it’s not a creativity problem at all. Instead, it’s about how we’re approaching consistency and the pressure we put on ourselves to be clever, original, and perfect every single time we show up online. We talk about what really moves the needle in a local micro bakery business—simple, repeatable visibility that builds trust over time. I share a practical, sustainable approach to marketing that fits into real life, not one that requires constant reinvention. From understanding how customers actually consume your content to creating a simple weekly rhythm you can stick to, this episode will help you step out of overthinking and into a marketing flow that feels doable, effective, and aligned with the kind of business you’re trying to build. Resources: Join us at the Bread Winner Summit! http://carolinebower.com/breadwinnersummit Get the Bread Winner Business Alignment Journal: https://carolinebower.com/journal Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E123
    April 9 · 19 min

    123. The Hidden Bottlenecks Slowing Down Your Sourdough Microbakery

    In this episode, I’m talking about something that almost every sourdough micro bakery owner runs into at some point—bottlenecks. Those moments where everything seems to be moving along and then suddenly… everything slows down, stacks up, and you feel like you’re constantly trying to catch up. If your bakery has been feeling harder than it should, there’s likely a bottleneck somewhere in your process. I walk you through the three most common places these show up—production, decision-making, and order intake—and help you start noticing where your time and energy are getting stuck. We also talk about how to actually fix a bottleneck without overhauling your entire business. Because the answer isn’t working more hours—it’s making your time work better for you. I share a simple way to audit your workflow, the key questions to ask yourself, and how to choose just one area to improve so your business can start to feel lighter, smoother, and more sustainable. This episode is all about helping you move out of that constant “catching up” feeling and into a rhythm that supports both your business and your life. Resources: Join us at the Bread Winner Summit! http://carolinebower.com/breadwinnersummit Get the Bread Winner Business Alignment Journal: https://carolinebower.com/journal Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E122
    March 26 · 24 min

    122. My Forno Bread Oven Review After 4 Months

    In this episode, I’m sharing an honest, behind-the-scenes look at what it’s been like transitioning from a home oven setup to a dedicated bread oven in my sourdough micro bakery. After a few months of using the My Forno oven, I wanted to walk you through what’s actually changed—not just in terms of output, but in how my days feel, how my workflow has shifted, and what it really means to scale your production in a sustainable way. Because if you’re in that stage where your business is growing and you’re wondering whether your current setup can keep up, this is a conversation I know so many of us need to have. We talk through the real differences between baking in a residential oven versus a bread oven, what surprised me most about the transition, and how efficiency, consistency, and time all play a role in building a burnout-proof bakery. I also share how to think about timing your equipment upgrades, what to consider before making a big investment, and how to know if you’re actually ready. This episode is not about convincing you to upgrade—it’s about helping you make a thoughtful, informed decision that supports your business, your energy, and the way you want your bakery to grow. Resources: Here is the link to my oven: https://www.myforno.us/?af=VN25P Add the code “BREADWINNER” at checkout for 10% off ! Get the Bread Winner Business Alignment Journal: https://carolinebower.com/journal Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E121
    March 19 · 22 min

    121. The Plateau Phase in Your Micro Bakery (And What to Do Next)

    In this episode, I’m talking about something that almost every sourdough micro bakery owner experiences at some point, but we don’t often say out loud—the plateau phase. This is the season where your business isn’t struggling, but it’s also not growing the way it once was. Orders feel steady, your regulars are still there, but things have leveled off. And if you’re in that space, it can feel confusing. You might start questioning your strategy, your market, or even whether you’ve done something wrong. In this conversation, I want to gently reframe that for you, because this stage is actually a really normal part of building a business—and often the point where real, intentional growth begins. I walk through some of the most common reasons why micro bakeries hit this plateau, from outgrowing your initial network to menu overwhelm, inconsistent ordering rhythms, and reduced visibility. But more importantly, we talk about what to do next. This is where we shift from relying on early momentum to building something more sustainable, more focused, and more aligned with the life you actually want. If you’ve been feeling stuck or unsure how to move forward, this episode will help you step back into your CEO role and make simple, thoughtful changes that bring clarity, momentum, and renewed growth. Resources: Get the Bread Winner Business Alignment Journal: https://carolinebower.com/journal Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

  • S1 · E120
    March 12 · 22 min

    120. Why KPIs Matter in Your Sourdough Micro Bakery Business (Part 3)

    In this episode, we’re wrapping up our three-part series on KPIs for sourdough micro bakery owners by talking about the how—how to actually look at your data and turn it into useful insights for your business. I walk you through a simple, practical way to export your sales data and start noticing the patterns that are already hiding inside your bakery. Because so often we rely on memory—remembering the busy weeks, the products that sell out, or the customers we see most often—without stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. When you take the time to look at the numbers, you start to see your business in a completely different light. I also share the moment that completely changed the way I think about growth in my bakery. Instead of growth being mostly about visibility or reaching more people, I realized that the real story was happening in the patterns of repeat customers and the habits they were building around bread. In this episode, I walk you through how to uncover those patterns in your own data—from repeat customer rates to order frequency to the products that quietly anchor your business. This is where we move from reacting week to week to leading with clarity, understanding what actually brings stability to a sourdough micro bakery, and building a business that fits into people’s everyday lives. Resources: Get the Bread Winner Business Alignment Journal: https://carolinebower.com/journal Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. https://carolinebower.com/calculator Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

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