Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sadie Scheffer, CEO of Bread SRSLY, located in Berkeley, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Bread SRSLY is a gluten-free sourdough bread company in Berkeley, CA. We wild ferment our gluten-free bread doughs to naturally leaven our loaves, letting our sourdough starter do the hard work, so your body doesn't have to. We sell our breads in Natural grocery stores on the West Coast and consumers nationwide through our website.

Tell us about yourself

I'm an artist, an MIT dropout, and an accidental baker. I learned how to bake without gluten in order to impress my college crush, who was gluten-intolerant. It took ten months of delivering baked goods before he finally got the message, and we've been together ever since. I started Bread SRSLY a year later to share my gluten-free breads with San Francisco locals, and the business grew from there! Ten years in, I am motivated by my team. I love the people I work with and have found my new passion in leadership.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been learning to step back and let my team shine. It takes a lot of courage and ego to launch a business, but ego got in the way once I had colleagues who were great at their roles. It was a big change to take a back seat, learn to be a better listener, and celebrate the accomplishments of those around me. I'm proud of myself for taking that not-so-easy road!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Financial responsibility is definitely one of my biggest stressors. I take the responsibility of being an employer seriously and always try to do what's best for my team. Since COVID started, increasing job security has become harder, but it's still my forever goal.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Know yourself. Self-awareness is a crucial skill for anyone, and it's invaluable in running a business. There are a million voices shouting advice, and it's easy to get lost among the din. If you know yourself well and stay curious, you'll be able to decide what's best for YOU, rather than doing what worked for someone else.
  2. Surround yourself with amazing people. They will keep you inspired and motivated. They will challenge you. They will support you. This can be advisors, partners, friends, and especially fellow business owners. People say it's lonely at the top, but I think we can make the journey much less lonely if we're willing to be open and vulnerable with people who care about us.
  3. Always watch your cash. Be smart and savvy with your money, and stay two steps ahead of it, even (or especially) when it's scary to face the truth.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://breadsrsly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BreadSRSLY/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breadsrsly/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sadie-scheffer-9846696a/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.