Today we have Sadie Scheffer founder of Bread SRSLY, it's the Bay area's first gluten-free sourdough bread company. The company began late in 2011 after a bout of gluten-free sourdough experiments in Sadie's home kitchen. The bread is free of any gluten, eggs, dairy, soy, sugar, tree nuts, peanuts, potatoes and some other things I am missing....but I am sure it is not free of good taste! She began to send 40, 60, 100 loaves out into the world, delivered by ladies on bikes. Most weeks she biked 100 miles plus to get the bread out. They are now found in stores all over California and have expanded into Arizona and Idaho including some regional Whole Foods and Safeway. Production has gone from her home kitchen to their 6th commercial kitchen.

Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:

[1:15] Jeremy introduces his guest, Sadie Scheffer.
[3:00] Sadie talks about dropping out of MIT and navigating her early career.
[13:00] What led Sadie to move from the east coast to the San Francisco Bay area?
[16:00] Sadie shares her experience in SF and experimenting with gluten-free recipes.
[22:30] The decision to start Bread SRSLY.
[30:45] Sadie talks about expanding the business and bringing on a business partner.
[34:45] Why did people in Sadie's social circle deliver bread for free?
[40:00] Sadie opens up about the evolution of the sales process.
[42:20] Showing up at farmers markets, spreading the word, and stocking grocery stores.
[48:00] Experimenting with different products along the way.
[50:30] What are some products that Sadie and her team are working on?
[54:00] Sadie talks about designing new packaging.
[59:15] Getting certified gluten-free from the National Celiac Association.
[1:01:30] A low moment in business for Sadie.
[1:05:15] Milestones that Sadie is proud of.

In this episode…

What does it take to bring a delicious gluten-free bread alternative to the marketplace? Where does the idea come from? How do you build a business like that from scratch? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you'll hear from innovator and entrepreneur, Sadie Scheffer. In her conversation with Jeremy, Sadie opens up about her time at MIT, why she moved to San Francisco, what led her to start a gluten-free bread business, how the company had evolved and expanded over the years, and much more! You don't want to miss a minute of this entertaining and fascinating episode featuring Sadie!

Have you ever wanted something so bad that you'd do whatever it takes to achieve your goal? While that same drive may not always pan out when it comes to matters of the heart, it can serve you well in the realm of business! What started out as a love inspired move from the east coast to San Francisco soon turned into an amazing business journey for the young startup entrepreneur, Sadie Scheffer. Sadie didn't have much when she showed up in San Francisco, but once she established roots, Sadie went to work figuring out her next step. After tinkering and experimenting with a few homemade recipes, Sadie decided to take her bread business to the masses!

When you think of a San Francisco based startup, you usually think of something in the tech industry. While Sadie did attend MIT, she was more interested in bringing a viable gluten-free bread alternative to the marketplace. Before long, Sadie had her fledgling business up and running and she found herself not only baking the bread but delivering it by bicycle too! Through a series of ups and downs, Sadie has been able to stabilize her business and really start to bring it to the next level of growth. With valuable lessons learned along the way, Sadie is eager to share Bread SRSLY's story so leaders like you find the inspiration you need to get out there and make your big idea a reality!

Let's face it, in the business world you need good people around you if you have any hope of succeeding. How good is your team? Do you need to make some changes? For Sadie Scheffer, the process of getting the right people in the right positions has been a struggle. At first, Sadie relied on friends and acquaintances to help her deliver her gluten-free bread by bicycle. This method only worked for so long before her friends were pleading with her to find a better solution. These days, Sadie has a solid team around her in the kitchen and delivering product! What can you learn from Sadie's story?

One of the best things about the free market is innovation. There are so many possibilities and options that leaders like you have available right at your fingertips! What are you doing to push the envelope? Sadie Scheffer decided to take her health into her own hands quite literally and went to work creating a product that she wanted to see on the shelves in her local grocery store. Looking back now, having achieved that goal, Sadie is proud of the work she's done but she isn't finished! There are still plenty of gluten-free products that she'd love to bring to the marketplace and there are many areas of the country that need products like Bread SRSLY on grocery shelves!

Resources Mentioned on this episode

Bread SRSLY
Check out Jeremy's interview with Abigail Wald
Intro Music by Kidd Russell

Sponsor for this episode

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