Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold

Ep. 550 - Zingerman’s Bakehouse Managing Partner Amy Emberling - Love, Vision, and the Art of Creating Irresistible Company Culture

Feb 3, 2026
Guest
Amy Emberling
Amy Emberling, Managing Partner of Zingerman’s Bakehouse and operations leader who scaled an artisan bakery into a multimillion-dollar business. She discusses the Community of Businesses model, why the founders refused to franchise, visible vision and rituals that create ownership, simple hiring realities for frontline roles, and how small culture practices turn hourly staff into passionate team members.
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ANECDOTE

Why They Said No To Franchising

  • The origin story: after 10 years the founders chose local, unique businesses over franchising.
  • The Bakehouse became the second business and later the partners codified the multi-business vision.
INSIGHT

Community Rooting Over Scale

  • The founders prioritized rooted community and craft over maximizing profit or scaling everywhere.
  • They believed later locations dilute the original store's character and community connection.
ADVICE

Balance Central Alignment With Local Control

  • Run partner-level meetings for big-picture consistency but let each business control day-to-day operations.
  • Use handshake-style agreements for trust and collaborative decision-making on shared policies.
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