The Road Taken




I find that life is full of little decisions that lead us down winding paths and we can not foresee the destination ahead.  When my children were little I taught them to cook, and from there to bake bread, cookies, and cinnamon rolls.  On a regular spring day in May 2014 my then 13 year old daughter baked a couple loaves of sandwich bread for lunches as part of her homeschool assignment.   When my husband came home for lunch he made a sandwich on the fresh bread, and then took a loaf with him to share with some of the people at work.  He returned home with orders from people in the office to buy bread.  Within a couple of weeks we had established two baking days a week with regulars customers and were baking and delivering multiple loaves of bread and cookies as well as setting up at our local farmer's market.  That one day set us on a journey and a path to owning a business.  



Teaching Alyssa to make cinnamon rolls



Our first season at the Farmer's Market
4 dozen cinnamon rolls, 20 dozen cookies, 14 loaves of sandwich bread, and 4 loaves of banana bread.



This story does not illustrate that we can just fall into our dreams.  On the contrary, dreams require work, sacrifice, and direction.  Our family loved to bake and we had often talked about opening a bakery, but never thought it would be possible.  That day, seeing that we actually had a product that customers wanted, helped us to realize this dream was possible and opened out eyes to the cottage bakery world.  This journey has taught me that dreams are not born overnight, and they are not easily realized.  Even as we began our cottage bakery, the thought of one day opening a shop with high end products was unthinkable.  





Now we stand on a precipice, about to take a step once again into the unknown.  We have officially signed a lease on a space in a building that is just being built.  We have been reaching out to equipment manufactures, banks, and The Small Business Development Center through University of Alaska Fairbanks, and finding out lots of things we didn't know.  As we continue through this process I keep coming back to the Formula for Success I learned through my entrepreneurship class this semester from Launching Leaders.
            1. Get Up Early: Take advantage of the magic hours and use them to connect with heaven. 
            2.  Work Hard: Working hard will help you develop the attributes you need for success.
            3.  Get Your Education: Become a lifelong learner and remember that there are MANY other ways to learn besides the officially accredited ones. 
            4.  Find Your Oil: Discover what you can become great at, what you're passionate about, and leverage that enthusiasm for the good of the world around you.
            5.  Make Your Mark: With humility, decide that the world will be a little better because you lived. 
            6.  Give Back: Giving back is what it's all about; show God your gratitude by joining in His work of love. 

I was already living many of these principles, but I understand it much better now.  This formula has become my mantra and guide as we continue to progress down the road less traveled.  I am forever thankful for the other travelers on this road who share their wisdom of the twists and turns ahead.  








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