Julie Helps Grow A Local Economy Through Her Bakery

Through her bakery, Julie’s goal is to create a community with those that live in her neighborhood and the small businesses that surround it. “The name ‘Source’ comes from sourcing all our materials from local small businesses. From buying locally to collaborations, we want to create a network of support and community, while also adapting to practices that are environmentally friendly.” Julie started her bakery in 2019 after working in a larger café for years. “I learned so much, but I felt that I could do more by working somewhere smaller. I wanted to advocate that small businesses can make an impact.”

Julie started off by selling her products in farmers’ markets and working out of a shared kitchen. She enjoyed the collaboration of working with other food and beverage small businesses, but it was her dream to open something of her own. Just when Julie was starting to learn the ropes of running a small business, the pandemic hit. “I was living out of my car doing farmer’s markets, and it is really what kept me alive during the pandemic. I had built up a set of loyal customers, and the community really came together to help me, and my business, survive.”

BUILDING A COMMUNITY

Through her community, Julie kept building momentum and building her customer base. “I love being able to connect with people and say that I have regulars.” In 2022, she decided to take the next steps in working towards opening her own bakery. This meant buying the equipment to create more products, which would help her raise the capital needed to open her own store. She reached out to Ascendus and received a $50,000 loan from the Small Business Administration Microloan Program. “Nothing would have been possible without the loan. It helped me get the equipment I needed, and with the new equipment I made it possible to create my own space just a few months later.”

With her own storefront, Julie is better able to work towards her goals of building a local community and advocating for small businesses. “It is important to me to support other small businesses through my bakery. Every sale I make feels like I am making an impact on others because it is helping the small businesses we source from.”

FROM THE SOURCE TO THE FUTURE

In the future, Julie wants to continue working on creating improvements and building a community in her current neighborhood. “I want to make a place where people can feel at home, create memories for families and those who work from home out of my bakery, and keep giving back to my community by providing jobs and opportunities to those around me.”

To learn more about Julie, visit https://sourcebakery.com/