This episode has been on my heart (and in my notes) for a long time, and I’m so excited to finally share it with you. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “How do I actually make money doing this?”—you’re not alone. In this episode, we’re diving into the practical, number-based strategy to start paying yourself $1,000 a month from your sourdough microbakery. Whether you’re in the early stages of your business or looking to tighten up your pricing and margins, this conversation is packed with tangible steps to help you take real ownership of your numbers and shift your business toward long-term profitability.

We talk about what it really means to understand your costs—every ingredient, every gram—and how to use that info to price your products in a way that supports your goals. You’ll learn how to calculate cost per loaf, profit margins, and how to avoid the most common pricing traps bakers fall into. I’m also sharing some real-life examples from my own menu (and the flops that taught me the most). This is part one of a two-part episode that lays the groundwork for creating a plan that not only feeds your community—but actually pays you too.

Resources:

• Join the Strategy Session Waitlist: Spots are limited, but if you want my eyes on your business and a personalized action plan, join the waitlist here. http://carolinebower.com/strategysessionwaitlist
• Grab the Profit & Pricing Calculator: Simplify the math, clarify your margins, and confidently price your products. http://carolinebower.com/calculator
• Join my email newsletter here: https://carolinebower.myflodesk.com/newsletter
• Join the Inner Circle Waitlist here: https://carolinebower.myflodesk.com/innercirclewaitlist
• Join the Bread Winner Network: www.carolinebower.com/bwnetwork
• Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough
• Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links
• Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

Bad bake days happen to all of us—yes, even the most seasoned sourdough bakers. In this episode, I’m opening up about what to do when a bake flops, whether it’s burned loaves, flat cookies, or an entire batch of focaccia tossed in the trash (been there!). I’m walking you through how I process those days, reframe my mindset, and figure out whether it was something in my control—or totally out of it. Because one bad day doesn’t define you, and it definitely doesn’t erase all the wins you’ve had along the way.

I’m also sharing practical tools to help you move forward after things go sideways—how to troubleshoot, what questions to ask yourself, how to shift out of discouragement, and even how to prevent repeat mistakes in the future. This episode is for the baker who’s ever questioned if they’re really cut out for this (spoiler: you are). My hope is that you walk away with more confidence, more clarity, and a toolkit to carry you through the tough moments that come with running a sourdough microbakery.

Resources:

• Join my email newsletter here: https://carolinebower.myflodesk.com/newsletter
• Join the Inner Circle Waitlist here: https://carolinebower.myflodesk.com/innercirclewaitlist
• Join the Bread Winner Network: www.carolinebower.com/bwnetwork
• Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough
• Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links
• Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!

In this episode, I’m diving into something that might seem simple on the surface but has made a huge impact in my life as a baker, business owner, and mom: morning and evening routines. I’m walking you through what our evenings and mornings actually look like in our house - yes, the real rhythms, the not-so-perfect parts, and the little tweaks we’ve made over time to feel more present, rested, and ready to take on the day. As microbakery owners, sleep and structure aren’t luxuries—they’re essentials—and when we start and end our days with intention, everything in between flows a whole lot smoother.

You’ll hear about what works for our family, how I prep for bake days, the choices I make around sleep, and the tiny moments (like barefoot grounding and skincare) that make a surprising difference. My routines aren’t rigid—they’re flexible frameworks that support the life and business I want to build. I’m sharing it all so you can take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and build something that serves you. Whether you’re brand new to routines or just looking to refine yours, I hope this episode feels like a deep breath and a gentle nudge to create rhythms that truly support you.

Resources:

• Join my email newsletter here: https://carolinebower.myflodesk.com/newsletter
• Join the Inner Circle Waitlist here: https://carolinebower.myflodesk.com/innercirclewaitlist
• Join the Bread Winner Network: www.carolinebower.com/bwnetwork
• Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough
• Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more! www.carolinebower.com/links
• Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!