Kristina didn’t plan on becoming a cottage food operator.

After being laid off from her role in analytical chemistry, she made a decision most people only talk about—she chose to build something of her own.

In this episode, Kristina shares how she went from a PhD and R&D career to launching a baking business in just a few months, using family recipes passed down from her grandmother and a community-first approach to grow.

We get into:

• Turning a layoff into a business opportunity
• How fundraisers became her fastest path to growth
• The reality of navigating cottage food laws (and doing it the right way)
• Building a business around family, flexibility, and real life
• And how she’s now expanding into a full backyard food ecosystem

Plus—how a background in science led to one of the most unexpected baking advantages: 3D printing custom cookie cutters on demand.

If you’ve ever thought about starting something of your own, this is a story worth hearing.

🎧 Listen now and support local makers
📍 Discover more cottage food operators at SPOAKL.com

Most people think coffee just tastes like… coffee.

But what if it could taste like blueberries, strawberries, or even tea?

In this episode of The SPOAKL Podcast, we sit down with Austin, founder of Strait Coffee Roasters, to break down what “premium coffee” actually means—and why most people have never experienced it.

Austin shares how a single cup of coffee completely changed his perspective, sending him down a 10+ year journey of learning, experimenting, and ultimately building his own roastery from the ground up.

We get into:
• The moment that changed everything (the “blueberry coffee” experience)
• Starting in a garage and growing step by step
• Why validating demand before scaling matters
• The difference between regular coffee and truly premium, single-farm coffee
• How social media became a key driver of growth
• Advice for anyone thinking about starting their own food business

Strait Coffee Roasters is focused on sourcing and roasting high-quality, single-farm coffees that highlight unique flavors—proving coffee doesn’t have to taste burnt or bitter.

If you’re a coffee lover, a small business owner, or someone thinking about starting something of your own, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and discover what coffee is actually supposed to taste like.

This week on The SPOAKL Podcast, I’m joined by James Reed of Rustic Nosh (Belmont, CA) — the maker behind the legendary Rustic Almond Coffee Cake with a Bay Area legacy that’s been quietly loved for decades.

James shares how this recipe was created in 1969 in a Sunset District kitchen, how it became an “underground” favorite gifted to friends and family (never sold), and what it took to bring it above ground — one home-kitchen bake day, one pickup window, and one loyal customer at a time.

We talk about:

• Growing up in a multi-generation San Francisco food family

• Why this cake is “unlike any coffee cake” (darker crumb, incredibly moist, almond glaze)

• The realities of launching a cottage food business (permits, packaging, workflow, scaling)

• How community and storytelling can turn one product into something bigger

📲 Follow Rustic Nosh on Instagram:@rusticnosh to stay up to date on what James is baking up next.

As always, visit SPOAKL.com to discover, buy from, and support local makers like Rustic Nosh and other Bay Area Cottage Food Operators!