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!

What starts as a “let’s do something different” night out can sometimes come full circle.

In this episode, I sit down with Imogen, co-founder of Flyin’ G Chocolate, a small-batch dark chocolate brand specializing in 70%+ organic chocolate made by hand in her home kitchen.

Imogen shares how a chocolate class she took 11 years ago sparked a curiosity that didn’t resurface until 2024—when a career shift, family influence, and a leap of faith led her to farmers markets, pop-ups, and the early stages of building a chocolate business.

We talk about:

• Starting a cottage food business from a home kitchen

• The first farmers market as a real test with strangers

• Finding community (not competition) among local vendors

• Navigating permits, costs, and the realities of small-batch production

• Ingredient sourcing, simplicity, and brand values

• Balancing family life with growing a food business

• Why “just go for it” matters more than waiting for perfect timing

This is an honest, encouraging conversation for anyone curious about cottage food, farmers markets, or turning a creative spark into something real.

📍 Follow Flyin’ G Chocolate on Instagram: @flyin_gchocolate

🛒 Shop the Flyin' G store on their website: flyin-gchocolate.com

In this episode of the SPOAKL Podcast, we sit down with Elisha, the founder of Ten-Ten’s Homemade Baked Goods, to talk about what it really looks like to start a baking business young — pause it — and find the courage to start again.

Elisha shares how her love for baking began as a childhood dream growing up in the Philippines, how she launched her business during the pandemic as a high school junior, and why school, burnout, and time management eventually forced her to slow things down. From experimenting with cookies and cheesecake to rebranding her business, focusing on quality ingredients, and redefining what success looks like at this stage of life, Elisha offers an honest look at the ups and downs of running a cottage food business while in college.

We also dive into her vision for the future — from pastry school to the idea of a coffee cart or trailer — and the lessons she’s learned about balance, burnout, and trusting yourself along the way.

This episode is for students, young entrepreneurs, and anyone navigating different seasons of life while trying to hold onto a dream.

Shop from Elisha at https://ten-tens.square.site/ and follow her on instagram @tn.sweetstuff

🎙️ Listen now and discover more local makers at SPOAKL.com

In this episode of The SPOAKL Podcast, Daniel sits down with Shal, the founder of Yellow Bean Kitchen, a small-batch home bakery in Santa Clara, CA.

Shal shares how baking has always been her way of showing love—bringing something handmade to dinners, experimenting with flavors for friends, and recreating tastes from memory after moving from India to the U.S. What started as thoughtful gifts (and even a memorable dog birthday cupcake party) eventually evolved into something bigger: the launch of Yellow Bean Kitchen.

She walks through the real journey of starting a cottage food business—navigating permits, dealing with health departments, figuring out event requirements, and even learning on the spot when an inspector checked the temperature of her booth. You’ll also hear how she balances baking with life as a new mom and dog owner, and her mission to create treats that everybody can eat. One especially powerful moment: she made a recipe safe for a friend with dietary restrictions, and it became the first baked good that friend had enjoyed in two years.

If you want to taste Shal’s creations, you can order directly here: https://app.simply-bread.co/shalshomebakery

And discover Shal and other makers on SPOAKL’s marketplace: https://spoakl.com

Follow Shal on Instagram: @yellowbeankitchen (DM to order and stay updated on upcoming bakes)

In this episode, we sit down with Veronica Jones, owner of Nina’s Home Bakery in San Bruno, CA — a cottage food business rooted in love, faith, and the dream of building something lasting for her daughter, Nina.

Veronica shares how a single banana bread recipe sparked a years-long passion, from experimenting in her home kitchen (“food is a science experiment!”) to creating gluten-free and vegan versions that customers now rave about. Her story unfolds through pivotal moments: selling out of samples at a Yelp Bash, being featured across multiple newspapers, finding community through Renaissance and Crave the Experience, and navigating two unexpected job losses that ultimately pushed her into full-time entrepreneurship.

We talk about the realities of building a CFO while parenting a young child, the power of networking, how pop-ups transformed her growth, and the heart behind naming her bakery after her daughter. Veronica’s journey is equal parts vulnerable, resilient, and deeply inspiring for anyone considering starting — or scaling — their own cottage food operation.

Listen in to hear:

• How a frozen-banana hack created her signature banana bread

• Why gluten-free and vegan became core parts of her menu

• The Yelp event that changed everything

• How pop-ups, networking, and community accelerated her growth

• The spiritual and personal motivation driving her business

• Her vision for Nina’s Home Bakery’s future

Follow Veronica on Instagram: @ninas_homebakery
Order pickups and support local makers at SPOAKL.com

This episode we sit down with Angela Dair, founder of AP Flour SF, a brand-new cottage food bakery crafting small-batch sourdough baked goods in San Francisco.

Angela shares how a 30-day homemade sourdough starter, a partner with gluten sensitivities, and a deep-rooted entrepreneurial legacy in her family sparked the idea for AP Flour SF. In this conversation, we dive into:

• How she built her sourdough starter from scratch during COVID

• Why sourdough cookies are her unique niche

• Her leap from tech into full-time entrepreneurship

• The emotional side of comparison and staying grounded as a new maker

• The value of home-based businesses in preserving community and family legacy

• Early wins, challenges, and what’s next for AP Flour SF

Angela is only four weeks into launching her business — and her story is the exact kind of early-stage inspiration SPOAKL was created to highlight.

If you're a new cottage food operator, aspiring baker, or anyone who’s been waiting for “the right time” to start… this episode is for you.

Find Angela here:
Instagram & TikTok: @apfloursf
Weekly pickups on Sundays via Hotplate: hotplate.com/apfloursf