Pivots and Challenges

Hello!!! I thought I'd try something new and update you on what's been happening with The Daily Knead. Being a creative, an entrepreneur & an employee has been quite the journey for my sister and I. I wanted to get real and talk about the challenges & wins of balancing all three.

A lot of you have been a part of our journey from the beginning, and I used to be able to update you daily on Instagram. But as the world opened up, our time has been split and pulled in many different directions.

There have been many challenges that have faced The Daily Knead, a lot of which my sister and I had to deep dive on our plans and figure out our direction. In the thick of the pandemic, we often had to pivot as the ever-changing landscape of alert levels meant a change in business operations. But, we are still here! We opened with the intention of serving wholesome bread, and sweets to a small number of people we knew. I never thought that we would grow the way we did. I have you, and our entire community to thank for this! Thank you!

Now that the world has transitioned to require us all to be more face-to-face, this has had an enormous impact on not just me, but for ALL of us. It's presented a new set of challenges - kids going back to school, my sister and I are back to work (yes, we do have day jobs too), and there has been quite a demand for The Daily Knead to have in-store dining. Another pivot. And I'll be honest, it hasn't been an easy one. As the demand for in-store dining rises, our online sales have taken a hit. Juggling all our obligations whilst running a small business has been all sorts of thrilling and terrifying. We've only ever known how to operate a bakery in a pandemic, this new transition has been a huge learning curve for my sister and I. I am tremendously grateful for the support and knowledge we are receiving from new friends and partners that truly believe in my sister and I, and what we do. 

My imposter syndrome is all too real. Many times, debilitating. But, a good friend shone a bit of light and told me that the world has space for a person like me. And all of a sudden, all that fear and anxious thinking were soothed with just a few words. 

A lot has been going on, and I find myself more outside of the kitchen than I do in front of the oven. I am so grateful for our team who are able to keep it together as my sister and I venture towards the wold outside the bakery. The challenges are there, and our main drive has been our amazing team, the community we have built and my love and passion for creating and developing delicious treats for you my family.

They say passion alone isn't enough. I beg to differ. It's always been a dream of mine to create food and treats around the kitchen. For many years I carried that fire and passion within me. I figure, if I can't sell, or go to school for it, I might as well learn it all by myself, and bake cook for my family. And just when I thought it was never going to become a reality, life throws a pandemic curveball and presents a unique opportunity. So hustle and grind, keep that fire burning. Because one day, when that particular opportunity knocks on your door, you know you're ready because you've prepared for it all this time. 

xx,
Francesca