Today we’d like to introduce you to Sari Hartman.
Hi Sari, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My childhood home was always full of people; my parents cared for everyone who walked through the door, whether they were there for a few hours or a few years (and, yes, there were definitely people that stayed for years). My mom always had coffee and sun tea and fruit, snacks, and Entenmann’s for everyone and dinner on the table nearly every night. My dad was like a mad scientist in the kitchen; he and I would make everything from scratch, focusing on everything from the smallest ingredient to the final presentation. So, it is no surprise that food is my love language. When something good happens, I want to celebrate with a delicious, memorable meal. When something awful occurs, I want to nourish the soul with warm, comforting foods made with love. This is how I show my love.
So, when I learned of the cottage food license, I realized that sharing my food and my love with more people may be more of an option than I had previously thought. After all my research and contemplation, I enlisted some friends who received weekly bakery boxes full of various items based on a flavor of the week. In return, they completed a survey ranking each of the items, asking about potential improvements, and gaging how much they would pay for each item. With their feedback and encouragement, I decided to complete my application and open Stay Awhile Bakery.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Thankfully, running Stay Awhile Bakery has been a smooth process thus far. As a home kitchen, there has been a low barrier to entry, which was part of the appeal and made the decision to do this much easier, and I feel that I am getting out of it what I put in. There are times when I can devote more to marketing and that definitely shows, but I am also a mom of 3 with various responsibilities and when other life happens, I am comfortable with the time and devotion I can and do give. I did have one hiccup less than a month after opening. As a challah baker, I knew that the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur would be busy, but I could not anticipate the closing of a local bakery known for their challah the week before Rosh Hashanah. In an effort to make sure everyone had a challah for their holiday, I definitely stretched myself too thin. I made far more accommodations than I should have, delivering to areas outside my normal coverage area, and accommodating very last-minute orders. As a new business and one sensitive to the desire to have a delicious challah on the holiday table, I didn’t want to say no; I learned my lesson after Rosh Hashanah and made adjustments for Yom Kippur, setting clear boundaries and getting better prepared.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
There are a million ways to buy baked goods today, so I know that I am fortunate to have every customer I have. My focus is and always will be on things that taste delicious and that you would be proud to serve in your home. An immense amount of time and care are put into each recipe selected and each ingredient used. But I never want my food to feel pretentious or overcomplicated, just simple food done well. On my website, I describe the items on my Always Available menu as “your favorite” chocolate chip cookies or “your favorite” babka because I know that once you try them, you’ll agree that you will always need these in your life. That is what makes all the trial and error and development worth it. Every minute the butter is browned, every flake of salt, every drop of really, really good vanilla paste… In the past, I have tried to make decorative desserts, but I finally came to terms with the fact that I am not my most successful in that area. There are wonderful artists who make gorgeous cookies, cakes, and cupcakes. I have harnessed my energy into perfecting a recipe so that when your friends come over, and you take out one of my black bakery boxes, you know there will be smiles all around.
Any big plans?
For now, I am going to continue operating as I have been for the past 3 months. I take orders online and deliver within a reasonably manageable area in San Diego. I have thought about trying one of the many amazing farmer’s markets, but I need to do a bit more research and planning before I jump into those waters. Next August, around my one-year anniversary, I plan to do an assessment of what I have done and where I’d like to go and see where to go from there.
Contact Info:
- Website: stayawhilebakery.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/stayawhilebakery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550068866562 or Stay Awhile Bakery
Image Credits
Sari Hartman
