Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Brittni Yurchak, owner of Mindful Health, LLC., located in Felton, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I got into the health industry because I have had my own health issues since I was very young. Many years of western doctors and nothing helped me. Finally, when I was able to go to school, I went to get my holistic health coach license, and this was just to help myself heal and not have to depend on western medical anymore. I learned so much and got so fired up that I started implementing everything I was learning. I even got brave enough to experiment with desserts. I have always loved to cook, but I wasn't that aware of all the healthy ways. I discovered Monk fruit, so I made some desserts, and they were soo good. I started sharing things with neighbors, friends, and family before I realized I was baking daily and people were offering to purchase from me.

I started health coaching while baking, so I thought it was perfect because most of my clients struggled with sugar. I then decided to make it an actual business because when I did a market analysis, there were only three bakeries in my county that offered a larger range of gluten-free desserts, but no one bakery had any sugar-free items! I was shocked! I started the bakery in leased commercial kitchen space and sold it to the public from my online store. I make sugar-free, gluten-free, organic tarts, pies, lemon bars, brownies, and cheesecakes. I have options for daily free and vegan as well. I sold retail for about three years until I realized my items were more in a boutique specialty category. I now sell B2B. Wedding caterers and large corporations now serve my desserts!

Tell us about yourself

I was so sick as a young girl and didn't start my healing journey until the age of 38! I began holistic health school in 2017, and I started health coaching clients in 2018 while experimenting with baking at the same time; then, I opened my bakery at the end of 2018. I have always loved helping people. I am an empath, and I believe that really helps me be able to have the compassion that's needed with health coaching. I feel that if I can help myself, I should pass that knowledge onto others and help them live the life they deserve. I plan on continuing school to become a Holistic Practitioner.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment, I'd say, is learning how to grow smart. I was so excited to run to every store and get my product in there to sell but wasn't thinking of how much work that would be and the hiring I'd have to do etc. I learned the term "controlled growth" smart, really smart :-)

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

One of the hardest things about being a business owner is the long hours. In the bakery, we stand mostly on one spot and do repetitive things for many hours at a time. Also, the paperwork side of things with knowing what you need in terms of licensing and permits, etc.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Really imagine the steps in your day-to-day because I thought it would be so fun to bake all day, but it was fun as a hobby, and then when you open it turns into a huge responsibility, so make sure you LOVE what you are going to do.
  2. Make sure you use your resources. I used our county's SBDC, and they helped me with everything I needed to know about running a business, and ALL for FREE!
  3. Market research! Know your target market!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.mindfulhealth.us/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brittni.yurchak.5
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittnithebakerb/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittni-yurchak-70a2444b/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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