Let's start by discussing the WHY behind teaching because, yes, you can earn a great income from holding workshops, but let's lay the foundation here for a moment.

Sourdough is the ancient form of bread making; it's what Jesus was talking about when he mentioned leaven in his parables. It's the way grains are supposed to be properly prepared, but it was almost a lost art form. The industrialization of bread took place over a hundred years ago, and the long fermentation process of sourdough was hurried along. Bread eventually became how we know it to be in grocery stores today; full of preservatives and dozens of ingredients, making everyone sick and bloated. But 2020 sparked the real bread revolution in America, the bread renaissance if you will. People began diving into the art of sourdough.

You know I did just that too, and it's not slowing down. Everyone I meet mentions they've been wanting to learn sourdough but don't know where to start. We are part of a great movement of people slowing down and getting back to our roots of baking from scratch. Even some people who thought they were gluten intolerant can consume sourdough with no ill effects, and people everywhere who have taken up the hobby have realized how much Sourdough has changed their lives as if it is a form of therapy! It's such an honor to be a part of it. I'm so proud to be continuing this reawakening that is impacting people in this way; it is no small thing to teach someone how to feed their families and communities nourishing, good food.

But it's not all sunshine and roses and inspiring words: teaching sourdough can also be extremely vulnerable. You see, I started my sourdough micro bakery in January 2023 and I was approached to teach my first class in March of that same year. My sourdough business was still quite new and I didn't have a solid customer base yet for selling my bread. The thought came, “What if someone from my class ends up starting their own sourdough business with my techniques and recipes?”, well, it happened more than once. Past students started their micro bakeries in my area. I started to let jealousy creep in but realized that if I willingly chose to mentor someone, I was letting them go; I would not hold them back if they were inspired to walk a path that I had before them.

You have to be okay if something like this were to happen. Eventually, I came to realize that this was the greatest compliment to me as a person and as a teacher, that I had succeeded. In regards to my micro bakery, despite past students selling their bread in my area, I stayed in my lane and eventually gained a solid customer base, selling out at capacity each week, and my business only ever grew. A lot of growth was from my students; they spread the word about the workshops and also referred customers to me. And I was able to learn a lot from them. So, I encourage you to learn to let go and to reach a higher level of mentorship, make bread disciples, and make money doing it. This is why it's important to have a deep understanding and knowledge of why you're teaching.