We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angela Self a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Angela , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

Having a product that is priced in a way that allows a variety of demographics to purchase is very important to me! I can remember times when we were a young family and would visit the farmers markets and the fresh baked artisan bread just was amazing but a but out of our price range. I want to create artisan breads and pastries that are affordable so that people can have access to fresh baked goods no matter their demographic. There are areas in San Diego that are considered to be areas that are underserved when it comes to fresh and seasonal foods. There are farmers markets and vendor fairs that are set up in some neighborhoods that may have a harder time getting access to those fresh, seasonal items so I like to ensure that I can get my baked goods to those areas and can sometimes offer delivery for future purchasing.

Angela , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have always baked and cooked from scratch for my family and friends! Back in 2019 my husband got hurt at work and became disabled and as a one income family, that was a hard hit. After a while, it was apparent that I would either need to go back to work or create a business I love so I started baking fresh sourdough bread, pastries and sandwich loaves and selling them to neighbors and friends. I fell in love with my little hobby business and knew I wanted to take it as far as I could. Having five homeschooled kids and working from home was and continues to be a dream and the biggest blessing. I began selling my baked goods at farmers markets in November of 2023 and now have 4 full time markets and a handful of monthly events that I sell at as well. I have met some of the most amazing people at the markets and some are now like family! Baking for people brings me joy and knowing that people love the food I bake makes every early morning and late night worth it. One of the things I am most proud of when it comes to my bakery is the relationships I build with my customers. Customers have turned into friends and the fact that they choose me to bake their goodies for holidays and family events is an incredible feeling.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In all businesses there are going to be good days and bad days and then there are the really really good and bad days too! It can be so easy as a small business owner to let the bad days get you down but there are always lessons that come with a bad day that one can learn from. Resilience is one of the most important traits that a small business owner should instill in themselves as well as their business. Being able to bounce back from a bad day to turn it around and have a better day the next day is key. Owning a micro bakery and working farmers markets can be daunting when you are at the mercy of the weather and other things out of your control but how you bounce back from those set backs is what separates you from the other bakeries and businesses. I pride myself on having fresh products for every event somedays waking at 1 am to get things baked fresh for the market or even staying up all night. This also means I rarely will sell day old products at the next days market. During the rainy season, sometimes markets will not give closure notice until the day of when product is baked and ready to go. Last year a market closed a couple hours before start time so I had a truck full of bread ready to roll. So, I pivoted. I posted on my socials that for that day only I would do free delivery in the area of the market first come first served and I sold out in an hour. I took that bad day and turned it around and made customers happy that they got a special delivery on a cold rainy day! Resilience is key when you are a small business owner, without it, the business will not last.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Sourdough bread baking has become super popular over the last few years! There are so many different social media accounts that showcase perfectly curated videos on how “easy” it is to bake a perfect loaf. Sourdough micro bakeries are also popping up all over so one has to really set themselves a part from the masses. When I first started Angela’s Kitchen, I felt that everything had to be perfect just like everyone saw on social media. I felt I had to have the perfect booth set up, intricately decorated loaves, elaborate packaging, the works. I quickly realized that while all those things are lovely, they are not what makes micro bakery successful. My customers love coming to see me not just for the bread, but because I build relationships with them and truly care about them and their families. I can step outside the box and do some funky and fun sourdough bread flavors and my customers get just as excited about them as I do! I do not need to have the fanciest booth set up, or the craziest bread designs, I just need a good consistent product and to be myself. Unlearning the myth of perfection was difficult but also needed. There is no one specific way to have a good business, you have to find your own niche and what works specifically for you and your circumstances.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: angelas.kitchen
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelasHomeBakedKitchen/