We were lucky to catch up with Gracelynn Fjelstad recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gracelynn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Our mission is to provide resources for people to thrive on their sourdough journey. For us, it began over 100 years ago, when my great-great-grandfather forged a starter on his ranch in rural Montana. Since then, the starter has been carefully preserved and passed down throughout the generations. My grandparents, who use the starter regularly, are proud to share their starter with others. My grandmother is always making cookies, breads, and sweets to give to others. My grandfather makes the best pancakes ever!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have been running a sourdough business for the last 5 years. Our main focus is to equip people with the knowledge and tools necessary to enjoy sourdough in their everyday life. I do this through my social media platform, on my website, and with occasional live bread classes. On my website, I sell sourdough starter (120-years-old) and tools. I love helping people discover the beauty and benefits of sourdough. Sourdough has many health benefits because of its microbials and prebiotics. The wild yeast colony helps strengthen your gut microbiome, thus leading you to a healthier life. I use sourdough daily. I truly believe my family’s starter is special and unlike other starters. I hope you look us up and see for yourself!

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my audience by creating content that is engaging. I try to think creatively and look for ways to communicate tips and tricks. I am always seeking to help my audience grow and benefit from my content. I also look for trending audio and follow other influencers, this tends to help me and gives me direction when I am uncertain.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

Yes. My sourdough business started very naturally. I obtained starter from my grandmother and started baking. Soon after acquiring the starter, people started asking to buy it from me. They loved its resilience, flavor, and strength due to its old age (120 years old). I started selling the starter in 2020, during the pandemic. It pretty much took off from there. I’ve sold in over 20 different countries and I am a top seller on Etsy. I often sell out of my live bread classes and my sourdough is a popular gift item. I am truly blessed and love running my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thrivingprovisions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriving_provisions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/graceycakescakes
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/settings?trk=d_flagship3_profile_self_view_public_profile
• Other: Linktree-https://linktr.ee/thrivingprovisions