We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laila Oboyle. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Laila below.

Hi Laila, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission is rooted in a deeply personal journey that began at an extraordinary moment—welcoming twins into the world on the very day the city shut down due to the pandemic. Amidst the chaos, I turned to sourdough baking as a grounding force, and what started as a simple Instagram account soon blossomed into a vibrant community of over 200,000 followers across social media. As a full-time mom of three, the heart behind my cottage bakery focuses on fresh-milled and local grains, I’ve learned to juggle a lot—running a household, baking for your local community, and sharing knowledge online. Now, my focus is shifting toward teaching: both in-person classes in the Bay Area and personalized 1-on-1 Zoom consultations. My mission remains clear—to make baking feel approachable and accessible for everyone. I believe in the power of baking to nourish not just bodies, but communities, and I’m passionate about helping others experience the joy of baking for themselves, their families, and those around them.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi! I’m Laila O’Boyle, the founder of The Early Rise Baker—a community-centered sourdough educator, cottage baker, and mom of three based in San Francisco. My journey into baking began early on in life, I got my first stand mixer when I turned 16. I learned more about sourdough baking during the pandemic when I welcomed twins on the day the city shut down. What started as a personal exploration of sourdough quickly evolved into a thriving online community, with over 250,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram .

At The Early Rise Baker, I offer a range of services designed to make sourdough baking approachable for everyone. This includes personalized 1:1 coaching sessions tailored to individual baking setups, step-by-step troubleshooting, and continued support to ensure success . I also provide in-person classes in the Bay Area and share a variety of recipes on my website, from cinnamon rolls to country loaves. My social media channels also bring a wealth of knowledge to help anyone nail sourdough baking.

What sets my work apart is a commitment to community and accessibility. I believe that baking should be a joyful and inclusive experience, and I strive to support bakers at all levels, whether they’re just starting out or looking to refine their skills. I’m particularly proud of the supportive community we’ve built together, where bakers can learn, share, and grow.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to learn in my sourdough journey was unlearning the idea that baking is about blindly following a recipe. Early on, I approached sourdough like I did most cooking—follow the steps, get the result. But I quickly learned that sourdough is alive; it responds to its environment, to time, temperature, humidity, and even your hands. It took countless failed loaves—flat, dry, hard, and just plain inedible—before I realized that intuition, observation, and connection were far more important than rigid instructions. Natural fermentation is incredibly nuanced, and every baker’s environment is different. It wasn’t until I began truly listening to my dough—watching how it behaved, learning its rhythms in my kitchen—that things began to click. That shift in mindset changed everything for me, and it’s the foundation of how I now teach and bake.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

When I first started on social media, I was sharing beautiful scoring designs—just something I enjoyed creatively. That content resonated and quickly went viral, which gave me a platform to dive deeper. As I continued learning more about sourdough, I noticed that people responded even more when I shared not just the wins, but the process—my tips, tricks, the fails, and how I worked through them. That interaction helped shape the kind of content I now love to share: honest, approachable, and truly helpful.

For anyone starting out, my biggest advice is—don’t wait to be perfect. Start with what you know and let people in on your journey. But also, listen to your audience. Pay attention to what they’re asking, what they engage with, and let that guide your direction. The best content often comes from the back-and-forth—what feels like a conversation, not a performance. Let it evolve naturally, and most of all, stay connected to why you love what you do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theearlyrisebaker.com
• Instagram: @theearlyrisebaker
• Facebook: @theearlyrisesf
• Youtube: @theearlyrisebaker
• Other: Tiktok @theearlyrisebaker

Image Credits

Samantha Brancato Photography
www.samanthabrancato.com