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

Sarabeth, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

It all began with my daughter. One day she decided to start her own sourdough journey. She carefully nurtured her starter, baked a couple of loaves, and just as quickly as it all began… the starter died. But that little experiment planted a seed.

Determined not to let the idea fizzle, we got a second chance—thanks to our neighbor, Elizabeth Maklary. She generously shared some of her active sourdough starter with us. From there, things started to click. I dove into research—hours of scrolling through sourdough forums, social media posts, and YouTube tutorials. Elizabeth was incredibly kind in answering all my beginner questions, and by December 2024, I was baking loaves that didn’t just look good—they tasted great.

I started sharing bread with neighbors, just for fun. I loved the process—the ritual of feeding the starter, shaping the dough, and waiting for that perfect rise. I began hearing the same thing over and over: “You’re a natural. You should sell this!”

So in January 2025, I decided to give it a try. I began offering fresh loaves for sale on our neighborhood Facebook page. I was nervous, but the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Customers loved the bread and started coming back weekly. The idea of turning this into a real side hustle didn’t seem so far-fetched anymore.

By February, I took the next big leap: I reached out to Ramona Ridge at the Forever Fulshear Farmers Market. She was supportive and helped me get on the schedule. Because there were already bread vendors at the market, I had to plan carefully around openings. That gave me time to figure out how to scale up.

I experimented with batch sizes—learning (the hard way) how to go from a couple loaves to producing 40 a week. I recruited my family to help, since I still work full-time. We became a full-on bread brigade, working evenings and weekends. We learned a lot—like how to triple a starter without it taking over the kitchen, how to mix eight-loaf batches, and how to cold ferment the dough across two days to keep the schedule manageable.

And then we broke the oven.

Turns out, 40 loaves a week is a lot for a standard kitchen appliance. After burning out the heating element, I taught myself how to fix it. Eventually, we found a used double oven on Facebook Marketplace. We put it on a furniture dolly and rolled it into our laundry room where we had a 220V outlet. Problem solved—and baking capacity doubled.

By June, we were regularly selling around 60 loaves every Saturday at Forever Fulshear. We also expanded our menu. Now, in addition to sourdough, we bring cinnamon rolls, lemon blueberry muffins, cheddar crackers, fudgy brownies, and chocolate chip cookies. Our customers look forward to them, and we look forward to their smiles.

Our week starts on Tuesday, mixing the first half of dough. Wednesday, we prep the second half. Thursday is cookie dough and dry goods for the baked treats. Friday starts at 6 a.m.—a full day of baking and packaging. By 7:30 a.m. Saturday, we’re loaded up and on the road. The market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and afterward, we clean, recover, and start planning the next week.

And we’re not stopping.

In July, we’ll begin selling at the new Bloomata Market in Wallis on the 2nd and 4th weekends of the month. It’s a big step, but with each loaf, we’re learning and growing. I’m hoping that as our profits continue to rise (pun intended), I’ll be able to invest in a commercial bread oven. That would bring even more efficiency—and help me continue growing this business into retirement over the next two years.

What started as my daughter’s experiment has grown into something so much bigger: a family-run, heart-filled business that brings real joy to our community. And I’m just getting started.

Sarabeth, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, I’m Sarabeth Butler, the proud baker and owner of Butter’s Sourdough LLC, a small, family-run business built on love, tradition, and a whole lot of flour. What started as a simple passion for sourdough has grown into a thriving bakery where we specialize in artisan breads and goodies that bring comfort and joy to every bite.

At Butter’s Sourdough, we craft a wide variety of products—from traditional artisan boules to unique flavored sourdoughs, muffins, brownies, and other delicious treats. Everything is made in small batches with care, using time-honored methods and wholesome ingredients. What sets us apart isn’t just the quality of our baked goods—it’s the heart behind the work. As a home bakery, every loaf and treat reflects the warmth of our kitchen and the dedication of my entire family.

I take the most pride in the way my loved ones have stepped up to be part of this journey. From doing stretch and folds with the dough and baking batches to—perhaps the most important job—tackling the chaotic kitchen cleanup, it’s truly been a team effort. I’m beyond grateful to God for placing this opportunity in my life and giving me a purpose that aligns so closely with my passion.

This bakery is more than just a business—it’s a transition. As I prepare to retire from full-time service in the National Guard over the next two years, Butter’s Sourdough is becoming my new mission. It’s a space where I can create, share, and teach others the joy of baking sourdough from scratch. I’m always experimenting with new flavors and goodies, inspired by our amazing and growing customer base.

Whether you’re picking up a rustic sourdough boule or a batch of indulgent brownies, know that it’s made with dedication, love, and a whole lot of butter (of course). Thank you for being a part of this journey—I can’t wait to bake for you.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Like many good things, this all started at home—just me baking for my family. At first, I used my regular grocery budget to make bread and a few sweet treats. Nothing fancy. Just flour, water, salt… and a little love. As the compliments rolled in and more friends and neighbors asked for loaves, I realized there might be something more here.

So I decided to give it a go—but on my terms.

I didn’t take out loans or dip into savings. Instead, I cash flowed everything from the start. With each loaf I sold, I reinvested the profits into basic ingredients and essential supplies—bread bags, labels, packaging. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was sustainable.

Once I had a few hundred dollars built up in the business account, I made it official and registered the LLC. That milestone made it real. I wanted the business to reflect my family values, too—so I asked my teenage daughter, Lauren Butler, to take the reins on social media and website management. She’s way better at it than I am, and it’s become a fun way for us to grow the business together.

As demand grew, so did my reinvestment strategy. Every sale helped cover the costs of expanding the product line and preparing to sell at the Forever Fulshear Farmers Market. That meant larger ingredient orders, better equipment, and more packaging—all funded by the business itself.

Like most startups, profits in the early months were modest and mostly went right back into the business. But that was the plan from the beginning. My goal has never been to grow fast and risk burnout or debt. I want this business to grow intentionally, sustainably, and in step with our community.

And so far, it’s working.

I’m committed to continuing to fund the business through cash flow, letting it grow organically based on customer demand and market opportunity. With every bag of flour and every customer interaction, we’re building something strong, one loaf at a time—without the burden of debt.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

When I first started my sourdough business, my customer base came from close to home. I began selling on our neighborhood Facebook page, offering loaves and baked goods to my neighbors and coworkers. It was a grassroots effort—simple, personal, and fueled by word of mouth. Friends and colleagues shared their excitement with others, and slowly, my circle of customers began to grow.

The biggest turning point came when I joined the Forever Fulshear Farmers Market. Having a booth there gave me the chance to connect with a much broader audience. Offering samples has been one of the most powerful tools for growth—it gives people a chance to taste the quality, whether it’s a savory slice of sourdough or a bite of something sweet. That first taste often turns into a first purchase… and then a weekly visit.

Many of those market visitors have become regulars who look forward to seeing us every Saturday. They’ve become part of our story, and we’ve become part of their weekend tradition.

Now, with the upcoming Bloomata Market in Wallis, I’m excited to reach a new community, build new relationships, and continue expanding my customer base. It’s all about creating good food and even better connections—one loaf at a time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://buttersourdough.com
• Instagram: butterbakery24
• Facebook: Butter’s Sourdough

Image Credits

Samantha McCurry with Sean Photography