Erica Leahy was working in an office job when she realized she had missed her calling. So she gave up her stock options and health plan, left the office and set off for the life of a pastry chef. After unpaid internships, several stints baking for fine restaurants, finding her feet in a commissary kitchen and starting a family, she opened Three Daughters Baking Co. in 2018.

In this episode, Mark and Erica talk about the people in her life that have been cheering her on (and pitching in) throughout Erica's baking career, and how she's put down deep roots over the past 16 years in South Orange.

There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session starting in early 2025.

Helpful Links

Three Daughters Baking Co.

@threedaughtersbaking2018 on Instagram

Support the Podcast Here!

Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website

The Bakers4Bakers Community

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Mark on Instagram

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Gillian Lundgren was lured to the Bay Area by her favourite aunt and has never left. Through a long and varied career as a baker in San Francisco, from bakeries to pop ups, she founded Black Jet Baking Co. right down the block from where she got her start. She's putting down deep roots and making sure the people in her neighbourhood are well fed.

In this episode, Mark and Gillian talk about both the need for and the short life span of Hustle, how Covid forced her bakery to flip from mostly wholesale to all retail, and how Gillian keeps her creative juices flowing in all aspects of her bakery.

There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which will run again in 2025

Helpful Links

Black Jet Baking Co.

@blackjetbaker on Instagram

Support the Podcast Here!

Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website

The Bakers4Bakers Community

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Mark on Instagram

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Carly Rossmeissl wants to experience everything baking has to offer. Since graduating from baking school she's travelled from New York to Austin to Wisconsin, working with bread, cakes, desserts and even stuffed pretzels. But her work keeps coming back to two things: solving problems and building strong, happy teams. In this episode we talk about Carly's long and winding journey in baking, with some trade union talk and even a detour into Halloween costumes as well.

There is also talk about the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session coming in 2025.

Helpful Links

Madison Sourdough

@madisonsourdough on Instagram

Support the Podcast Here!

Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website

The Bakers4Bakers Community

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Mark on Instagram

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin