Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Quinones.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The pandemic created a small business boom. Wildflour was built out of my home kitchen in Monrovia, California. In March of 2020, life slowed down to a screeching halt. My per diem Registered Nurse position in an outpatient surgical center nearly stopped for 2 months. Los Angeles County health department asked elective surgery centers to decrease volume amid the personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage. My surgical center quickly pivoted to decrease volume, find N95s for staff, and implement covid testing for patients. I was home with two kids who were now distance learning. It was a scary and difficult transition. All our sporting and social events were canceled. For the very first time, life felt like it stood still.
I needed an outlet to occupy my mind from all that was happening in 2020. Like many others, I taught myself how to make sourdough bread. Pre-pandemic I was always on the go. Sourdough taught me to slow down and wait. It was eerily similar to how life felt. I wanted everything to go back to normal quickly, but I had to wait. I became addicted to making sourdough. When I returned to work, I would bring bread to share with my co-workers. They were so impressed they started requesting to buy loaves. I resisted selling at first. I never planned on starting my own business. However, my co-workers would literally place money in my pocket and say, “Just bring it in when you can.” That is how Wildflour was born. Sourdough was a hobby that got me through the pandemic and grew to become a micro-bakery.
If I knew then what I know now, there would have been no hesitation in starting this business. In a short eighteen months, I have built many great working relationships with other small businesses. I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Iler Woods, Iler Meadows, and Femme & Forage. I also had the privilege of working with Simply Bread Company’s product photoshoot in Los Angeles. It was amazing working with Simply Bread Company because they make an incredible oven. I own a Simply Bread Oven myself. Currently, my sourdough is available at Grey & Cash, a hip local coffee, breakfast, and lunch spot located in the heart of Old Town Monrovia.
I feel Wildflour has been successful because I have focused on delivering the best possible product with quality ingredients. I am grateful for the support of my community and peers. The cottage sourdough baking community is very supportive. My instagram DM’s are filled with cottage bakers offering advice and learning from each other. I am blessed to have fallen into such a great profession. I am excited to see where this business will go next.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a small business isn’t always a smooth road. This is my first time ever taking on so much financial risk. It’s scary making huge financial investments. I started off small, baking two loaves at a time from my home oven. As the months progressed and my orders increased, I felt more confident in making the investment into a semi-commercial oven. The overhead costs are steep when you are not selling high volumes. I am a year and a half into my business and sales are starting to hit a steady stride. I now have a wholesale buyer in addition to personal sales. Demand has increased so much I may need to increase the number of bake days during the week to comfortably fulfill all orders. It is becoming increasingly difficult to balance Wildflour with my Nursing career. Decisions about leaving my nursing job are always being re-evaluated. I do not know how much longer I can physically juggle both. My small business is run strictly by word of mouth. I do not have a brick and mortar store. I rely on social media and artisan events to find new customers. My business day includes recipe testing, making social media content, sourcing ingredients, baking, cleaning the bakery, packaging, delivering, managing a website and customer orders while maintaining another job and managing a household. It is extremely rewarding and exhausting. I have poured my heart and soul into Wildflour, and it has never been in a better position. Several questions loom over me daily. Do I quit my day job? Do I hire someone to help? Can I afford to hire someone? These are good problems to have, but they are problems I struggle with daily.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Wildflour Artisan Sourdough?
Wildflour Artisan Sourdough is a female-owned and operated micro-bakery located in the charming town of Monrovia, California. I bake artisan sourdough loaves, focaccia, and pastry from a home kitchen. Wildflour is a small batch, hand-crafted, from-scratch bakery. I take sourcing of ingredients very seriously. I take pride is sourcing local, organic, heritage, and ancient grains from local farmers interested in sustainable and regenerative practices. I invest in heritage and heirloom grains to support grain biodiversity. The menu is inspired by seasonal ingredients. I enjoy pushing the boundaries of a traditional bakery. The menu changes weekly to offer something new, different, and delicious. I mill whole wheat berries in-house to provide the sourdough with the full health benefit of freshly milled grains. The sourdough is fermented for 18-24 hours to help aid-in digestion and develop intense flavor. My goal is to give customers the finest products with the best quality ingredients. Wildflour is known for its unique sourdough focaccias and cookies. The cookies are made with whole grains and sourdough culture. When people taste our cookies, they often say, “I have never tasted so many wonderful flavors in one bite.”
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory is cooking with my grandmother (Nana). Nana was a phenomenal cook. She lived in the kitchen. I called it her office. She made homemade tortillas every day! Let me repeat… Everyday! My Nana really spoiled us with food, and she was a great listener. She let me into her “office” when I was 10 years old. She was short-statured with grease-coated glasses. I still can see her over a stove pushing up her glasses that would slide down her nose. She always cooked with a smile and always had something to laugh about. I was the sous chef in her kitchen. I shredded lots of cheese and lettuce for taco night. We loved spending time together in the kitchen. We talked about owning a restaurant and we would call it Nanita’s. I didn’t know then how the time I spent with her would impact the person I became in the kitchen. After cooking the best conversations and memories happened. Meals made with love are meals not forgotten.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wildflourartisansourdough.com
- Instagram: wildflour.la
- Facebook: Wildflour Artisan Sourdough
Image Credits
Photographs by Matt Furman and Joshua Quinones
