Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Theisen.
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?
I’ve always loved baking, and really just being in the kitchen since I was a little girl. I was always the kid bringing dessert to family parties and experimenting in the kitchen. I never really considered it as a career option though, so after high school I went to college to study Math and began working as an engineer. Funny enough, the second week of my engineering job I visited a culinary school and applied… but convinced myself it wasn’t right for me. Fast forward 5 years, I start to experience some digestive health issues which eventually I attribute to gluten and then I see the culinary school I had visited had a Health Supportive Culinary Arts Program! This seemed perfect for me with my interest in the culinary world and using food as medicine. After visiting the info sesh for it I knew I had to attend, and I absolutely loved every minute of it. After finishing the program, I quit my engineering job and began working full time in a kitchen, Girl and the Goat as a line cook. However, pastry was still calling to me, so I transitioned to working in bakeries, all the while being gluten-free. At these bakeries, Nonna Mercato and Rye Goods I learned a lot about bread and pastry and eventually was able to apply these skills to gluten-free baking. Fueled by an obsession with gluten-free sourdough and creating healthy and delicious desserts, Picking Flours was born.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course there are always struggles along the way, major or minor! It was definitely difficult for me to make big decisions like quitting my engineering job to pursue my passion, and then quitting my job at the bakery to pursue my business full-time. It’s scary to bet on yourself and take risks especially when you can never be certain of the outcome. My business is still young, and I definitely struggle with self-doubt as well especially if I have a slower week. But I think it’s important to just keep going, have a short memory for negativity, and remember that it’s a learning and growing process. And to also be grateful for all the blessings, my wonderful loved ones who support me, and my amazing customers who allow me to do what I love every day.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I run a gluten-free, organic, allergen-friendly Cottage Food Bakery called Picking Flours. I make gluten-free sourdough bread and gluten-free cookies. I sell these through my website and to many cafes and restaurants in Orange County. I would say my specialty is the gluten-free sourdough. I use a sorghum sourdough starter for all the breads and in total they go through a 24-36 hour fermentation. This makes the bread much more digestible and flavorful. The breads have no refined sugar, refined oils, gums, eggs, dairy or nuts. It’s important to me to keep the ingredients simple and keep the food accessible for people with all kinds of allergies and restrictions. The cookies as well use simple and healthy ingredients. They will be fully-refined sugar free soon when I add refined-sugar free chocolate to my inventory! I love to showcase different gluten-free flours like grassy Teff flour or nutty Tigernut flour as well. I really think what sets me apart and what I’m most proud of is the gluten-free sourdough. It’s delicious, I eat it every day with avocado, and I’m so happy to offer an option like this without all the additives you find in many other gluten-free breads.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Well I think it’s important to realize that everything takes time. You don’t grow overnight although it may seem like that on social media. But it really takes consistency and determination. Also, I don’t think you can ever have enough marketing. You have to put yourself out there and be ok with rejection. This is something I’m still working on of course! And you know what, you’re not going to feel positive and motivated every day, but just keep showing up, and try not to give yourself a hard time for making mistakes. It’s all a learning and growing process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pickingflours.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickingfloursbakery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PickingFloursBakery
