The 4 Things to Do Before Selling Your Sourdough Bread | Episode 85

mikalonte
May 29, 2025
3 min read

It’s one thing to bake sourdough you love. It’s another thing entirely to sell it to people—and to do it in a way that doesn’t leave you overwhelmed or burnt out. If you’ve been thinking about turning your baking into a business (or you already started but feel like something’s missing), there are a few things I want to make sure you’ve done before selling your first loaf.

Not because you need to be perfect—but because a strong foundation will serve you well.

Here are four essential steps to take before you start selling your bread:

1. Know Your Local Cottage Food Laws

Every state is different, and even within states, some counties and cities have their own rules. Before you sell anything—even to a friend—make sure you know what’s required.

Questions to ask:

Does your state allow cottage food operations?
Are there rules about where and how you can sell?
What labeling requirements do you need to meet?
Do you need a permit, registration, or inspection?

This isn’t the fun stuff. But it’s important. And handling it now can save you a lot of stress later.

2. Strengthen Your Starter

You don’t need to be a professional baker to sell good bread. But your starter needs to be strong, healthy, and consistent.

What this means:

You should be feeding it regularly.
It should rise and fall predictably.
You should be able to bake with it on a schedule.

If your starter is moody or unreliable, focus on getting it in a good rhythm before adding the pressure of orders.

3. Practice Your Bulk Bake Process

There’s a big difference between baking one or two loaves and baking a dozen (or more). Before you accept money from anyone, practice baking in bulk. See how it feels to mix, shape, and bake on a schedule.

Try this:

Set a “mock” bake day.
Bake the number of loaves you think you could reasonably sell.
Time everything—from starter feeding to shaping to baking to cleanup.

This will give you clarity on how long things take and where you might need to adjust.

4. Count the Cost (and Set Real Expectations)

Running a microbakery isn’t just baking. It’s prepping. Cleaning. Packing. Communicating with customers. Managing payments. And more.

Ask yourself:

How much time do I realistically have for this?
What’s my capacity in this season?
What kind of profit do I want or need to make?

This step matters. Not because you need to have everything figured out, but because it helps you start from a place of honesty—so you can grow in a way that works for your life.

Final Thoughts

If you’re feeling behind or unsure if you’re “ready,” I want you to hear this: there is no perfect timeline. You can build slowly. You can take your time. The important thing is to build something that lasts—and that you still love a year or two down the road.

Take the time to get your foundation in place. Understand your laws. Strengthen your starter. Practice your process. Know your limits.

And then, when you’re ready, you can step into selling with confidence and clarity.

Resources & Links

🥖🏆 The Bread Winner Inner Circle is finally open for the next cohort! With just 30 spots, it'll fill fast! Click here for the details and to sign up! www.carolinebower.com/innercircle 🥖🏆
Join the Bread Winner Network: www.carolinebower.com/bwnetwork
Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more here!
Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough
Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!