Volume

I had an experience that is still ringing in my ears.

I told some of my Jewish co-workers that I sold cinnamon raisin babka the other week at the Farmer's Market.

They said, "Great, how many did you sell?"

"We sold out. I made 13."

To which they gave me this look like, "13, you will never become a babka baron selling only 13!"

13 babkas felt like a lot when I was making it at 5:30AM that morning. At $6 each, I thought that was a pretty good sale for our small stand over two hours, especially combined with all the mandel bread I had baked and sold.

But then greed started to play in my mind -- like I should be aiming for $400 in sales rather than $150-200. And I had to remember why I was doing this. Not for sales, not for profit, just to build a brand, get people interested, roll out interesting product, feed the people that deserve to be fed, etc.

I saw my friend Elisha last night at the bakery. She was baking her awesome Gorilla Grains Granola for sale at a market in Greensboro. She baked 250 pounds, and said she can sell 60-80 pounds at market @ $8/pound. I was doing the mental math, and again was like, "Wow, we will only be 'successful' if we do numbers like that," and again had to restrain myself and again think about the mission. Once money gets out in front of the equation, you're done-o. I already have one job that I do for the money, and I don't need another.