CRANSTON, RI — The Bread Bakers Guild of America (BBGA) is accepting applications for its next Bakery Leadership Circle cohort, which begins July 29.
The three-month program helps bakery owners and operators address some of their most pressing adaptive challenges, such as ingredient sourcing, production scheduling and staff retention. A facilitated peer-consulting framework serves as the foundation for the process.
“Over the past three months, 30 bakery owners and operators from bakeries of various sizes and years in operation have come together to develop their leadership skills and address adaptive business challenges through peer consultation,” said Karen Bornarth, executive director of BBGA, about the current cohort. “In the next phase of the program, our leaders will set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) goals for their businesses.”
Bornarth facilitates the program with Mark Dyck, a long-time BBGA member and former owner of Orange Boot Bakery. He’s also the creator and host of “Rise Up! The Baker Podcast,” and founder of Bakers4Bakers.org, a global community of bakery owners working to build sustainable bakeries.
In addition to developing action plans to address their adaptive challenges, Bakery Leadership Circle participants also learn new leadership and problem-solving techniques and have the opportunity to network with peers.
Depending on their needs, participants may work together to refine job descriptions, design performance evaluations, cross-train staff, create operational flexibility, write product specifications, establish standard operating procedures, plan for expansion, or define a succession plan, among other goals.
“Common among these goals is the recognition that change is necessary because the old ways aren’t working,” Bornarth said. “This applies to both long-established bakeries — the oldest bakery in our cohort started in 1977 — and newer ones. And meaningful change requires real leadership: Setting a vision, driving innovation, having tough conversations and inspiring motivation.”
The program is open to bakery owners and senior-level operators who have been in business for at least three years and have at least five employees. Admission to the Bakery Leadership Circle is by application.
