 This isn't a trick, the Loaf makes amazing organic, paleo and gluten-free breads and cookies that are definitely a treat! We bet you have tried a gluten-free treat in your lifetime that left a little something to be desired. Well not so with the delicious offerings from the Loaf! We sat down with owner and founder Johanna Dasteel to find out about why she started the Loaf and her philosophy behind why conscientious consumers deserve to enjoy tasty food!
UMLF: Johanna, tell us about your background and why you started the Loaf. Johanna: I started The Loaf because so many people I love were struggling to find organic, delicious food without grains, dairy, or other inflammatory ingredients. What began as baking for myself turned into baking for friends, family...and now for for all of my customers! Introducing The Loaf: the first and only certified organic & paleo bread company in the country. We go beyond paleo: you'll never find gums, yeast, psyllium husk, flax, additives, or preservatives. Treat yourself while loving your body! UMLF: You are both certified organic and gluten free. That’s awesome! Why is this important to the Loaf? Johanna: The Paleo way of eating prioritizes organic over conventional food, yet none of the paleo breads on the market were certified organic until I founded The Loaf. I was looking for products like mine in the grocery store and it turns out that a lot of other people were looking for the same thing! All of The Loaf’s products are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility so as to avoid cross-contamination with gluten-containing ingredients. Many, many of my customers have Celiac’s Disease and are very allergic to gluten. So, producing our products in a dedicated facility is critical for our customers. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? Johanna: Great question! There are so many instances to choose from - it seems like I ride highs and lows day-to-day. Reaching my customer base has been a big, continuing challenge. You can put up a website and set up operations, but breaking through the Google SEO system and getting into stores is not as straight-forward as it may seem. In order to reach my customers, I stayed focus, incorporated the feedback of retail buyers I was pitching my products to, enlisted the services of marketing and advertising professionals, and pursued accounts with a dogged determination. I’ve even pinged buyers more than 20 times - emails, phone calls, office visits - before receiving a response or setting up an account . At some point, the buyers start coming to you, but you have to make a reputation for yourself and prove your concept and your sales before that happens. Persistence is crucial. UMLF: How do you believe the Utah Microloan Fund has helped you and your business? Johanna: UMLF came through with funding for me without which I wouldn’t have been able to finance the growth that my business needed at a critical time. I didn’t qualify for conventional business loans at the time and am incredibly grateful for the kind of funding that UMLF offers as well as their continued support and services. UMLF: Tell us where we can find your products? Johanna: Thanks for asking! You can find my products in Utah at Liberty Heights Fresh, Liberty Park Farmer's Market, Downtown Farmer's Market, Three Pines Coffee, The Market at Park City, Redmond Heritage Farm Stores, and Erewhon, a change of organic grocery stores in Los Angeles. You will soon be able to find us at HelloBulk Market in Salt Lake City and Whole Foods throughout the Rocky Mountain Region. You can also order our products through our website: www.theloafgrainfree.com. We ship nationwide! To buy online or to find a local stockist visit:
 School is back in session and families are busier than ever. From parents working, carpools to and from school, sports, dance practice, church activities, family outings, errands and shopping, the grind never ends! So who is there for busy families who need a break? AJ's Treehouse! AJ's Treehouse is the Salt Lake valley's premier drop-in childcare located in Sandy, Utah. AJ's is a parent's dream because they are open late and weekends and no reservation is necessary. In addition, they offer a dynamic preschool program focused on engaged learning for children two and up. Whether you need a few hours or the whole day, AJ's is the perfect place for children to learn, grow and play. We sat down with owner Angela Hill to get the scoop on the treehouse, her passion for children's learning and why she felt her business was necessary for Utah parents.
UMLF: Angela what inspired you to start AJ’s Treehouse? Angela: As a single mother, I know firsthand the challenges of trying to find quality childcare for my family. Years ago, I had to move across the country for my job and I knew no one in the area. It was such a challenge to be able to work, run errands and even clean my house without reliable childcare for my daughter. I then finally discovered an hourly, drop-in daycare facility in the area and it changed my life. I then wondered why there weren't more of these options for busy parents like me. When I returned to Utah I discovered there was only one drop-in place in the entire state and I knew right then that there needed to be more. I opened AJ's in March of 2017 and it has felt amazing to provide this service to my community and a great experience getting to know all of these families. The best part is I get to be with my daughter every day as well. UMLF: What makes you different from other childcare providers in the area? Angela: There are three big factors I believe set AJ's apart. First is our flexibility, we offer drop-in and hourly childcare so you don't have to pay for an entire day if you only need a couple of hours. We are also awesome because if you are in a pinch, there is no reservation necessary. Secondly, we offer discounts for families with multiple children who attend our center because we know how costly it can be. Thirdly, we offer preschool for children two and up. So not only are your children playing with friends they are also learning while they are at our center. UMLF: Tell us about your center, and why kids love to come play? Angela: The thing that I love about our center is that there is a lot of different options for kids to choose from. We have an interactive game that is projected onto the floor, a life-size treehouse, a hands-on creativity corner, an art area, tons of books to choose from, a playhouse and more. So no matter what your child is into it, they will be learning and entertained. They will also make fast friends! UMLF: You obviously have a lot of happy families coming back again and again to your center. What is your favorite feedback you have ever received? Angela: I love when parents tell me that we saved their lives because it was short notice and they all of the sudden needed help with their children and we were able to be there. It could be something fell through, a medical emergency, really anything and we have been there for these families. It really makes me and my staff feel so rewarded. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? Angela: If I could do things over again, my advice would be to get a good, reputable accountant right out of the gate and not rely on friends to help you. I trusted the wrong people and it ended up getting me into trouble. I would also tell other business owners to really take advantage of the free classes and resources that are out there. Lastly, I would tell people to work on their business every single day. UMLF: How do you believe the Utah Microloan Fund has helped you and your business? Angela: Where do I even begin? The UMLF not only provided the funds to start and then grow my business but then they also became incredibly invested in my success. They offer classes as well as a dedicated person on their team that will help me with anything I need. I even went through their Banking on Women program. Banking on Women was so helpful because it gave me more insight into building a business, an awesome group of women that supports one another and it gave me the confidence to be an entrepreneur. UMLF: And lastly for fun, if you were a Crayola crayon, what color would you be and why? Angela: I think Vivid Violet! I love purple and it has always been my favorite color. :) To stay in touch with AJ's Treehouse visit:
Drool is a Utah-born dog biscuit company created by dog people for dog people's dogs. They are based out of Park City where the dog population currently outnumbers the people! They bake small batch, artisanal dog biscuits from all natural, human-grade ingredients. Small-batch summarizes the level of commitment Drool owners Kris Johnson and Sadie Gabler have for their product as they strive to keep all ingredients real and as locally-sourced as they can. And yes, you can even eat them if you want! We think they're pretty tasty, if we don’t say so ourselves! We sat down with Sadie and Kris to learn more about the magic behind their treats, keep reading to learn more! UMLF: Sadie and Kris, what inspired you to start creating the best gourmet dog treats this side of the Mississippi? Drool: Drool has been a dream for many years. The inspiration for our treats came from discovering that many of the diseases and premature death of our family pets stems from poor nutrition. If we feed our pets wholesome, real food diseases like cancer and diabetes can be prevented sometimes even cured. Our passion is to educate dog owners and raise awareness around what good dog nutrition looks like all the way down to the treats that we give them. Our hope is that we can help dog owners understand the importance of good nutrition to help extend the life of their family pet! UMLF: Tell us about Drool, what makes you different from other dog treats out there? Drool: Love, each biscuit is hand-cut. Our small batch biscuits are made with love by dog people for dog peoples' dogs. We want people to feel good about what they’re feeding their dogs and we want them to have fun doing it so we make treats that have a human appeal. For example, our Apple Crisp Biscuit, you can see the dehydrated chunks of real apples in each biscuit or our PB&Js made with organic jelly. We think that sets us apart from all the rest! UMLF: What is your favorite treat currently on the menu? Drool: Our chicken soup biscuit is our current favorite. We slow cook a whole chicken with carrots and celery. We then take the broth to use in the biscuit along with the carrots and celery, including the skin from the chicken that we dehydrate. This makes the most amazing nutritious biscuit you can with minimal waste, everything but the bone goes into these! UMLF: Do you see a difference in being a parent to a dog vs a child? Drool: Haha well being a parent to a dog is definitely different. First off a dog is always happy to see you, as children get older they often dread the site of you. A dog will also forgive you almost instantly even when you step on them when they get underfoot! I can’t say the same for a child. ;) UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? Drool: The start has been the hardest part to date because we knew coming into this we were going into a saturated market. Keeping the faith that what we are doing can and will make a difference is what keeps us motivated to stay the course. UMLF: How do you believe the Utah Microloan Fund has helped you and your business? Drool: We would still be a dream without the UMLF believing in us and giving us the financial start to follow our dreams. The continued support from everyone on the team and the free trainings we have received is more than we ever expected UMLF: Where can people find your delicious treats? Drool: We are currently selling our biscuits at: The Market in PC, The Store in Cottonwood Heights, The Store on 900 So and 100 West, Hugo’s Coffee in PC, Food Town in Kamas and now at BlueSky Resort in PC. UMLF: Do you have any events coming up? Drool: Yes! We will be at HelloBulk! to talk about what good nutrition should look like for your furry four-legged family member! We will be making our Mutt Loaf using high quality, human grade real food. If you want your pup to live a long and healthy life join us August 30th from 7 - 8:30pm to learn more about what you can do to extend the life of your pet. HelloBulk! is located at 355 N 500 W and they recommend that people park along 300 or 400 south and walk over. Drinks and snacks will be provided! Thanks for sitting down with us ladies! To shop their amazing treats and to stay in touch with Drool visit: |
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