August 19 / 4PM - 5PM ET

Guild Office Hours: Let’s Talk Pricing with Laurie Schive 

Guild Office Hours is a new virtual series exclusively for Guild members where we invite seasoned bakers and bakery professionals to share real-world advice and answer your burning questions on all things baking and the business of baking.  

This month, Laurie Schive, Co-Owner and Head Baker of Blue Loon Bakery in New London, NH and Chair of the Guild’s Board of Directors drops by to talk about pricing and menu development. Laurie will start the session with a quick dive into how she approaches pricing—what models and strategies she uses, how she sets prices that work for both her business and her customers, and tips for making the numbers make sense and make a profit.  

After that, it’s all about you. The rest of the hour is open Q&A, so come ready with your questions about pricing, cost of goods, profitability, or anything else you’ve been wondering about. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to fine-tune your pricing strategy, this is a rare chance to get real-time advice from someone who knows the numbers inside and out.  

Join us—and bring your questions! 

Laurie Schive

During a 20-year career with the Federal Government and a stint as a cybersecurity and risk consultant, Laurie taught herself to bake bread as a way to destress and learn how to recreate traditional baked goods in the many countries she visited.  After “retiring” and resettling in New Hampshire, Laurie joined the Guild to improve her bread baking skills and connect with fellow artisan bakers, with a dream of opening up her own bakery.  In 2018, the dream came true with the opening of the Blue Loon Bakery near Lake Sunapee, with a mission to bring freshly-baked breads and pastries to the local community.

August 26 / 3:00-4:30 pm ET

Book Smarts for Bakers: Using Financials to Drive Success

Virtual Small-Group Workshops with Ellen Itskovitz 

You didn’t open a bakery to become an accountant — but understanding your numbers can help you make smarter decisions and take greater control of your business. This interactive workshop is designed to help bakery owners and operators move beyond the basics and start using financial insights to make confident, strategic choices that support long-term success. 

Led by financial expert Ellen Itskovitz of the Catalytic Impact Foundation, this 90-minute session will walk you through the core financial concepts and tools you need to evaluate the health of your bakery. 

What you’ll learn: 

• How to read and interpret three key financial statements: the income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet 

• How pricing decisions affect your revenue — and how both impact your overall profitability 

• How to identify and track the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that matter most to your bakery 

• How to use financial forecasting to plan for growth or manage uncertainty 

• Real-world examples and practical tools you can apply directly to your own business 

Each virtual workshop includes a focused 45-minute presentation, followed by interactive discussion and Q&A in a small-group setting — giving you space to ask the questions most relevant to your business. 

This workshop is being offered on three separate dates (August 12, August 26 and September 9)— you can choose the session that works best for you, but space is limited.  Register today to reserve your spot! 

Presenter:  

Ellen Itskovitz, Healthcare Industry Analyst and Institutional Investment, Consultant, Catalytic Impact Foundation 

Ellen Itskovitz is a senior financial executive, with more than 30 years of Wall Street investment management and banking/capital markets experience. She has led due diligence and analyzed investment opportunities across the capital structure throughout her 20 years in the investment world. She has a keen eye for assessing business plans, recognizing operational risks and evaluating growth opportunities.  

Ellen has followed the healthcare and consumer/food industries as an analyst and institutional investor. She initially worked as an analyst and investor with Lord Abbett where she was a partner, and UBS Asset Management. Most recently she served as an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management.  Presently she is on the investment team at the Catalytic Impact Foundation (CIF) and serves on their Investment Screening Committee, helping to source and screen opportunities in healthcare for the greater CIF team. 

Prior to that Ellen had worked in banking, at ING Barings, Chase and the French Merchant Bank, Worms et Cie.  At Worms, she developed an understanding of the unique considerations of smaller organizations and companies. 

Ellen received her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, with a specialization in finance. At the Booth School, she was a recipient of the Rockwell International Fellowship. Her BA is in economics and public policy from Duke University. She is a CFA charterholder. 

She currently serves on the advisory board of the Hot Bread Kitchen incubator, a New York city not-for-profit and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Duke University NY Women’s Forum.  

September 8 / 5:00 - 6:00pm ET

Building Blocks: Enriched Dough Techniques 

Enriched doughs are the foundation of many popular breads, including brioche, challah, milk bread, and cinnamon rolls. Their richness and tender crumb make them incredibly appealing and versatile, but they also come with unique challenges. 

In this one-hour virtual lecture, Certified Master Baker Richard Charpentier—CEO and Owner of Baking Innovation—will explore the science and technique behind enriched doughs. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how sugar, eggs, fat, and dairy affect dough structure, mixing, fermentation, and the overall process and final product. Richard will address ingredient formats and functionality, formulation of doughs, and considerations in the production process critical to achieving a consistent bake. 

He’ll also discuss how a single base dough can be adapted for multiple applications, helping you expand your offerings without increasing production complexity. 

This session is designed for bread bakers, pastry chefs, and bakery teams looking to expand their enriched bread repertoire or troubleshoot persistent challenges. A Q&A will follow the presentation—bring your questions for Richard! Register today and gain valuable insights from one of the industry’s most respected bakers. 

This session is part of the Guild’s Building Blocks series and is free for Guild members and presented in partnership with Baking Innovations. 

RICHARD CHARPENTIER, CMB  

Richard is a classically trained French baker, Certified Master Baker, holds a degree in Baking Science from KSU with a minor in Cereal Chemistry, received a certification from the American Institute of Baking (AIB), plus a degree in Sales and Marketing from Benjamin Morel, France.  Richard spent the last 34 years working in the bakery industry, from the retail bakeries to large CPG Brands where he held and led Research and Development groups.  Richard understands that innovation, quality and consistency are the key factors to staying relevant in the category.  

 Richard is now the owner and creator of Baking Innovation, a speed to market innovation company, Richard’s last position was as a Senior Director of R&D for Flowers Foods.  Richard is backed by a Brain Trust group with over 400+ years of experience at his disposal.     

Richard’s unique mix of passion, creativity and science gives him the ability to rapidly create and innovate quality baking and snacking items that consumers will love.  Richard other work experience includes developing new frozen microwavable sandwich option for Healthy Choice, where he received a patent for his invention.  Richard has a strong knowledge for consistency and quality in both breads and cakes, during his career at Sterling Foods, he developed new MRE bread flavors for the US Military, and during his tenure at Hostess Brands, he extended the shelf life of all Hostess branded items from 30 days to 53 days.  Richard taught bakery classes at the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales, plus many community colleges.   Today Richard spends his time in his lab near Philadelphia, researching old world techniques, trends, and clean label ingredients to find solutions for food manufacturers for the ever-changing market.  

Whether you are looking for a partner, educator or looking to customize a new blend to take you to the next level, feel free to contact us for any questions, we would be glad to help. 

September 9 / 4:00-5:30 pm ET

Book Smarts for Bakers: Using Financials to Drive Success

Virtual Small-Group Workshops with Ellen Itskovitz 

You didn’t open a bakery to become an accountant — but understanding your numbers can help you make smarter decisions and take greater control of your business. This interactive workshop is designed to help bakery owners and operators move beyond the basics and start using financial insights to make confident, strategic choices that support long-term success. 

Led by financial expert Ellen Itskovitz of the Catalytic Impact Foundation, this 90-minute session will walk you through the core financial concepts and tools you need to evaluate the health of your bakery. 

What you’ll learn: 

• How to read and interpret three key financial statements: the income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet 

• How pricing decisions affect your revenue — and how both impact your overall profitability 

• How to identify and track the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that matter most to your bakery 

• How to use financial forecasting to plan for growth or manage uncertainty 

• Real-world examples and practical tools you can apply directly to your own business 

Each virtual workshop includes a focused 45-minute presentation, followed by interactive discussion and Q&A in a small-group setting — giving you space to ask the questions most relevant to your business. 

This workshop is being offered on three separate dates (August 12, August 26 and September 9)— you can choose the session that works best for you, but space is limited.  Register today to reserve your spot! 

Presenter:  

Ellen Itskovitz, Healthcare Industry Analyst and Institutional Investment, Consultant, Catalytic Impact Foundation 

Ellen Itskovitz is a senior financial executive, with more than 30 years of Wall Street investment management and banking/capital markets experience. She has led due diligence and analyzed investment opportunities across the capital structure throughout her 20 years in the investment world. She has a keen eye for assessing business plans, recognizing operational risks and evaluating growth opportunities.  

Ellen has followed the healthcare and consumer/food industries as an analyst and institutional investor. She initially worked as an analyst and investor with Lord Abbett where she was a partner, and UBS Asset Management. Most recently she served as an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management.  Presently she is on the investment team at the Catalytic Impact Foundation (CIF) and serves on their Investment Screening Committee, helping to source and screen opportunities in healthcare for the greater CIF team. 

Prior to that Ellen had worked in banking, at ING Barings, Chase and the French Merchant Bank, Worms et Cie.  At Worms, she developed an understanding of the unique considerations of smaller organizations and companies. 

Ellen received her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, with a specialization in finance. At the Booth School, she was a recipient of the Rockwell International Fellowship. Her BA is in economics and public policy from Duke University. She is a CFA charterholder. 

She currently serves on the advisory board of the Hot Bread Kitchen incubator, a New York city not-for-profit and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Duke University NY Women’s Forum.  

September 22 & 29 / 5:00 - 6:00pm ET

Building Blocks: Bakers Math Made Simple

A 2-Day Virtual Workshop

Bakers math is the foundation of professional bread production. Whether you're scaling for a large bake or developing a new product, understanding bakers percentages is essential for precision, efficiency, and clear communication on the bench. 

In this two-day virtual workshop, instructor Daisy Chow—Owner and Founder of Breadboard Bakery in Arlington, MA—will walk you through bakers math from the ground up—starting with the fundamentals and building toward more advanced formulas using preferments, blended flours, and multi-component doughs. Along the way, you’ll learn to: 

• Read and write formulas in standard bakers percentages 

• Assess hydration on any given formula 

• Quickly scale recipes up or down 

• Spot errors or red flags before mixing even begins 

By the end of the workshop, you’ll not only understand bakers math—you’ll be using it to work faster, smarter, and with greater confidence in every mix.  

Part 1: Monday, September 22, 5pm-6pm ET

Part 2: Monday, September 29, 5pm-6pm ET

This session is part of the Guild’s Building Blocks series and is free for Guild members. 

Daisy Chow is owner and head baker at Breadboard Bakery in Arlington, MA, which opened in late November 2019 with a focus on breads and pastries with locally grown and milled grains. Prior to running her own bakery, Daisy spent nearly 15 years as a bread baker at Clear Flour Bread in Brookline, MA (after training as an electrical engineer). She's been a BBGA member since 2004, having attended, assisted, and taught at Camp Bread and Wheatstalk baking conferences. 

Putting Bakery Management Software to Work

October 6 / 5:00 - 6:00 pm ET 

What happens when you bring bakery management software into the kitchen? In this one-hour virtual panel, hear firsthand how bakeries are integrating technology to streamline production, simplify ordering, and improve business performance. 

Join Wai Chu, Education Manager of the Bread Bakers Guild of America, as he moderates a conversation with Luke Karl, U.S. Business Development Representative at Cybake. A former bakery operator himself, Luke brings a unique dual perspective on both the technical capabilities of bakery software and how it plays out in real-world bakery settings. 

He’ll be joined by Zach Martinucci of Rebel Bread (Denver, CO), who will share how he implemented bakery management software into his day-to-day operations and what it has meant for his business. 

Together, we’ll explore: 

• Why a bakery might choose to adopt management software 

• What the implementation and onboarding process entails 

• How it can impact daily operations—from production planning to inventory and order management 

• The real-world benefits—and challenges—of adopting bakery software 

Whether you're actively exploring tools to streamline your bakery or simply curious about how software fits into the flow of a working bakehouse, this panel offers a practical, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring bakery management software to life in a bakery. 

This session is presented in partnership with Cybake.

Luke Karl 

Head of USA Operations, Cybake 

Luke Karl left a career in data analytics to become a professional baker, starting off as an apprentice and working his way to the top, eventually becoming the general manager of Dinkel’s Bakery in Chicago. 

Luke lives in Denver, Colorado, and now uses his wide-ranging expertise to help other bakers get the most out of their businesses with Cybake bakery software. 

Zach Martinucci loves telling stories about food, over food, and even through food. 

He studied Culinary Anthropology at UCLA, where he spent months in Italy cooking, eating, learning, and talking about food, before completing a Professional Bread and Viennoiserie program at the San Francisco Baking Institute. 

Zach founded Rebel Bread in 2018 – a community bakery and bread school in Denver, CO that bakes artisan bread and pastries daily for local coffee shops, restaurants, farmers markets, and home delivery. 

Zach is passionate about entrepreneurship, education, and culinary traditions. He has presented at UCLA Undergraduate Research Week, TEDxMileHigh, The Small Business Institute Conference, Metropolitan State University Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. 

Zach believes that food can (and should) tell the story of who we are. He is dedicated to inspiring our relationships with food—one community, conversation, and loaf of bread at a time. 

Social Media 

@rebelbreaddenver 

@zachmartinucci 

Guild Office Hours: Lamination with Jesse Jackson III

October 20 / 5PM - 6PM ET

This month, we’re joined by Jesse Jackson III, CMB, Baking & Pastry Instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, for a session focused on lamination. Jesse will kick things off with an overview of the lamination process, mathematical layer calculation, highlighting common issues bakers face—like butter breakage, uneven layers, or inconsistent rise—and how to troubleshoot them.   

 Then it’s over to you. The rest of the hour is devoted to open Q&A, so come prepared with your questions—whether they’re about ingredients, technique, equipment, scaling up production, or anything in between. If you’re trying to up your croissant game, this is your opportunity to get expert guidance in real time.   

 Join us—and bring your questions! 

 To learn more about Jesse, check out his recent Guild Spotlight.

Jesse Jackson III, CMB, is a Baking & Pastry Chef Instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. After working many years as a Pastry Chef in Fine dining restaurants and establishments, Jesse became an entrepreneur and opened a doughnut company in Rhode Island called Fedora Doughnuts. One door closed and another opened and Jesse became the one of the youngest CIA instructors in 2020. In 2022, Jesse became the second of only two African American Certified Master Bakers and continues to strive for more, every step of the way, while teaching his students his standards and principles of being a baking and pastry professional. 

Building Blocks: Baking with Whole Grains

October 27 / 5:00 - 6:00pm ET

Explore the foundations of whole grain baking in this informative one-hour webinar led by baker, artist, and educator Kathryn Phelan. Whole grain baking presents unique challenges and opportunities for professional bakers, and Katie will break down the science and techniques for a successful and consistent bake. 

The class begins with a look at the rising popularity of whole grain breads and why whole grains matter—both for nutrition and for flavor. You’ll learn the differences between whole grain, high-extraction, and refined flours, and examine how grain choice impacts dough rheology, process, and the qualities of the final product. Topics include:  

• Hydration, mixing, and fermentation strategies for whole grain doughs to achieve the type of bread you're looking to bake 

• How to read grain variances through test bakes, and how to translate the information into practice 

• Adjusting proofing and baking times 

• How whole grains influence flavor, texture, and crumb 

• Understanding how levels of glutenin vs gliadin proteins will influence the outcome of your dough 

You’ll leave with fresh techniques and new ways to bring out the best in whole grains. Whether you’re already working with whole grain formulas or just getting started, this session will sharpen your skills and expand your approach. 

This session is part of the Guild’s Building Blocks series and is free for Guild members. 

About the Instructor:

Katie Phelan is a baker, illustrator and educator with two decades of experience in the culinary world.  For the past 8 years, her focus has been centered on naturally leavened breads and grain varieties, and is passionate about supporting small farmers and local grain economies through research and education.  Her current home base is in Vermont, working at Elmore Mountain Bread.   

www.kathrynphelan.com