Today we’d like to introduce you to Margaret (MJ) Mishek.
Hi Margaret (MJ), we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, my grandparents owned one of the first Chinese restaurants in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, called Jimmie Dips. In many ways, I’ve always grown up in the kitchen—surrounded by family, food, and community.
Now that I have two daughters, Evelyn (4) and Florence (1.5), I wanted to create those same kinds of memories for them in our home in Shawnee, Kansas.
What began as a simple baking hobby with my girls has since grown into a full-fledged business. We named it Eb and Flo Bread Co. after them—because they’re the real stars of the bakery.
We started by baking for neighbors, friends, and family, and they were the ones who encouraged me to take the leap and start a micro-bakery from home. Since launching in March 2025, we’ve offered porch pickup and become regular vendors at the Mission Market on Thursdays and the Waldo Farmers Market on Saturdays. We’ve also partnered with other small businesses across Kansas City.
Today, we bake between 60–150 sourdough loaves per week, more than 20 tins of cinnamon rolls, and a rotating variety of sourdough treats. Thanks to the growing demand, I was able to leave my 9–5 career in marketing and public relations to pursue my dream of running a small business.
While I manage the day-to-day operations of Eb and Flo Bread Co., Evelyn and Florence are truly the heart of the micro-bakery. We’re so proud to share a piece of our family with the community through our homemade sourdough bread and goods.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road—but that’s part of what makes the journey meaningful.
Starting a micro-bakery from home while raising two young children has come with plenty of challenges. Balancing early morning baking schedules with preschool drop-offs required a lot of trial and error. There were moments of self-doubt, burnout, and learning the hard way about everything from food safety regulations, cottage bakery laws, to time management.
Transitioning from a stable 9–5 career in marketing to running a small business was also a leap of faith. There were no guarantees—just a lot of late nights, stacks of dough bins on our kitchen counters, and hope that the community would respond to what we were creating.
But each struggle has brought its own lesson, and each bump in the road has pushed me to grow—not just as a business owner, but as a mom, a baker, and a person. I’ve learned that progress isn’t always linear and that small wins add up over time.
I’m still learning every day, but the support from our customers and community keeps me going—and so do the little voices in my kitchen reminding me why I started this in the first place.
As you know, we’re big fans of Eb and Flo Bread Co.. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Eb and Flo Bread Co. is a family-run micro-bakery based in Shawnee, Kansas, specializing in small-batch sourdough bread and baked goods. What started as a hobby baking with my daughters, Evelyn and Florence, has grown into a thriving home-based business built on community, quality, and heart.
We’re best known for our naturally leavened sourdough loaves—crafted with care, long fermentation, and high-quality ingredients. We offer a rotating menu that includes traditional sourdough loaves, specialty flavors (like everything bagel seasoning or blueberry cream cheese), and sweet treats like our popular cinnamon rolls. Every item is made by hand in our home kitchen and available through porch pickup or at local markets.
What sets us apart is the personal touch behind everything we do. Each loaf is made with love—and often, with my two little helpers. We’re not just baking bread; we’re sharing a piece of our family story, rooted in tradition and made fresh for our community.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the fact that we’ve created something meaningful from the ground up—a business that reflects our values, brings people joy, and helps build connections around the table. We’ve grown organically through word of mouth and neighborly support, and that’s something we don’t take for granted.
We want readers to know that Eb and Flo Bread Co. is more than a bakery—it’s a reminder that good things take time, that food can bring people together, and that even the smallest business can rise into something beautiful when built with love.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
How I Built This with Guy Raz has been a great podcast to listen to as a new entrepreneur to learn from other small business and their journeys.
Pricing:
- Sourdough Loaves $11-$13
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls (6) $15
- Sourdough Pretzel Bites $8
- Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies ($11)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ebandflobreadco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebandflobreadco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ebandflobreadco
Image Credits
Nathan Carter (Instagram: @SkateCarter)
