#165: The Kneady MBA.
An MBA had always been on my list. I ended up completing the altMBA and even added a kneady version of the MBA to my record of achievement.
«So why do you want to work with us?»
«I have always loved baking and dough keeps fascinating me. Of all living things on this planet, which I somehow contributed to, my first sourdough starter ranks third just behind my two children.»
«Great! You can start on Monday. We work 7 days a week. You can sleep in the bakery and there is a shower in the basement.»
«Perfect! I couldn’t have asked for anything more, could I?»
That was the start of my 3-week internship with Zurich’s most famous hipster baker a little more than two years ago.
My first croissant was s***. That was what he called it. However, he encouraged me to do better and expressed confidence in me. Before the end of my first week, I had learned how to properly roll a croissant and a pain au chocolat. Working the butter into the dough, a crucial step in the process of baking fluffy and buttery croissants, was something I was allowed to do on my own.
Life felt hard. Few hours of sleep, almost no social interactions, 22 hours a day spent in the same building. My body showed initial signs of weakness quite quickly. Luckily, my mother’s birthday gave me the break I needed so desperately. 20+ hours of sleep in my own bed gave me back the strength and energy I needed to return confidently and keen to learn.
My «curriculum» wasn’t just limited to the practical side of baking. My master baker tought me lessons on scaling a start-up, process outsourcing, sales channel development, social media marketing, product pricing strategy and, last but not least, brand building. Most of those conversations took place while mixing the dough, rolling the croissants or packing the baked products for early morning delivery to the shops. It was all hands-on.
What about my contribution? Good question.
He could rely on me. I learned how valuable that can be when you are in charge of almost everything.
However, I also surprised my boss with the glossiest version of a croissant ever. Since I had no social life whatsoever during my internship, I didn’t mind applying the egg wash twice. It caught his eye immediately and didn’t take long for him to request «Roman’s super gloss» on Saturdays going forward.
The Kneady MBA.
A hands-on learning experience of how to successfully operate a baking business and develop a strong brand.
