In the season finale of Not So Small, host Sam Bauman sits down with Chris MacLeod, founder and co-owner of Laune Bread, a Minneapolis bakery that has made connection the cornerstone of their business philosophy. What began as Chris' desire to feel more connected to his work has evolved into a thriving business that prioritizes local ingredients, community building, and meaningful relationships at every level.

Chris shares his journey from working early morning shifts at commercial bakeries to creating a space where connection drives every decision. His wake-up call came when he realized he didn't even know what wheat really was, despite working with flour daily. This revelation, along with some others, eventually led him to Minnesota where he would be able to source local grains.

Chris, along with the help of his business partner Tiff Singh, have built more than just a bakery, they've created a community space where regulars know each other, staff feel supported with guaranteed hours and consistent schedules, and the energy stays positive. Chris reflects on the challenges of communication and management, sharing how he's learned to create systems that support the team's independence while maintaining the quality and values that define Laune.

Throughout the conversation, Chris offers candid insights about the challenges of small business ownership, from seasonal fluctuations and staffing decisions to the fear of losing connection to the hands-on work as the business grows. He emphasizes the importance of having a trusted business partner, maintaining physical and mental health, and staying true to your values even when easier paths present themselves.

As Laune looks toward the future, Chris envisions expanding their educational offerings, particularly working with young adults to teach whole grain baking and help people reconnect with intuitive cooking.

This episode beautifully illustrates how a business built on authentic values and genuine connection can create not just financial success, but a meaningful way of life that enriches everyone that interacts with it.

Guest Info

• Business: Laune Bread
• Guest: Chris MacLeod (he/him)
• Links: Website • Instagram

Community Shoutout(s)

• The Briar Bar (Website • Instagram)

Other Links

• Too Good To Go (Website)
• Baker's Field Flour & Mill (Website)

Send us a text

Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)

In this episode of Not So Small, host Sam Bauman interviews Dr. Michelle Haggerty, founder of Fourth Trimester Doc, a groundbreaking medical practice providing in-home care for new parents and their babies during the critical postpartum period.

Dr. Haggerty shares how her own experience as a new mother revealed the significant gaps in postpartum care, where she found herself "leaking from every orifice" yet expected to dress and travel to a clinic while her own needs were largely overlooked in favor of the baby's. This personal experience, combined with her frustration at the assembly-line nature of clinical practice, inspired her vision for a different approach: visiting families in their homes, where parents could remain comfortable while receiving comprehensive care for both themselves and their newborns.

As a family physician, Dr. Haggerty offers something unique in the field. While similar services exist elsewhere in the country (provided by pediatricians), her medical training allows her to care for both the baby and the birthing parent. Her practice features direct communication via text message, longer appointments that focus on both physical and mental health, and a relationship that feels more like "extended family" than traditional doctor-patient dynamics.

Dr. Haggerty discusses the challenges physicians face when attempting to start independent practices, noting they're actively discouraged from entrepreneurship during their training. Despite these obstacles, she created her business by taking it one day at a time, connecting with other small business owners, and participating in Goldman Sachs' 10KSB program, a mini-MBA specifically for her business.

Beyond her private practice, Dr. Haggerty has co-founded the Center for Fourth Trimester Care, a nonprofit focused on educating healthcare providers about postpartum care, teaching physicians how to start similar businesses, and advocating for improved fourth trimester support nationwide.

Her vision for the future includes expanding access to this model of care through insurance coverage and partnerships with larger businesses that could offer her services as part of their benefits packages. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Haggerty emphasizes how her current work brings her joy and energy, unlike her previous clinical experience that left her feeling burned out and drained.

Guest Info

• Business: Fourth Trimester Doc
• Guest: Dr. Michelle Haggerty (she/her)
• Links: Website • Instagram

Community Shoutout(s)

• Mother Moon Acupuncture (Website • Instagram)

Other Links

• Center for Fourth Trimester Care (Website)
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (Website)

Send us a text

Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)

In this episode of Not So Small, host Sam Bauman sits down with Dillon Duong, founder of 16ozDays, to explore how weekly coffee shop visits transformed into a thriving community-focused brand. Over the past four and a half years, Dillon has visited more than 263 local coffee shops, documenting their stories and building meaningful relationships with owners and staff along the way.

Dillon shares the evolution of his business, particularly the development of the Coffee Compass, a buy-one-get-one-free stamp book connecting coffee lovers with local shops. He details the thoughtful process behind creating this product, emphasizing how feedback from coffee shop owners led to crucial improvements that aligned with his core values of supporting local businesses rather than exploiting them.

The conversation delves into Dillon's approach to team building, revealing how his talented teammates keep him motivated through entrepreneurial challenges.

Dillon also offers candid advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, stressing the importance of showing up consistently regardless of circumstances, communicating efficiently, and being actively engaged with your business seven days a week. His story showcases how strong values and genuine interest in connecting with others can form the foundation for business success.

Guest Info

• Business: 16ozDays
• Guest: Dillon Duong (he/him)
• Links: Website • Instagram

Community Shoutout(s)

• FIELDWORK (Website • Instagram)
• The Upload Company (Website • Instagram)

Send us a text

Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)

In this episode, host Sam Bauman sits down with Melissa Seeley, co-founder of Good To Go Cups, an innovative business tackling the enormous waste problem of single-use coffee cups. Melissa and her business partner Michelle developed a circular system using compostable polymer cups that can be reused multiple times before being ground down and made into new cups. Their elegant business model makes sustainability accessible to both coffee shops and customers through a simple app-based membership program. With a background in recycling and sustainability initiatives, Melissa brings deep expertise to this mission-driven venture. She shares insights on developing their product, building relationships with coffee shops, and the challenges of changing consumer behavior. Learn how this Twin Cities-based company is expanding across the country and making it easier for coffee lovers to reduce waste one cup at a time.

Guest Info

• Business: Good To Go Cups
• Guest: Melissa Seeley (she/her)
• Links: Website • Instagram

Community Shoutout

• Business: 16ozDays
• Links: Website • Instagram

Other Links:
Reuse Minnesota

Ellen McArthur Foundation

Send us a text

Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)

In this episode of Not So Small, we sit down with Samantha Hueman, owner of Honour Coffee in Northeast Minneapolis. After years in corporate marketing left her feeling unfulfilled, Sam and her husband Luke took the leap to purchase this beloved neighborhood coffee shop, acai bowl, and raw juice bar, despite having no prior experience in the coffee industry.

Sam candidly shares her experience with impostor syndrome as a first-time business owner and how the Northeast Minneapolis community and her staff helped her overcome these challenges. She discusses her vision of creating a space centered around wellness and nourishment, where the label accurately reflects what's inside.

What started as a personal quest for fulfillment evolved into something much bigger: a community hub that supports and uplifts other small businesses. From hosting Pilates classes on the patio to featuring local artists' work, Sam has transformed Honour Coffee into more than just a coffee shop.

Listen as Sam shares valuable insights about staying true to your "North Star" amid the constant pressure to expand or change direction, and how effective communication with her team has been crucial to her success.

Guest Info

• Business: Honour Coffee
• Guest: Samantha Hueman (she/her)
• Links: Website • Instagram

Community Shoutout(s)

• Halle Rittgers: Website • Instagram
• Hadley Rittgers: Website

Send us a text

Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)

In this episode of Not So Small, host Sam Bauman sits down with Cary Hakam, licensed acupuncturist and owner of The Qi House in South Minneapolis. Cary shares his remarkable journey from studying yoga in Singapore to becoming a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner over 22 years ago.

The conversation explores Cary's unique path, including how he dreamed about his mentors three years before meeting them. He discusses the challenges of starting a healing arts center, the importance of following your heart in business, and how his practice evolved during major community events like the George Floyd protests and COVID.

Cary emphasizes the balance between running a business and maintaining authenticity and trusting your heart. The episode offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs about staying true to your values and building a business that nurtures both the community and the practitioner.

Guest Info

• Business: The Qi House
• Guest: Cary Hakam (he/him)
• Links: Website

Community Shoutout

• Laune Bread: Website • Instagram

Send us a text

Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)

In this episode of Not So Small, host Sam Bauman sits down with Andrea Storlie, owner of Nail Ninja, a nail salon in northeast Minneapolis that continues to revolutionize the local nail industry. Andrea shares her journey from being a high school dropout to becoming a business owner who not only provides exceptional nail services but also trains other nail technicians through her apprenticeship program. After 13 years of working for someone else, Andrea decided to become her own boss and create a space where she could set boundaries and do things her way. What started as a small solo suite unexpectedly grew into a thriving business. Andrea discusses the challenges of business ownership, the importance of self discipline, and her recent decision to let go of a lease on her other location to refocus on what truly brings her joy, doing nails and training others. Her refreshing perspective on growth reminds us that sometimes scaling back is the best way to move forward.

Guest Info

• Business: NAIL NINJA
• Guest: Andrea Storlie (she/her)
• Links: Website • Instagram

Community Shoutout(s)

• Little Luxuries: Website • Instagram
• The Coffee Shop NE: Website • Instagram
• The Get Down Coffee Co: Website • Instagram

Send us a text

Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)

In this episode of Not So Small, host Sam Bauman sits down with Rebecca Sansone, owner of the Mustache Cat, a vintage and modern home goods store in St. Paul. Rebecca shares her journey from corporate life to small business ownership, where she curates a unique blend of vintage pieces with stories alongside products from women-owned businesses.

Rebecca explains her philosophy that objects in our homes should tell stories and engage all five senses, creating spaces that reflect who we are. We discuss her current business venture, developing "Mustache Cat Made," a product line that includes both new products and repurposed vintage items. We also explore Rebecca's leadership approach, which includes intentional vulnerability with her team, applying valuable corporate lessons to small business, and using practical tools like an Apple Note called "Future Us Problems" to help her and her team stay focused on their vision. This conversation offers valuable insights for anyone looking to build an authentic business that reflects their personal values while creating meaningful customer experiences.

Guest Info

• Business: The Mustache Cat
• Guest: Rebecca Sansone (she/her)
• Links: Website • Instagram

Community Shoutout

• Business: As You Are Therapy
• Links: Website • Instagram

Send us a text

Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)