Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Peterson.
Hi Charlotte, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have had a love of baking ever since I can remember. I would bake foods out of my mom’s Betty Crocker book, experiment with changing recipes and creating new things to eat. The kitchen was my science lab. As I moved into my teenage years I struggled with my health and began studying the way food reacts with our bodies and in my 20’s I became a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. I also became a wife and a mother. My family really drove my desire to design food based on the body’s needs for nourishment. My husband’s need in particular for a mostly gluten, dairy and nut free diet really developed my skills.
For the first couple years after I became an NTP I went the clinical route: meeting with clients and making lifestyle and supplement recommendations based on their needs. I even designed a fully functional 12 week online program for Christian moms who struggled with depression and a gamified health app. I had virtually stopped baking and focused only on the “healthiest” of foods and building my online business. I told myself it would be too ironic and counter-intuitive to bake since I knew the dangers of sugar and desserts and blah blah blah. I had become too obsessed with “healthy” foods and hit a brick wall of disdain for the business I’d built. So I quit it all. I disappeared from my online presence and shut it all down.
After a year long recovery I got a job as a cook/baker for a senior center and again found my love for baking and creating amazing delicious foods. It was there that I got asked to make a gluten free wedding cake for a dear friend’s granddaughter. I was nervous, amazed, shocked, excited and anxious as all get out. But I practiced a lot, made the cake and boom, there was my next business venture all laid out for me. I’ve made wedding cakes, birthday cakes, cupcakes of all kinds, breads, tortilla’s, truffles, cookies and much more. All of my baked goods are gluten free and can be designed for the customers dietary needs. With my Nutritional background and my love for delicious alternatives I have found my true passion.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not a smooth road, haha!
Becoming a wife/mother and navigating very unfamiliar territory there.
Physical and mental health challenges.
Realizing I’d built myself a clinical career I disliked and shutting it all down.
Job loss, regularly moving cities, and the list goes on.
A lot of self discovery, growth and failure. In the entrepreneurial world, failure is inevitable, important and incredible for grit and learning. Without the bumps and the failures I wouldn’t be a quarter of the person I am today.
As you know, we’re big fans of Char’s GF Bakes. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I specialize in creating foods for supporting the body and for those who have dietary needs.
The baked goods and food that I make are always gluten free and can be free from:
dairy
eggs
corn
soy
oats
nuts
seed oils
artificial sweeteners and dyes
And typically any other dietary accommodations you need can be met.
I’m definitely most proud that I use the highest quality ingredients I can find or make. Organic ingredients, natural sugars, avocado oil, grass-fed butters, pasture-raised eggs, high end dairy free alternative milks and butters, flours that are low on the glycemic index etc. I don’t take shortcuts that compromise quality or flavor. I spend a lot of time formulating and creating from scratch recipes that taste yummy and support the needs of my customers, friends and family.
This is a labor of love for me and I hope to continue baking for others for a long time.
I worked out of a Gluten Free restaurant in Provo called Locals that kick started a lot of this for me. I’m currently seeking my own place and will hopefully have my own brick and mortar store in the near future. For now I take orders from my home in Spanish Fork.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
To put it simply, the process of recalculating is the most important lesson I’ve learned.
Life is ever changing, our desires and interests ebb and flow and curve balls get thrown at us. Being able to pivot even the smallest things in life, can be the difference between thriving and just surviving. James Clear’s book “Atomic Habits” is a wonderful example of this principle. I also consider myself quite a religious person and a deep thinker. With what I believe to be the power of God and my vision for my life, the process of recalculating becomes a beautiful and natural part of my day to day. The fog of confusion and anxiety for my future endeavors become obsolete and the ebb and flow truly does ebb and flow.
Pricing:
- Custom cakes range from $10 (mini cakes) all the way into the hundreds for larger and more elaberate cakes. I work with all my customers directly to ensure the most accurate orders.
- Bread loafs range from $12-16
- Always contact me for the most accurate pricing on any items.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://charsgfbakes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chars.gf.bakes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GqYF4s5yU/
- Other: char@charsgfbakes.com
