Mother in Billings transforms love for baking into successful sourdough business

Amanda Flann began growing her own sourdough starter in January 2022 and soon after launched a direct-to-consumer, porch-pickup baked goods business in June of the same year. Throughout her baking process, her three-year-old daughter, Scottie, is always nearby lending a helpful hand.

Flann expressed the importance of wanting her daughter to feel like a priority and not take a backseat to her work. The business, called As Much As You Knead, was started during a challenging time in Flann’s life, and she found baking to be a comforting outlet. She also wanted to create a business that would allow her to stay home with her daughter.

In December 2022, Flann began offering sourdough-making classes, combining her passion for baking with her love of connecting with people. For Mother’s Day last year, she offered pre-painted bread decorated with flowers as a unique gift. Now, she and her daughter are preparing to host a class where parents and children can create their own painted bread together.

The upcoming “Mommy & Me Sourdough Painting” class will take place at Poly’s Place Coffee on Saturday, May 11, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The registration fee is $45, and participants will receive a fresh-baked sourdough loaf to decorate using food-safe paint and markers. Flann is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside her young daughter, calling her “my littlest best friend.”