I just wrapped up an entrepreneurship course through Xperiential.
The assignment: identify a problem, build a solution, test it, and present what you learned. I chose something I've been passionate about for five years—making healthy sourdough bread.
The Problem
Most people want healthier bread, but real sourdough takes time, skill, and daily starter maintenance. Meanwhile, grocery store bread is loaded with preservatives and 20+ ingredients. Real sourdough? Just four: flour, water, salt, and time.
So I thought: what if I could make authentic sourdough accessible? In the same way that I make it and store it in the freezer for myself, friends and family.
Enter: Arctic Sourdough
The concept was simple: handcrafted sourdough, flash-frozen at peak freshness. My signature loaf—Coconut Chia, made with wholesome seeds and real ingredients. The tagline practically wrote itself: Cold bread, made with warmth.
I've been baking sourdough for five years, perfecting my process, learning from every loaf. Bread freezes incredibly well—it's how I've always stored my own loaves. So why not find a way to share that with others?
The Test (AND THE BOONDOGGLE)
My first instinct was to ship nationwide. I partnered with ACI Dry Ice here in Miami, sourced professional insulated packaging, created customer instruction scrolls with handwritten signatures. The whole nine yards.
Then I got the shipping quote: $200+ per box.
To make the economics work, I'd need to charge $40+ per loaf. And let's be real—nobody's paying that for bread, no matter how good it is.
It was, as I told my class, "a pricey boondoggle."
But That's Why You Test
Here's what I learned: the product quality was perfect. Freezing works beautifully. The packaging was professional. The customer experience would have been great.
The economics just don't work. Yet.
That's what testing is for. You validate assumptions before you build the whole business around them.
The Pivot: Local First
So I'm taking a different path: local wholesale here in Miami.
Instead of shipping individual loaves nationwide for $75+ per order, I'm supplying local retailers—stores, cafes, restaurants. I wholesale at $8-10 per loaf, they retail at $14-16, customers pay fair prices, and everyone wins.
I've already started building relationships. Milam's Market in Coconut Grove has been in touch and expressed real interest. I'm also planning to apply to sell at Merrick Park Green Market on Sundays in Coral Gables to validate pricing and build the Arctic Sourdough brand.
The plan: Get licensed through Miami-Dade, finalize branding, and launch wholesale partnerships over the next four months.
Shaping INTO AN Entrepreneur
I think people imagine entrepreneurship as having a brilliant idea and executing it flawlessly. But the reality is messier.
You test. You learn your first idea doesn't work. You pivot based on data. You find industry experts (shoutout to Naomi at Madruga Bakery) who tell you to start local before going national. You listen.
You realize the competitor you thought was a threat (Domaselo selling sourdough at $7/loaf in Miami) is actually validation that the market exists.
You get real about what it takes: commercial kitchen licensing, food handler certification, liability insurance, and commissary kitchen rental. You map out next steps that are concrete, not theoretical.
And you keep going.
Where Arctic Sourdough Goes From Here
I'm not sure yet if this becomes a full-time business or stays a side project while I pursue other work. But I know I'm doing it.
Because I've spent five years making great bread. And now it's time to share it.
If you want to see my full pitch deck, check it out here.
And if you're curious about the actual baking process—starter to finished loaf—I filmed it: watch here.
Let's see where this goes. 🍞
Johnny Michael
Miami, Florida