Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Glaser.
Hi Lauren, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was in college the career counselor I met with advised me to imagine my dream job and then work backwards to get there. Naturally I assumed the way you become a flavor guru at Ben & Jerry’s was by coming up with fun ice cream flavors that were musical puns. Turns out I was wrong, but I came up with some great ideas in the process of trying. When I started making ice cream at home I was surprised how much my friends and family loved it because I couldn’t taste them myself because of my food allergies. I started to think maybe, just maybe now I can get a job at Ben & Jerry’s. My mother told me I was better off trying to be their competitor than their employee so I decided to start an ice cream company and bakery. Instead of our flavors being musical puns, they’re culinary embodiments of artists. We started with small pop-ups and events, expanded into weddings, and will soon launch a national subscription service for our ice cream and cookies. We also launched a line of toasted dry milk powder blends that are sold through our website.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think its a smooth road for any business. This business has been completely bootstrapped so I am doing everything myself. That has required me to learn a lot and do things in small pieces because I am so stretched. Working out of a commercial kitchen is complicated. Access and communication have been issues I’ve faced along the way. I have dealt with a lot of health problems. I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis in December of last year and we still haven’t gotten things stabilized. To say its hard to work in a kitchen for hours on end when you have a neuromuscular disorder is an understatement. Finding kitchens that will accommodate the schedule I need is hard because many want you there for a certain number of hours at a time and not everyone is understanding because “I don’t look sick”.
As you know, we’re big fans of Solsbury Hill Scoop Shoppe and Bakery. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
In the same way Peter Gabriel’s music showcases different genres and tempos, our scratch made artisan cookies, ice cream, pastries, and candies are a culinary exploration of different textures and flavors. Made from locally sourced ingredients, our confectionaries are crafted so people can experience food in a fun new way. Our ice cream flavors are culinary expressions of different artists. Our cookies are crafted to blend different flavors and cuisines. We also sell the only toasted dry milk powder line on the market.
What were you like growing up?
I was nerdy. I always wanted to understand everything on a cellular level. I loved learning. What gave me the most peace was making people happy and bringing people a sense of calm. I enjoyed helping people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.solsburyhillscoopshoppe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solsburyhillscoopshoppe/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092467895032
