Meet Heather Byrd | Baker, recipe developer, and entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heather Byrd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heather, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted to have the option for good gluten free baked goods. Often, the breads and cookies at the grocery store are stale, crumbly, and expensive. I wanted to have options for those, like me, who wanted to eat and enjoy what they were eating.

After being diagnosed with celiac disease 8 years ago, I have adjusted recipes and made gluten free food taste like normal food.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I work full time as an accountant, but make baking my full time hobby. It was hard to get started and the gluten free community is small. It was hard to build a client base, but as more people tried my baked goods my business expanded more and more.

I have learned to bake and share my talents even if no one is interested. It’s hard work to build clients but I love the challenge!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Laramie so I love to be outside. I love to hike in the Snowy’s, vedawoo, and curt gowdy. Laramie has a beautiful green belt and I love going in walks there.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom deserves credit in my gluten free baking journey. My mom went back to school when I was 16. So I took the cooking and baking over for my family. This was years before my gluten free diagnosis. Without her encouragement, I would have never started in the kitchen. She continues to encourage me to try new recipes and grow my business.

Instagram: @glutenly.obsessed

Facebook: Glutenly Obsessed