Don Guerra, owner of Barrio Bread, has created the best of both worlds, combining his love of teaching and his passion for baking. This summer, Guerra’s 12-year-old daughter, Sophia, became his star pupil.
An artisan baker, Guerra says he has loved making bread since he was a child. In 1990, he opened his first bakery in Flagstaff, The Village Baker, and a second bakery in Ashton, Oregon, a year later.
After toiling as a small-business owner for several years, Guerra sold both bakeries and moved to Tucson to earn his teaching degree at the University of Arizona. He taught math and physical education in the Tucson Unified School District for seven years. While he loved teaching, the love and lure of baking full time lingered.
In 2009, he started Barrio Bread, a Community Supported Baker. He focuses on efficient bread production and sales, utilizing e-commerce, farmers markets and other nontraditional distribution systems. He teaches baking and native seed production at the University of Arizona’s Continuing Education department.
This summer, Guerra’s most important student was his daughter.
Like her father, Sophi (her preferred name) has had a passion for baking.
“I’ve always been interested in baking,” she says. “I read cookbooks, watch cooking shows and help dad when I can.”
This summer, Guerra suggested she try to put together her own baking business. With an initial investment of $50, Sophi started baking cookies and selling side-by-side with her father at the local markets. By the end of the summer, she says she had earned over $200.
“She did it all on her own,” Guerra says. “I showed her one process, which she then expanded upon, finding her own recipes.”
Sophi developed three varieties of cookies: chocolate pecan/walnut, oatmeal raisin and chocolate chunk. She learned to experiment with white Sonoran wheat and other flours in her recipes.
Sophi says the biggest thing she learned was how to talk to customers. “I’m really pretty shy.”
With school is back in session, the busy seventh-grader says she’ll return to her business next summer. An active student at Miles Exploratory Learning Center, she is involved in the Kindness Committee, Students Working Against Tobacco and sports. And there are all those cookbooks to read in between homework.
We had some other questions for Sophi:
What is the most important ingredient you need for baking?
“For the cookies, I used white Sonoran wheat and other different flours.”
What was your favorite cookie?
“Chocolate walnut.”
What advice would you offer other kids who would look to start their own business?
“You have to put a lot into it, but it pays off if you stick with it.”
