Rise Bakery, Artisan Bread, and Building a Sustainable Business | Episode 55 with Julian Loue

On this episode of Sunday Afternoon Smokes, I sit down with Julian Loue, founder of Rise Bakery, for a conversation about craft, restraint, and building something that lasts. Julian’s path to owning a bakery wasn’t immediate or linear. After spending years in the automotive industry, baking began as a personal interest, grew quietly during the pandemic, and eventually moved from a home kitchen to the TR Farmers Market before becoming a brick-and-mortar bakery in 2022. We spend time in the work itself — what a normal baking day actually looks like, the scale of producing bread week after week, what still demands patience and attention, and what home bakers often overthink or underestimate. Julian shares how working with flour, fermentation, and time has shaped not just his bread, but the way he approaches decisions, limits, and consistency. We also talk about what changes when a business is born out of enjoyment rather than urgency, the difference between selling at a farmers market and selling behind a counter, and why growth isn’t always the goal. Julian reflects on how his French background influences his relationship with bread, food culture, and restraint — and how knowing when *not* to grow has become central to running Rise Bakery. This isn’t a conversation about hustle or scaling at all costs. It’s about intentional work, staying close to the craft, and building something you can actually sustain.