Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Vaflor.
Hi Dawn, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I’ve always been a baker since I was a little girl, watching my grandmother and great-grandmother in their kitchens and using those early years of learning to bake for those I loved through my teen and college years. I was a science major in college, so the science of baking only piqued my curiosity in developing my own recipes that won over my friends and family.
After college graduation, I was working at a prestigious research company and worked around various dangerous chemicals, and within less than two years from starting that position, I started having chemical and food sensitivities which forced me to look at what I was putting in my body and make changes that would relieve some of my suffering. Another year and a move and job change continued to bring debilitating health issues, which led me to get tested to see what was contributing to my health decline when I had been a very active and healthy person all my life until my mid 20’s. I was finally diagnosed with ME/CFS, an immune and neurological disease, that had no known treatment or cure. Baking was my lowest priority because even the day-to-day functioning was wrought with challenges. After 15 years of off-and-on struggle with this illness, I found an outlet on the good days to experiment with gluten-free and some dairy-free baking, since most of what I was finding in the stores were far from desirable. I enjoyed what I was making for myself, but I didn’t share any of my own creations with anyone else for a long while.
As my children grew and got into their high school years, I started baking again for school functions. It was at these events that I was applauded for my baking skills and encouraged to start my own business. After a miraculous remission of my health and after winning several 1st place awards in food competitions, I decided to sell my goods at a couple of local farmers’ markets. These markets catapulted me into the public realm more and more, and I finally opened an LLC Bakery, selling my baked goods in one of Ohio’s best rated public markets (Second Street Market) in downtown Dayton, thanks to Marvin and Christine Olinsky’s (former CEO of Five Rivers MetroParks) recommendation to the market director.
The business grew in popularity around the Dayton area over the next few years and we expanded to become a large wholesale company, supplying award-winning Dorothy Lane Market stores, Jungle Jim International Foods Markets in Cincinnati, multiple markets in north Dayton and Columbus, and in multiple coffee shops all over the Dayton area and Washington Courthouse (16 locations and counting). We also have a food truck and enjoy taking our specialty goods to street fairs, festivals, rallies, and more. We have a large following all around Ohio, and even places outside of Ohio. We’ve won multiple awards in our 9 years in business, and have been making plans to start getting some items online this next year. It’s been an incredible journey and I hope to inspire others that a diagnosis isn’t always a final destination, and hope for brighter days is just on the other side of struggle. Faith, perseverance, and a strong will to keep moving forward helping others safely enjoy all the good stuff is what drives my passion. I love to share my story and I hope sharing my experience will help someone else to keep pursuing their dreams, no matter what obstacles.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In every success story, there are also moments of struggle. Staffing, financial costs with growth, and sacrifice of long days that turn into long months when you have to be the one to keep working when others are off. Then there are rising cost of goods, and most recently, a pandemic that turned the business world upside down with staff shortages, supply chain issues, shipping cost increases, and so on… It has been the most exhausting year in all 9 years I’ve been in business. Yet, it’s the inner drive and grit that keeps me focused and moving forward hoping for better days ahead.
We’ve been impressed with Purely Sweet Bakery, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Purely Sweet Bakery is a specialty bakery catering to dietary needs such as gluten-free, vegan, Paleo, and Keto. We are very well known in the southern west Ohio area with a wholesale company that spans across cities such as Dayton, Northern Dayton (Tipp City, Troy), Cincinnati, Washington Courthouse, and Columbus. We have a large social media following on our various platforms, we take our food truck around festivals, markets, breweries, and more, and plan to take some of our products online this next year.
What makes you happy?
I am happiest when I am helping others. It gives me great joy when people tell me how good our products are and how we make them feel safe enjoying desserts and celebrations without feeling sick afterwards. We help many children enjoy birthday parties with cakes they can enjoy safely. We make wedding celebrations worry-free for brides and grooms. Helping so many people is what gives me drive each and every day, even when the days are hard. It’s so worth all the hard work, sweat, and sometimes tears.
Contact Info:
- Email: purelysweetbakery@gmail.com
- Instagram: @purelysweetbakery
- Facebook: Purely Sweet Bakery
- Twitter: @purelysweetbakery
Image Credits
Jake Vaflor Photography
