9 to 5ish with theSkimm

Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald on Levain Bakery’s 30-Year Climb to Success

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Unlike MBA grads focused on scaling and selling companies, Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald built Levain Bakery with no intention of selling. Baking was the life plan, the thing they’d do til their hands couldn’t anymore. They embraced slow, sustainable growth for years with no regrets. Then came a compelling offer and a gut feeling that led them to finally take on an investor. Listen as Pam and Connie share how a YWCA brought them together, how a New York Times article skyrocketed their company's success, and why having patience was their greatest tool.

In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Pam and Connie share: 


  • What they loved about their former colleague and supporter, Anthony Bourdain
  • How chance bike ride with an old friend got them a small business loan 
  • When they knew it was time to expand to new locations 
  • How they navigated tedious problems like meeting with community boards and dealing with frustrated neighbors 
  • Why scaling their business slowly was key to their success and when they knew it was time to take on an investor

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