Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Howe.
Hi Jacqueline, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The Leavened Box started very personally. Years ago, I began paying closer attention to the food my family was eating and became especially interested in gut health, fermentation, and the way traditional foods can support how we feel. Sourdough stood out to me because it is such a simple food on the surface, but the process behind it is incredibly thoughtful. It requires time, patience, and care, and I was drawn to the idea of creating bread the traditional way, without shortcuts, preservatives, or unnecessary ingredients.
What began as baking for my own family slowly grew into something bigger. I became fascinated by the science and history of sourdough, and I started sharing what I was learning with others. Over time, I realized there were so many people who loved the idea of sourdough but felt intimidated by it, or who wanted better bread but did not have the time to make it themselves. That became a big part of my mission: to make real, naturally fermented sourdough feel approachable, beautiful, and accessible.
The Leavened Box was created around that idea. Every loaf is made with organic ingredients, naturally fermented, baked to order, and packaged with the same care that goes into the bread itself. I wanted the experience to feel special from the moment the box arrives at someone’s door, whether it is a gift, a weekly staple, or something someone ordered for themselves.
Today, The Leavened Box has grown into an online artisan sourdough bakery offering organic sourdough breads, gift boxes, crackers, cookies, and seasonal products. We ship nationwide and also serve local customers in the Fort Lauderdale area. I am still very hands-on in the business, from product development and baking to packaging, customer experience, and storytelling. It has been a lot of work, but it has also been incredibly meaningful to build something rooted in tradition, care, and connection.
At its heart, The Leavened Box is about slowing things down in a world that moves so quickly. It is about real ingredients, long fermentation, and creating something that feels both nourishing and special.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, but every challenge has pushed me to become more thoughtful and intentional about the business. One of the biggest challenges has been growing from a hobby baker, to a small local business selling bread to friends and neighbors, to now shipping fresh, naturally fermented sourdough all over the country on a regular basis.
Sourdough is not a product that can be rushed or easily scaled without changing what makes it special. Every loaf takes time, planning, and attention. As the business has grown, I have had to figure out how to increase production while still protecting the artisan, small-batch quality that The Leavened Box was built on. That means carefully managing fermentation schedules, baking timelines, packaging, shipping windows, and customer expectations, all while making sure the bread arrives fresh and beautiful.
Shipping has probably been one of the biggest learning curves. Bread is perishable, and sourdough has to be handled differently than a standard packaged product. I have spent a lot of time refining how we bake, cool, package, and ship each order so customers can have that fresh-baked experience even if they are across the country. There have been plenty of lessons along the way, from choosing the right shipping methods to figuring out which products travel best and how to communicate refresh instructions clearly.
Another challenge has been learning all the operational pieces that come with turning a handmade product into a real business. It is not just baking anymore. It is managing a website, product descriptions, subscriptions, packaging, local delivery, shipping rules, email marketing, social media, customer service, wholesale opportunities, and future retail goals. Each step has required me to learn something new, often while still keeping up with daily production.
The biggest balancing act is growth without losing the heart of the brand. I never want The Leavened Box to feel mass-produced or impersonal. The goal has always been to create something that feels special, thoughtful, and made with care. So while the business has grown, I have tried to stay very close to the process and make decisions that preserve the quality, the presentation, and the personal connection that made people love the bread in the first place.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have been a practicing attorney for nearly 30 years, so much of my professional life has been built around analysis, precision, discipline, and problem-solving. The Leavened Box has allowed me to bring those same skills into a very different space, while also giving me a way to use the creative side of my brain in a much more tangible way.
What I love about sourdough is that it is both technical and artistic. There is science behind every loaf, from fermentation to hydration to timing, but there is also a very human element to it. I treat each batch of bread as its own individual work of art. I am not focused on just one aspect of the product. I care deeply about how it tastes, how it looks, how it feels when you hold it, how the crust opens, and how the entire experience comes together for the customer.
That is really what sets The Leavened Box apart. I am not trying to create a basic bakery transaction. I want the product to feel experiential from the moment it arrives. One of the main ideas behind the business is “from oven to door.” I want people to feel excited when the box shows up, from seeing “Bread in a Box” on the outside to opening a beautifully packaged product inside.
The gifting side of the business grew naturally from that same idea. I created special gift boxes that customers can choose when they want to send bread to someone else, because I believe the presentation should reflect the care and skill that went into making the product. My bread is not inexpensive, and I want the full experience to feel worthy of that, whether someone is ordering for themselves or sending a loaf as a thoughtful gift.
What I am most proud of is that The Leavened Box combines craft, creativity, and care. It is handmade bread, but it is also a complete experience: beautiful, personal, and intentionally created from beginning to end.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something that may surprise people is that I have been a practicing attorney for nearly 30 years, and The Leavened Box grew alongside a very different professional life. For most of my career, my work has required me to be analytical, precise, and highly structured. Baking sourdough gives me a way to use those same skills, but in a much more creative and sensory way.
In some ways, sourdough is the perfect balance of both sides of my brain. It requires discipline, timing, problem-solving, and attention to detail, but it is also deeply artistic. Every batch is alive and slightly different, so I am constantly responding to the dough, the temperature, the fermentation, and the final look and feel of each loaf.
I think that is part of what makes The Leavened Box so personal to me. It is not just a business I started because I like bread. It is a creative outlet and a way to build something tangible by hand after years spent in a very different professional world. I bring the same level of care and precision to the bread as I do to my legal work, but the end result is something people can open, smell, slice, share, and enjoy.
That combination still surprises people: attorney by profession, sourdough baker and founder by passion. But to me, they are more connected than they seem. Both require patience, judgment, and the ability to pay attention to small details that can completely change the outcome.
Pricing:
- Our products are baked to order and available through our website at leavenedbox.com. Pricing varies depending on the product, size, and packaging selected, including our premium gift box options. The Leavened Box is a premium artisan sourdough bakery, so our pricing reflects the time, skill, organic ingredients, long fermentation process, and thoughtful packaging that go into every order. Customers can view current products, seasonal offerings, gift box options, local delivery availability, and nationwide shipping details directly on our website.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: @howetodoit_
- Facebook: @leavenedbox
- Youtube: @Leavenedbox
- Other: tiktok: @howetodoit
