Allow me to introduce Heather Smith, the remarkable individual who has brought a fresh and exciting vision to Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery. The newest owner, having taken the reins in September 2023, is not only a dedicated member of our local business community but also a seasoned healthcare executive with over two decades of invaluable experience. Her passion for baking, coupled with her extensive expertise in business development, quality management, and healthcare data, is the driving force behind her venture. The staff at Molly’s proudly welcomes you to experience the delightful fusion of her love for baking and her business acumen as you explore the gluten-free treasures Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery has to offer.
About Heather Smith
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
Married to my high school sweetheart for the past 22 years, Jason and I are proud parents of three children, Olivia, Bella, and Jack. Olivia is a freshman at University of Florida, Gainesville. Bella is a Junior at Brookfield Academy, and Jack is in 8th grade at Brookfield Academy.
Q: Please tell us about your life and what you do (whether working in our community, a business owner, volunteer, etc.). How did you choose that path?
My entire life I have had a passion for baking, especially desserts. I was always the one to volunteer to bring a dessert to family gatherings. As I looked to make a change from the healthcare field, it was important to me to look to run my own business. After looking at a number of opportunities, Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery came up for sale, and I knew it was a perfect fit. It blends my business experience with my love for baking.
As the new owner of Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery, I am pleased to be part of the local, business community. My husband and I purchased Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery at the beginning of September 2023. We have re-opened the retail store and welcome customers to come in and shop all of our gluten-free products.
Prior to this new opportunity, I spent my career, over two decades, as a healthcare executive working for various healthcare systems, physicians, and consult companies. The majority of my career focused on quality, business development, and healthcare data acquisition and reporting. I loved being a part of the healthcare system to serve the community and patients, even though I was not a hands on caregiver.
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
I absolutely love baking everyday! What makes it more fun is the amazing team of bakers and bakery assistants who have joined Molly’s team. It is such a pleasure to make delicious food and serve it to our customers.
Q: What is the most rewarding part?
The most rewarding part of owning Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery is to see our customers come into the bakery and be amazed that everything in the store is gluten-free and they can pick anything they want and enjoy it safely. We have a family member with celiac disease, and so we understand the challenge of finding gluten-free food that is safe from any type of cross-contamination. Being able to walk into a bakery and know that everything is safely produced and gluten-free is very rewarding.
Q: What are some of your future goals? Do you have anything exciting coming up that you would like to share?
We are excited to see where the future of Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery goes. We will look to expand the menu a bit after the holidays, and also look to expand our distribution so that more people can enjoy the food we bake.
Heather Smith & Our Community
Q: What is your favorite thing about our community, favorite thing to do, or something unique about our community that you love? (Feel free to share as much as you’d like!)
Our family loves living in Lake Country. We feel very fortunate to be part of this community. Our family loves hiking on the local trails and paddle boarding on the lakes. We enjoy the seasons that Wisconsin provides and take advantage of the great outdoors during every season.
Q: Do you have a favorite coffee shop, cocktail shop, or restaurant?
My birthday spot is Palmer’s Steak House. Love the food, atmosphere, and service – every time!
Q: What 3 words would you use to describe our community?
Beautiful, Nature-focused, Supportive.
For Fun
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I grew up on a working dairy farm. I was a 4-H member from age 7-18, and I showed dairy cows, horses, and dogs at the County and State Fairs. Growing up on a farm provided me with first hand experience of hard, physical work, an appreciation of caring for animals and community members, and the love of outdoors. It was the best childhood I could have asked for. During the pandemic, when our children asked to get goats, it was an easy “yes” from me. They now show them at the Waukesha County Fair.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My husband definitely inspires me to be better and try new adventures. He is definitely a renaissance man – his career is in finance; however, he has built numerous structures on our property, can fix anything, and paints and draws in his free time. Recently he got his motorcycle license to ride with our oldest daughter. He will give most anything a try.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be with? Why?
If I could have lunch with anyone, it would be with my grandma, Eileen. She was one of the strongest women I know and we were definitely two peas in a pod. We would go to lunch at Chi-Chi’s because that is where we would go when she came to visit me in college. Of all the lessons she taught me, making time for those you love was the most important lesson.
Q: What makes you the happiest?
My happiest times are spent with my family. Time goes by so quickly, and I cherish the moments when we are all together.
Where to Find Heather Smith
Email: info@mollysglutenfreebakery.com
Phone: (262) 563-1024
