Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Koritko.
Mike, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2004. At that time, no gluten-free options were available at grocery stores so I began baking gluten-free bread, cookies, brownies and all sorts of pastries at home with my mom. After graduating from college and working in project management/software sales in the DC area, I decided that there was a great business opportunity to open the first gluten-free bakery in DC.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a lot of 90-hour, 7-day weeks. It took a long time to find the right team. Finding the right people was the hardest part. Now that we are 12 years into the business, we haven’t hired or fired a full-time employee in over 4 years. The people on the team is always the biggest struggle and that has been our greatest strength.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Rise Bakery?
We offer the best gluten-free breads, bagels, biscuits and sweets in the DC metro area. We wholesale our products to over 100 hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and cafes, so you can find great gluten-free options all over the area.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Have I made someone’s day better. It’s less about myself, less about permanence and more about how can we help someone right now. That idea is what inspired me to open a gluten-free bakery.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.riseglutenfree.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risebakerygf
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riseglutenfree/
