Entrepreneurship often stems from unexpected paths and for Annemarie Maitri and Ryan Browne, their journeys into business ownership reflect their diverse backgrounds, creative approaches, and unwavering determination. Both entrepreneurs have built successful businesses—Annemarie with her celebrated Bloom Bake Shop and French inspired bistro Lallande, and Ryan with his former venture, Working Draft Beer Company. Despite their varied industries, their stories share common threads of creativity, adaptability, and the importance of community.
Annemarie’s Path to Bloom Bake Shop
Annemarie’s entrepreneurial journey is rooted in a childhood of constant movement. Growing up with a father who worked as a pilot, she was born in Japan and lived in numerous places before eventually settling in Madison. She majored in psychology and minored in English at Florida State University, later pursuing a master’s degree at the University of South Florida in gerontology. However, despite her background, Annemarie felt an undeniable pull toward entrepreneurship, eventually leading her to open Bloom Bake Shop.
In 2010, Annemarie founded Bloom in a modest, 600-square-foot space, with little formal business training and during a challenging economic recession. The bakery’s focus was on offering high-quality, ethically sourced baked goods — a niche she saw as underrepresented in Madison. Drawing inspiration from books on sustainable food and the desire for more locally sourced ingredients, Annemarie embarked on a venture that would eventually mark its 15th anniversary.
Despite the bakery’s early success, Annemarie faced several hurdles. Competition and seasonality in the food industry presented significant challenges. To adapt, she expanded her offerings by introducing wedding cakes, which soon became a thriving segment of her business. Her commitment to supporting local farmers and using high-quality ingredients became a hallmark of Bloom, and it played a crucial role in distinguishing the bakery from competitors.
While managing a growing business, Annemarie also balanced the responsibilities of raising three children. She acknowledges that running a business while being a mother and wife taught her valuable lessons about perseverance, testing, and refining her business model. The combination of her education, nonprofit experience, and a grant program that helped her develop a business plan were key contributors to her success.
Ryan’s Journey to Working Draft Beer Company
Ryan’s entrepreneurial path was shaped by his passion for the arts. Growing up in Colorado, Ryan studied English and philosophy at Creighton University, later pursuing a master’s degree in creative writing at the University of Alabama. His background in the arts—especially poetry—had a significant impact on his approach to business. After working in academia for a time, Ryan co-founded Working Draft Beer Company in 2015, a craft brewery based in Madison, Wisconsin.
Ryan’s unique background led him to view entrepreneurship as a creative endeavor. Drawing parallels between art and business, he noted that both require creative problem-solving and the ability to engage an audience while managing expectations. He turned his hobby of making his own beer in his apartment to a thriving business. Ryan believes that creativity and innovation are essential to capturing the attention of customers, and this philosophy influenced his leadership style at Working Draft.
As CEO, Ryan worked to build a brand that would stand out in the competitive craft beer industry. His business acumen and artistic roots helped the brewery grow, and his dedication to product quality and customer experience played a significant role in its success. In 2022, Ryan sold his stake in the company, but his time at Working Draft left a lasting impact on his understanding of what it takes to build and run a successful business.
Both Annemarie and Ryan have faced challenges in their respective industries, but they both emphasize the importance of learning from both successes and failures. Annemarie reflects on how her early uncertainties and the lack of formal business training did not hinder her success; instead, it motivated her to stay curious and adaptable. Ryan’s creative background taught him to approach problems with a fresh perspective, seeing each challenge as an opportunity to innovate.
Annemarie stresses “…that entrepreneurship is not a one-size-fits-all path.” Her journey highlights the value of perseverance, creative thinking, and community engagement. She credits her ability to diversify her offerings and support local farmers as critical factors in Bloom’s growth. Similarly, Ryan’s experience shows how a foundation in the arts can serve as an asset in business, fostering innovative thinking and a unique approach to engaging customers.
Think Like an Entrepreneur helped showcase to students how an entrepreneurial mindset can be applied to almost any career path.
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