37: Starting a retail business after corporate burnout

Helene Godin was a lawyer for 22 years before she burnt out on the long hours and commute. She quit in 2010 with no plan.

Over the next year, Helene used her skills as a lawyer to study the gluten-free market and develop recipes. In 2011, she opened By the Way Bakery.  Today, Helene has five retail locations and her gluten-free, dairy-free and kosher products are sold at Whole Foods and Stew Leonard’s grocery chains.

In this episode of Career Switch Podcast, Helene shares the ups and downs she went through to open her store and how she continues to grow her multi-million dollar business. She also reveals the everyday challenges she still faces as the founder and CEO of By the Way Bakery. 

Helene offers her best advice for making a career change, especially if you, too, are thinking about starting a retail business. 


Episode Highlights:

• Quitting due to burnout
• Studying the gluten-free market
• Using lawyer skills to start and run a business
• Designing a store
• Selecting a logo
• Challenges of running a retail business
• How to grow a business
• How to attract customers

Find By the Way Bakery at:
Website: www.btwbakery.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bythewaybakery
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ByTheWayBakeryHastings


Other episodes about starting a business:

Ep 29: A life-changing experience inspires a career change

Ep 25: A hobby turns into a career change

Ep 6: Starting a woman-and-minority-owned small business 

Music credit: TimMoor from Pixabay

Podcast info:
What's your career switch? What do you think about this episode and the show? Tell us at careerswitchpod.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.