We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenna Unrue a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jenna, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
Every night before I go to bed I try to think of a few good things about the day or what I am thankful for. Some days it can be easy, others very hard. On those days I try to think about my frustrations and what positive spin I can find in it.
I know it is cliche but the saying, “things can always be worse” really sticks with me. Overwhelmed with the to do list at home? I have a house to come home to. Frustrated about dishes in the sink? I have food to eat. Toys everywhere? I am fortunate to be a mother. Too many emails / meetings? I could have a job I hate and not own my own business. There is almost always a silver lining. Sometimes you just have to look a little deeper to find it.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is Jenna and I own 4 Birds Bakery located in downtown Indianapolis. We focus on delicious handmade baked goods such as spent grain crackers, English muffins, cookies and more! Each cookie is hand scooped and features local ingredients whenever possible. We started off as a mostly wholesale bakery back in 2013, supplying restaurants, hotels, etc. and are hopefully opening our own retail store in of 2025!
Exciting/special: At any point we could have 4 generations at the bakery! (Including my 2 yr old daughter and 100yr old grandma who labels products).
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Once I had the opportunity to study abroad. I passed all of the tests, got into the program, just had to write the check. I panicked about the money and backed out at the last minute. Now, I kick myself that I didn’t do it. Was it a lot of money at the time that I didn’t really need to spend? Yes. Have I spent that much money (and more) on things I didn’t need, use or no longer have? Absolutely. Money will come and go if you work hard. Opportunities rarely come back around.
When I die, I don’t want to look back on life and wish I would have. Wish I would have taken that trip. Wish I would have taken that chance. Wish I would have spoken my mind. Yes you have to weigh your options and make wise decisions. If it isn’t harming anyone and you aren’t going into irresponsible debt for it, why not do it? You can’t go back. When deciding whether I should become a business owner or not, I looked at what I had to lose at the time. I didn’t have a family or a house. I was young and didn’t have a lot to lose. I didn’t have a boat load of cash sitting in the bank waiting to be spent. I thought, this sounds crazy… and I would rather take this crazy chance that wish that I would have.
Be kind to people as often as you can. You never know what people are going through or what kind of day they’ve had. Yes people can be rude, take advantage of you, etc. If someone takes advantage of your kindness, that’s on them, not you. You won’t ever regret being kind.
Stretching and the taking deep breaths have really helped me through some tough days. I am always on my feet and taking a few min to stretch rejuvenates my body. Imagining breathing in and filling my whole body with a color and exhaling/releasing that color does the same for my mind. (it can help you fall asleep at 2 am too…)
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My mom told me to go get a job at the age of 15. That all of my essentials were taken care of but anything above that I had to pay for.
It taught me so many life lessons at a very early age. How to handle money, balance my schedule, the value of hard work, working towards a goal, saving and so many more. I wouldn’t change it if I could!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.4birdsbakery.com
- Instagram: @4birdsbakery
- Facebook: @4birdsbakery
- Yelp: 4 Birds Bakery
Image Credits
Kelsey Bauchle Photography
Miriam Vogel
Unknown
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
