We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anna Simeonides a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Anna , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I am blessed that work ethic was deeply ingrained in me from a young age, in multiple ways. Being Greek Orthodox, I was raised in a home with much structure, as our lives revolved around the services of the church. This taught me discipline, focus, and perseverance in the pursuit of prayer.
I was also taught to value my heritage. My Great Grandfather escaped the Turkish genocide as his village was pillaged and burned before his very eyes. He stowed away on a cargo ship full of livestock and sailed to France, where he sat on the steps of the embassy and begged for passage to America until it was granted to him. At the tender age of 14, he landed in Philadelphia and began working in a large hotel, enduring 16 hour shifts and multiple jobs to secure his future. My Grandmother worked three jobs in NYC as a single mom of 3. My Grandfather served in the Navy. All of my ancestors were truly the embodiment of the American dream and left such a rich legacy. My dad wakes up at 4am every morning and works in the elements; rain or shine. My mom has always juggled a full time career, raising three kids, and selflessly giving her time to help others. Growing up, I also had the blessing of attending Greek Orthodox monasteries. The monks and nuns that inhabit them are the most selfless and hardest working individuals I have ever met. Most impressionable and inspiring is that all they do is for the benefit of others and their community…they live simply and take nothing for themselves. It is through these examples that I have seen true work ethic exemplified and the fruits that it produces.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
To Your Health Bakery was born in the summer of 2015. We set out to create food as it ought to be – baked fresh from scratch, using quality ingredients and remarkable flavor profiles. We wanted our clients to taste the love and passion in every bite! As we gained traction and the demand grew, we began expanding our allergen free line of products. We saw there was an important need and were eager to meet it! When I was eight years old, my little brother was born with severe food allergies. He was my whole world and I took it upon myself to become his personal chef. Years later, my hours of experimentation paid off as I began to serve our community with these recipes I had cultivated. We are now a 100% gluten free facility, specializing in vegan, keto, and paleo offerings. We are on a mission to cater to those with allergies so no one ever feels excluded. It is so gratifying to be a safe haven for people and give them a real bakery experience where they can walk in and choose anything in the store with peace of mind.
Recently we launched our own line of top 8 allergen free baking mixes, including our famed all purpose flour, which we bake with in shop. A percentage of these sales goes to Compassion International and Global Education Ministries, as we are so passionate about food access and education. Food is so much more than sustenance – it is community, it is art, it is joy, and it is a privilege and honor to serve our corner of the world. We hope to make an impact here and beyond!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three crucial things have carried me through the years: grit, passion, and prayer.
Grit is a small word with life changing impact. When you choose to embrace grit, the ensuing mindset is a revolutionary. Grit encapsulates perseverance, work ethic, determination, heart. It sustains you when times get tough; it gives you the capability to think outside of the box and pivot. Grit is a conscious decision you make every day to bring 100% of yourself to the table. To explore all opportunities and exhaust every avenue in pursuit of your goals. To strive for your fullest potential so there are no regrets. If you shoot for the moon and hit the stars you’ve already succeeded! It can be exhausting, but the results are indescribably rewarding. Choose to show up and embrace grit.
That said, you cannot have grit without passion; they go hand in hand. You must be passionate to your core to grow a business. There will be critics and hurdles and exorbitant expenses and you have to maintain your passion to see the big picture of your dreams. Your creativity will be a natural overflow of your passion seeking an outlet, allowing you to remain inspired and innovative. Everyone experiences seasons of burnout – listen to your body and recharge when necessary. It is better to rest and return fresh than become stuck in a rut. Passion is a gift that is not to be abused or ignored – cultivate it, appreciate it, and share your gift with the world.
Most important has been my journey in prayer. Life and business has seasons of highs and lows, but God is exceedingly faithful and steadfast in His mercy and blessings upon us. Prayer is my hope, joy, and peace. Choose to be an optimist. Your attitude and mindset are imperative to your success. Stay grounded in who you are, your integrity, and your beliefs. As you expand and gain exposure, you will encounter people and situations that will challenge you. Be humble, willing to evolve, open to new ideas + constructive criticism, and authentic to who you are. Romans 8:37
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
I love this question because I feel it is so relevant and relatable. It seems with every passing year, time flies faster and the days are shorter. As society becomes more digitized and instantaneous, it is hard to remember that we are only human. Many people struggle with anxiety because quite frankly there are not enough hours in the day to live up to our own expectations. Let’s eschew the rat race and embrace quality living. There is a huge grassroots movement to support small business and local makers. Amazingly, when you do this, you aren’t just supporting a concept but someone’s quality of life! Find ways to slow down. Prioritize what is important to you and say no to everything else. Remember that social media can be a wonderful tool for marketing and connections, but comparing yourself to others is toxic and unhealthy. There will always be someone bigger, better, more renowned and more talented. Embrace that as something inspirational to work towards, don’t become discouraged. Stay in your lane and don’t overextend. You can do anything but not everything. Find your niche and hone those skills. Stay focused on your goals and make lists. Don’t be afraid to delegate and, as you grow, communicate your expectations clearly. You are only as good as the team behind you and it so rewarding to empower others with new skill sets. I often struggle with being over inspired – I have a running list of a million ideas and projects I want to execute. Sometimes my brain feels like I left 100 tabs open in it. I try to be realistic with my expectations, writing all my grand plans down and separating them into immediate and long term categories. As I methodically work my way through my lists, it is so rewarding to cross things off and see efforts come to fruition.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.toyourhealthbakery.com/
- Instagram: @toyourhealthbakery @anna_the_baker_
Image Credits
Lydia Sanger Photography Lucy Mullins Photography
