Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Holt.
Hi Jack, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I founded and led three b2b tech companies in Austin over the past 20 years. Linkedin Premium, Porsches, conferences—you get the picture. My job fulfillment came from working with good people, some of whom became life-long friends. The work was valuable, sure, but the product was…boring.
Fun? Nope.
In the three years before the founding of Jinx, we had dealt with the swift decline and death of my parents, combined with what was fast becoming my first failed company. We sold our house to raise some capital to keep paying employees but knew that wasn’t going to be sustainable. After shuttering the business and moving to our new house (on Jinx Ave), I was emerging from an unacknowledged state of severe depression. Eating and drinking way too much. Sleeping poorly, and withdrawing from friends. I quit Facebook (the only good that came from it).
Then, the pandemic crashed down on all of us like one of those spring thunderstorms we get in Austin that dumps ten inches in an hour. Eating and drinking even more, but I found something enjoyable to do that was a bit more productive.
Like many others during lockdown, I baked. And baked. And baked. Gave bread away, then bartered it for essentials, like… anchovies! Eventually, people asked to buy the bread, which I dutifully noted in my journal. We held market days in our front yard, which were fun social events with neighbors. But those couldn’t last; the City Code Enforcement paid me a visit and shut us down – a finger-wagging neighbor called 311 on us. Getting the word out continued to be hard – the moderator on Nextdoor deleted every post of mine, including the one asking neighbors for needy candidates for free bread.
The good news was that online subscriptions continued to come in, and before I knew it, I was making 40 or so breads per week and delivering them to some seriously cool customers. We were ready to peek around the next corner.
And around that corner was the Farmer’s Market. I became friendly with one of the brothers behind Algo Dulce, the locally-made flan that’s now in dozens of retail stores in the region. He advised me on all things Farmer’s Market as well as which markets would be the best fit. We agreed that the Barton Creek Farmer’s Market would be “the one”. A bit smaller than some of the others, and still full of that old Austin charm (they were the first market in town). Our first market was the weekend after Snowpocalypse 2021, and we sold out in 20 minutes. I joked that we could have sold Wonder Bread.
That was February 2021, and we market there each week as well as Dripping Springs on Wednesday, Tarrytown on Saturday, and Pedernales on Sunday. Making the 200+ breads, pastas, and cookies for the market stretches our equipment and energy bill, but man, talk about fun! Fun and fulfilling! Getting good, healthful product to the people – all the people – is incredibly joyful.
What’s next for Jinx? A production/retail location!
We’ve been impressed with Jinx Bread LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Jinx is old-world bread – just three ingredients: wheat, water, and salt. The crusts are crunchy and caramelized, the crumb unusually soft. Because the breads are only leavened with sourdough, most folks who have sensitivities to bread can eat it. You see, commercial yeast, used by large batch production bakers, is like a little bursting sun of sugar – a simple carb – to rise the bread quickly. Convenient for them but that’s why you get that bloating from some breads.
Our fresh pastas and sugar cookies use the same heirloom grains as the breads and come in surprising and delightful flavor profiles: pink peppercorn pappardelle, baby arugula tagliatelle, hibiscus lime or earl grey sugar cookies…
If only we could do more!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Ask for help – especially if you’re venturing into farmer’s markets – most folks are more than happy to offer advice.
As for the business, don’t get too far ahead of yourself both mentally and financially. Enjoy the journey each day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jinxbread.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jinx.bread/
Image Credits
Photos by Niko Masalas – @whoisnikophoto
