Empowering People with Disabilities Through Carina’s Bakery
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Devin: What is your superpower?
Carina: I think listening to what others have to say, try to gently change—not change their perspective, but give them light into their decisions and be a good friend that way.
On today’s episode of Superpowers for Good, I had the pleasure of speaking with Carina Comer, the owner of Carina’s Bakery. Carina’s story is remarkable not only because of her journey as a legally blind entrepreneur but also because of the impact her bakery is making on her community. Carina’s Bakery, located in Beaverton, Oregon, isn’t just a business; it’s a place of opportunity, especially for people with disabilities.
Carina shared how her own experiences with vision loss, stemming from childhood health challenges, inspired her to create a bakery that employs individuals with a range of disabilities. “I probably had 40 people with disabilities work for me or do work experiences or internships throughout that time,” she explained. This commitment has fostered a sense of community and Growth, not just for her employees but also for her as a leader. She described the joy she feels watching her employees, many of whom have been overlooked by traditional employers, gain confidence and contribute meaningfully.
What struck me most was Carina’s reflection on the challenges of managing a business with such a diverse workforce, yet how the rewards far outweigh the difficulties. She continues to grow as a leader and hopes to inspire other businesses to embrace the unique contributions that people with disabilities can bring to the table.
For those interested in supporting Carina’s mission, she is currently raising capital through a regulated investment Crowdfunding campaign on Honeycomb Credit. You can check out her campaign at s4g.biz/carina to learn more about how she is using these funds to further develop her bakery and its training programs.
Carina’s dedication is a testament to the power of inclusive Employment and the incredible potential that lies in everyone.
tl;dr:
Carina’s Journey: Carina Comer, legally blind due to childhood brain Cancer, founded Carina’s Bakery in Beaverton, Oregon, a vegan and gluten-free bakery. Her inspiration stemmed from her family’s entrepreneurial background and her love of baking.
Inclusive Employment: Carina’s Bakery primarily hires individuals with disabilities, providing opportunities for people who are often overlooked by traditional employers. Her staff includes people with blindness, autism, and learning disabilities.
Challenges and Adaptation: Running the bakery comes with unique challenges, such as managing a diverse workforce and compensating for her own visual limitations. Despite this, Carina has created a supportive and loyal team, with many employees staying long-term.
Crowdfunding for Growth: Carina has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Honeycomb Credit to fund the bakery’s growth, focusing on developing training programs and obtaining adaptive equipment.
Personal Growth: Carina shared how the bakery has helped her become a more resilient, confident leader, with a deeper understanding of both disabilities and the challenges businesses face in employing people with disabilities.
How to Develop Active Listening As a Superpower
Carina’s superpower is her ability to actively listen. This skill has been critical to her success as an entrepreneur and leader.
Carina uses active listening to understand her employees’ and customers’ needs, adjusting her management and business strategies accordingly. This superpower has enabled her to grow as a leader, creating a supportive environment where people with disabilities can thrive. By fully hearing others before responding, she fosters an inclusive and respectful atmosphere in her bakery.
One illustrative story involves a difficult decision to let go of a long-time employee. Though painful, Carina reflected on the feedback she received, which ultimately led her to hire a new workplace manager. This decision eased her workload and helped her better address her employees’ needs, showcasing her ability to listen and adapt for the growth of her business.
Carina offers actionable advice for developing active listening:
Listen fully: Don’t jump in to respond before someone finishes speaking.
Identify key emotions or needs: Focus on the words that reveal what the person truly feels or needs.
Tailor your responses: Respond with answers that are helpful, positive, and relevant to their situation.
Adapt your approach: Pay attention to the speaker’s tone and body language to adjust your listening style as needed.
By following Carina’s example and advice, you can make active listening a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.
Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!
Guest Profile
Carina Comer (she/her):
Owner, Carina’s Bakery
About Carina’s Bakery: Carina’s Bakery combines Scandinavian traditions and inspiration with Oregon ingredients to make vegan ( and other allergy-friendly, ) treats, coffee, and savory items that are made by employees with didABILITIES. Not only do we feature Item based on family recipes and cultural heritage, we also follow a similar philosophy to that of Sweden and other social democracies in highlighting individuality, Choices, and pleasure while providing a social safety net and assistance. we do this all in a inviting community space that changes the way people think about food and the people who make it all while being kind to animals and the environment.
Website: www.carinasbakery.com
Company Facebook Page: FB.com/CarinasBakery
Instagram Handle: @carinasbakery
Other URL: https://invest.honeycombcredit.com/campaigns/Carina’s-Bakery
Biographical Information: You might say I was born an entrepreneur. Both my grandfathers immigrated out of Sweden and Ireland to the US in the late 40s and early 50s, only to find a harder life in the US. Eventually, they both opened businesses in Farmington, Connecticut, and raised families to take over their businesses, when health challenges arose. Their grit followed down to me, a woman born with a brain tumor that not only caused lifelong health effects but also resulted in blindness and one eye and tunnel vision in the eye. Through this, two other brain tumors, and many hospital visits in between, my family and our love for food grounded me, especially time spent in the kitchen making cookies and cardamom buns. Over time, baking has not just become a passion but a way to share the message of perseverance, ability, and personality. I stood steadfast in this love of sweets while paddling bakers on a tricycle for funds to buy gifts for cancer patients, fighting my way through the high-speed, no-nonsense environment of pastry school and the long hours of grad school that I attended. Still, no doors opened toward a career in the food industry. Eventually, I figured out that even in the more welcoming and diverse place I now called home, Oregon, the only way I was going to make a name for myself doing the thing I loved most was to open my own place. In fact, I have dreamt of having a bakery since I was five when I first remember telling someone such but I never dreamed I would really be doing it at 25, especially if you saw how extremely quiet and shy I was at those first farmers market stalls! But now, approaching our seventh anniversary in downtown Beaverton, I am more than just a baker, but a meaningful part of a community creating sweet change.
Linkedin: linkedin.com/carinacom
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