Imagine taking a life-changing leap, a switch in gears from life as you know it. You take your family along for the ride, and while challenges are encountered there is also success and a foundation built that brings you pride and a sense of community. Things are falling into place. Your decisions make sense and feel right.
But...
There is one person seemingly intent on making things difficult and shutting your success down. You do everything you can to appease and please this person, but it's not good enough. This person raises a ruckus, gets the city you live in and love involved. This person works endlessly to bring you down....and finally gets his way.
Imagine the frustration and anger you would feel if that scenario was your reality. For
Jon and Amanda Przybyl, owners of Proof Bread they don't have to imagine, that is real life for them. But instead of acting on anger and frustration the husband and wife duo are looking at this reality as fortuitous and making the best out of what most would feel was an impossible situation.
The Przybyl's Proof journey began one Saturday in June of 2017. They were long time customers of Jared Allen, original founder of Proof Bread. They loved his product and were troubled to learn he was moving away, leaving Proof’s future uncertain. Felling like they needed a change in life, they decided to buy it, take it over and continue making bread for the community. They learned to bake the bread and set up shop in their garage. Both Jon and Amanda eventually left their full-time jobs to focus solely on the bakery and were soon able to hire employees.
Things were looking good and the bakery's growth and success made it obvious that they would someday need to move out of their garage and into a commercial space. “We knew we were going to have to move to commercial, we'd planned on doing that,” said Przybyl. “But we wanted to do it the right way, when we were financially ready.”
But now, after the unhappy neighbor's incessant and aggressive complaints an 18 month goal has turned into a four-month panic plan. “It's definitely happening a lot sooner than anticipated,” said Przybyl.
The Przybyl's began looking at commercial spaces with no luck. “We didn't love anything that was available.” Then they stumbled upon a spot being sold by the owner and they all hit it off and then discovered a welcomed surprise behind a boarded up wall.
“Boarded up behind the wall was a roll-up door perfect for our delivery truck,” said Przybyl. “We'd envisioned having an immersive space where customers come-in, sit down, and enjoy a coffee, all while fresh bread is being baked.”
Even though Amanda and Jon have chosen to look at this all as serendipitous, albeit a little rushed, they are still faced with over $250K worth of costs for the build out of the new commercial space, putting a financial strain on them.
On top of that the couple's 7-year-old daughter, Kiera, was officially diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia (FA), an extremely rare inherited disease that causes progressive nervous system damage and movement problems. At this time there is no cure for FA, a heart-breaking and harsh reality for a family that has already been through so much.
But always looking on the bright side of things, the Przybyls plan to use the soon-to-be vacated bakery in their home garage as a place of hope lead by their 9 year-old daughter, Amara.
“Amara has had a cookie business since she was 6 years old, she'd set up shop with at the markets and sell her cookies while we sold bread,” said Jon.
Now Amara can use the old bakery space for “Cookies for Kiera's FA” an initiative to raise money for her sister's cure.
Wow! Just writing this article has brought tears to my eyes. The Przybyl family are Proof that everything happens for a reason and if you look for the positive in any situation, even bad ones, you will find it.
If you would like to help Proof Bread and the Przybyl family with the financial burdens they are faced with in their efforts to continue bringing fresh baked sourdough bread to the community please check out their GoFundMe at gf.me/u/yzrxgm