Most people see a loaf of sourdough and think of comfort, but for Jared Phillips, the dough represents a hard-won transformation. Originally from Kansas before moving to Utah, Jared always knew he belonged in a creative, people-oriented space, yet the corporate world never quite felt like home. Instead, he found his calling in the rhythmic labor of taking years of unrefined trauma and kneading it into something that nourishes both the soul and the community.
For Jared, the craft was a lifeline during his darkest seasons. He admits, “The sourdough gave me a reason to wake up”. What started with a gift of starter from a friend and a TikTok recipe soon became a profound physical outlet. This labor was about more than a paycheck; it was a form of spiritual and emotional scaling. Jared reflects, "It was tapping something within my soul because I was pulling from every bit of strength that I had, emotionally, physically, financially".
As he perfected his craft, Sunday Service Sourdough grew from a passion project in the East Bench area to a bustling business reaching from Provo to Ogden. Jared found that the discipline required to keep a starter alive, treating it with the care one might give a child, forced him to restructure his own mental resilience. "It provided a safe space for me. It’s something I’m able to immerse myself in".
The true "aha moment" occurred when Jared realized his work was impacting the lives of others. He began to hear back from repeat clients who thanked him for providing them with more time to be together and plan elaborate meals. “When people started asking for the bread for gifts, for events, for more special occasions, that’s when I noticed this was more meaningful, and it’s what I was meant to do: it was adding something special to people’s dinner table”.
Jared’s journey serves as a reminder that healing often requires us to put on our own "oxygen mask" first before we can serve others. To those currently navigating their own "heavy" season, he offers this perspective: "From someone who was a late bloomer and took his time to find purpose: take your time but make sure to fill your own bucket". He reminds us that there is no need for perfection right away. "The first loaves were so ugly, but I was so proud of them, there’s joy in the journey".