Today we’d like to introduce you to Sabrina Buckner.
Hi Sabrina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I often say that 7 Loaves was born long before I ever touched flour. I grew up in the foster care system, eventually aging out at 20. In those years, I experienced firsthand what it felt like to lack proper nutrition and the stability of a home-cooked meal. That history created a deep-seated mission in me: to provide the kind of nourishment, both physical and soulful, that I didn’t have access to as a child. I’m not just building a bakery; I’m building the table I always wanted to sit at.
My path hasn’t been linear, and that’s my greatest strength. I’ve spent years in the high-demand worlds of manufacturing and marketing administration, even managing operations for an automotive firm. Those roles taught me how to scale, how to manage digital systems, and how to lead.
Simultaneously, I’ve always been a storyteller. Last year, I published my first book, Phoenix Rising. It’s a collection that chronicles my journey through trauma healing. Being a published author taught me that whether you are crafting a sentence or a sourdough starter, you have to be comfortable with the ‘messy middle’, the part where you just have to trust the process and stay disciplined.
When I decided to master sourdough, I approached it with the same intensity I bring to my business operations. I didn’t just want a hobby; I wanted to master the chemistry of it. I spent countless hours at home, failing and refining, until I mastered multiple recipes. It is deeply therapeutic, but it’s also a metaphor for my life: it takes time, the right environment, and immense patience to produce something of value. We are now transitioning into a commissary space to scale this vision, treating it with the professional rigor it deserves.
I am standing here today because of a beautiful alignment of hard work and grace. I am incredibly blessed to have my partner Eric Warncke, who is excelling in his own career; his success and support have paved the way for me to step fully into this role as a founder. But beyond the logistics, this is a faith-led venture. There have been so many moments of ‘knees on the floor’ prayer, filled with both tears and gratitude. Without God, the doors that have opened for 7 Loaves would still be shut. This business is my way of giving back for the many ways I’ve been provided for.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’d say finding a Commissary was a big challenge. But for me, figuring out protocol for filing all the necessary legal documents was the biggest head scratcher of all. But good things take time!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an entrepreneur and a storyteller at the intersection of operational excellence and artisanal craft. I am the founder of 7 Loaves, a bakery born out of a mission to provide high-quality, soulful nutrition. Beyond the kitchen, I specialize in business operations and marketing administration, where I’ve spent years learning how to building systems, managing complex digital infrastructures, and leading teams in fast-paced industries like automotive care and marketing.
What sets me apart is I specialize in transformation. Whether I am refining a sourdough starter, optimizing a company’s ticketing system, or crafting a narrative for a book, my work is about taking raw, unpolished talents and turning them into something structured, efficient, and beautiful.
I am also known for resilience and grit. People who work with me know that I don’t just ‘try’ things, I master them. When I decided to learn sourdough, I didn’t stop until I understood the chemistry and the craft. The kitchen was filled with failed loaves of bread! But I did not let it deter me. When I saw a need for better systems in my professional roles, I helped built them. When I saw safety issues at my old manufacturing job I tried to notify people of how unsafe the lack of proper safety gear could be, it took a year to hit that goal, I definitely struggled to be heard at that company. I am a bit of a “quiet powerhouse’, ( extremely quiet) I try to lead with deep empathy and faith, and back it up with technical skill and a fierce work ethic.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My journey is a testament to the fact that while we don’t choose where we start, we can choose who we become, especially when we have ‘angels’ in our corner. My foundation was built at Ebenezer’s Christian Children’s Home, but it was reinforced by people who saw my potential when the world didn’t.
I often say I’d be under a bridge today if it weren’t for Janice Rienerth. Janice became my Guardian ad Litem when I entered foster care at 16, and she has never left my side. She is a saint who has fought for countless children, and for me, she was the first person to show me what unconditional support and love was suppose looked like.
Alongside her was Geri Parrott, my elementary school librarian. I was a child who found my world through books, but my family at the time actively tried to suppress that. They didn’t want me reading or bringing that knowledge home. Geri literally stood in the gap for me; she held a meeting with my family and informed them, legally, that they could not stop me from reading. They did eventually try to cut off my access in high school, but by then, the fire was already lit. I’ve always been a bit of a rebel when it comes to my own education, and that grit is exactly why I’m a published author and business owner today.
That same spirit of advocacy is what led me to start 7 Loaves. It is a mission rooted in providing the nutrition and stability I lacked as a child. But I didn’t get here alone. My partner, Eric, has been my absolute anchor. He hasn’t just supported this dream; he has taught me so much about the mechanics of building it. His success and his belief in me paved the way for me to turn ‘prayers on my knees’ into a physical bakery.
Ultimately, this isn’t just my story, it’s God’s story. This business, my book Phoenix Rising, and the life I’ve built were forged through tears, gratitude, and the intervention of people like Janice and Geri. I am proud to be a ‘rebel’ who read her way to freedom, and I’m even prouder to now be in a position where I can provide nourishment for others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://7loavesbread.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/7loavesbread
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-buckner-4a289a2a5/
