Sarah Rose
Sarah Rose is a Sales Executive at Discount Bakery Equipment, a family-owned business founded by her grandfather in 1957. With over a decade of experience in the company, she oversees a broad range of operations including shipping, marketing, online orders, website management, and social media. Throughout her tenure, Sarah has played a pivotal role in modernizing the business, merging traditional craftsmanship with innovative digital strategies to drive growth and customer engagement.
One of Sarah’s standout achievements has been expanding the company’s social media presence. She spearheaded creative campaigns featuring custom-painted Hobart planetary mixers, including popular designs inspired by SpongeBob and Patrick, which went viral and significantly increased the company’s online following. By leveraging e-commerce platforms such as the company website, eBay, Etsy, and Instagram, she has helped generate new revenue streams and strengthen the brand’s visibility in a competitive market.
In addition to her work with Discount Bakery Equipment, Sarah is the founder and owner of My Brother’s Baker, an LLC she launched in 2026. Through this venture, she creates custom baked goods for local vendor events and special orders, balancing her entrepreneurial pursuits with full-time operations management. Guided by a strong work ethic instilled by her parents, Sarah continues to honor and expand her family’s legacy, demonstrating that creativity, innovation, and dedication can transform even the most established industries.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success probably to my parents, definitely my parents, because we were all built with a really, really good work ethic. They instilled that in us from when we were younger - they'd let us come into the office and my dad would pay us for a couple hours of work doing paperwork and things like that. They always told us that if we want something, we have to work for it. They never bought our cell phones for us - we couldn't have a cell phone until we could afford it. Things like that. They gave us the ability to do it on our own and build it ourselves, that way we have a lot more pride in something that we own or something that we do, because we put in the work and we did it ourselves. That work ethic they instilled in me, combined with not being afraid to take initiative, has been key. I'm the one who got us into social media because my dad's generation doesn't understand the power of what social media can do online. He just said do what you want, and I dove in headfirst. That really paid off for us - we've nearly tripled our Instagram following and half the orders on our board right now are because of our social media presence.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell my younger self and any young woman starting out to keep at it and don't be afraid to dive in headfirst, even if you don't see other people doing it. You don't have to follow the stream. You can kind of hop off and do your own thing and be just as successful as the next person. Just because you're the first one doing it doesn't mean it's the wrong thing to do. Even if you're scared, go after it. Don't let fear hold you back from trying something new or different.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I face is adapting a traditional industry like bakery equipment to modern digital platforms. At the same time, this challenge creates an exciting opportunity to leverage social media and e-commerce to reach new audiences, strengthen customer engagement, and drive sustainable growth. I view these changes as a chance to merge the craftsmanship and legacy of a family business with innovative marketing strategies, ensuring continued expansion while also building my own entrepreneurial ventures.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are hard work, pride in ownership, and doing things yourself. My parents instilled in us that if we want something, we have to work for it they never just handed things to us. They gave us the ability to do it on our own and build it ourselves, so that we have a lot more pride in something that we own or something that we do, because we put in the work and did it ourselves. I'm also built to be a mama, and I don't complain about that whatsoever. My kids love to bake with me - if they see me whip out my mixer, my son who's 6 and my daughter who's 4 go up and get their aprons and they're like, I'm ready to bake. I can't whip out my mixer without them having to help me. Family is everything to me - it's a family business that my grandpa started, and we're constantly working together. My dad, my mom, and I all have a group chat where we take care of things in the evenings. We're kind of always working and being busy, and we like it that way.