Meet Andrew McCook | Bakery Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew McCook and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
This has been the most evolved part of my career in baking as I’ve gotten older. When I was younger and just starting out in the industry, I was always eager to work. I was excited to test the skills I learned in college, to gain new experience. I had a lot of debt I needed to pay off, and I wanted to prove that I was a valuable employee wherever I worked. I would hold several jobs at a time and only have the bare minimum free time for myself.

In the years that passed I learned that my life doesn’t need to revolve around my job and that while paying off debt is important, enjoying life in the present is also something I needed to focus on. Now that I’m a small business owner, i’m somewhere in between these two points again. The eagerness to work and the excitement of being my own boss are there, but I have a family at home now waiting for me. I want my business to be as successful as possible, but I need to be a present father and husband. I am learning a new balance in this part of my life, and it’s in part about letting go. I have hired people to work for me, and trusting that those people will do the jobs I need them to so I can spend more time at home is how I can build a strong work/life balance now.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The Blue Ox Bakery has really taken off in the last 18 months. Our customer base has really grown both in our wholesale clients and our direct retail sales. People have really resonated with our process and it makes our growth that much more rewarding. We are now at a point where we don’t have to hunt for business. People are actively seeking us out and we haven’t had to do any additional advertising to our program. I’m really excited about how far we’ve come so quickly and where we’ll be able to go in the future. It certainly hasn’t been easy, it’s very much been a grind. Learning where to best find my customer base at certain events around the area and what times of year to really focus on have been important but hard. We’ve had several events/markets that are duds, that we lose money on, or that we won’t go back to in the future because of the setting and the timing. Now we have enough data that it’s paying off and we’re much more consistent with our successes. I just really want the world to know that you can build a bakery that makes high quality scratch product, that sources local and and top tier, and that pays it’s employees well. The stigmas of the food industry don’t have to apply, it just takes a little more work sometimes.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would go outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather, from Pullen park to Joyner park, the rail trails that run all around raleigh, there are tons of places to go. The Raulston Arboretum, State Farmer’s market, and Art Museum are always good spots. For food we have a ton of great options, and North Hills is a good spot for many of those options. Rosewater is a new favorite spot of mine.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be anywhere near my current trajectory without the love and support of my wife Dominique McCook. She has been a consistent cheerleader, mentor, fill in employee, and most importantly a good listener. Trying to start and get a new business off the ground in the height of Covid took a lot of effort and understanding, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner to have helped me through.

Website: https://www.theblueoxbakery.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/theblueoxbakery

Facebook: facebook.com/theblueoxbakery