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

Hi Steve, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I love this question because this is something I ask myself daily. Service to others is a sponsoring thought in how I grow. It’s a tiered answer. First, it starts with an obsession over creating an experience that builds lasting memories, and Gideon’s attempts to do that with the dessert, the atmosphere, and the personal connections. I hope those three things inspire people to be imaginative, but it is also there to give comfort when required. That is what a community business should always offer. Second, what can I offer my internal community? We are currently a team of over 100 people. How do I, as a single owner business, help to build their life experience? The goal is to create a real sense of internal family that can look out for each other at work and beyond employment. As I look to grow my business, I search for ways that open doors for my team. That can range from giving our bakers a day to release their own off-menu creations as a limited edition dessert or create new leadership positions to develop skills. Finally, I think about my commitment to the small business community. There is a ton of weight on my shoulders being such a small business on such a big stage. My goal is to show that the passion and creativity of local businesses can thrive in prominent places.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The recipes at Gideon’s Bakehouse took me a couple of decades to complete. Our offerings are deeply personal to me, carrying so much history and memories of both good times and challenges. What we do is unique in several ways. First, there are no corners cut. Our products are 100% handmade and take over 24 hours to prepare using the best ingredients we can source. The enemy to Gideon’s Bakehouse is mediocrity, and that can be seen in everything from our desserts to our decor. Gideon’s isn’t just about dessert; it’s about an experience. Ensuring that experience is a constant effort. Gideon’s Bakehouse, since day one, has existed with some form of growing pains. Meeting supply and demand is always a challenge with a handmade product. In year two, I had seven employees. After opening up my second location at Disney Springs, we have over 100 on our team just a year later. Quality control is always my most significant investment. 

 
Outside of maintaining and creating menu items, the brand building keeps me obsessively busy.  I run my social media and handle all of the photography.  I answer every general inquire that comes through the website.  This connection to the community that supports us is essential to me and helps gauge our work’s minute-to-minute performance.  I’m also in love with all things merchandise and creativity and talk two or three times a day with my good friend and art director Michael Reyes about everything from new sticker designs to a Gideon’s gargoyle ornament for the holidays.

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.
The last 20 years in Florida have been transformative. The local business scene has gone from obscure to one of the best in the country. When people visit this state, I have endless suggestions for food. In Central Florida, we have passionate local businesses like Black Bean Deli, the Orlando institution Beefy King, the fantastic Hunger Street Tacos. One must always eat pancakes at the BriarPatch. Lineage Coffee Roasters are obsessed with quality beans, which I love to enjoy with pastries at Buttermilk Bakery. Oh, the Hummingbird Cake at Sister Honey’s, and epic vegan desserts at Valhalla Bakery. Don’t get me started on desserts. I’m not a competitive personality. I love so much this town has to offer. Of course, my original location is in Orlando’s first food hall, the East End Market, filled with award-winning food. Take a stroll down Park Avenue in Winter Park and eat anywhere and everywhere. The Mustard Spaghettini at Prato is insane. Disney Springs is, of course, a must stop. The Polite Pig is another locally own spot on the property that will blow you away. Jaleo is always a wonderful experience. The Filet Mignon Sliders at The Boathouse, just wow. Outside of food, I have a love for Vizcaya. As a photography hobbyist, it is a favorite spot. Similarly, I enjoy the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. You can’t spend a week in Florida without ghost hunting in St. Augustine. I have some extremely creepy photos available by request. 😉 Oh, Bok Towers is kinda cool … I feel like I’m starting to sound like an old man. People might say the beaches, but speaking as Gideon’s Bakehouse owner, that amount of concentrated sunlight is undesirable. *insert vampire emoji* Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I opened up my little bakery in 2016 with one employee and $800 in the bank. Four years later, I opened a flagship location at Disney Springs. I’m a nobody with limited financial means, so this, on paper, made little sense. However, the local Central Florida community was passionate about what I was doing and elevated us to the highest levels. They waited 90 minutes in our lines to get a limited edition cookie. They plastered my cookies all over social media and told all of their family and friends. The truest recognition for our growth belongs to our supportive community. Gideon’s Bakehouse is just as much theirs are it is mine.

Website: gideonsbakehouse.com

Instagram: @gideonsbakehouse.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-lewis-58614292

Facebook: facebook.com/gideonsbakehouse

Image Credits
Gideon’s Bakehouse

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