Changing circumstances drive nontraditional entrepreneurs

Had it not been for a rash on her elbows, Anna Sobaski might still be teaching instead of running her own company.

Sobaski was traveling from Rhode Island to Boston in 1999 to teach art photography when she reached a point of exhaustion, and she thought stress from the long commute was the source of the rash. But she was diagnosed with celiac disease, requiring the elimination of anything containing gluten from her diet.

When Sobaski began her gluten-free diet, it quickly became apparent that gluten-free bread was not very appetizing.

“I decided my life required an all-out change,” she said. “I attended the Natural Gourmet Institute Cookery School Institute for Food and Health in New York City, which held the philosophy that food and health are connected and that a special diet does not mean deprivation.

“I set up shop in the upstairs loft of my brother's Iowa City business, and I got to work collecting the unique ingredients needed for making my first loaf of bread.”

After many test runs, Sobaski eventually created a steamy, fresh loaf of bread. When her brother tasted the result, he commented, “What's the big deal? It tastes like bread.”

Sobaski developed her first product in 2004, the Original Gluten, Soy, Nut and Rice Free Bread Mix. Today, Breads from Anna markets 12 different gluten-free bread, muffin and pancake mixes in hundreds of stores and expects to roll out a frozen product line this summer.

As with many non-traditional entrepreneurs, circumstances often prompt individuals to explore their options, which can transform a hobby into a business.

Operating a winery, for example, wasn't part of Jeff Quint's envisioned career path when he graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. He worked for six years as a CPA in Cedar Rapids and Minneapolis.

“In 2000, when the dot-com bubble burst, I was complaining to (his wife) Laurie that we would never be able to retire,” said Quint, by now chief financial officer at Involta LLC in Marion. “She asked me what I would do if I ever retired, and without hesitation I said that if I worked 60 hours a week in a winery and vineyard that would be like being retired.

“We started doing research right away, and that's when we realized that all these new varieties of grapes were being developed for the Midwest. I've always been involved with winemaking as a hobby, but this was an opportunity and we just ran with it.”

The Quints initially leased space at Benz Beverage Depot in downtown Cedar Rapids for their winery and distillery. Jeff 's accounting background served the couple well when assembling the financing for a 7,050-square-foot facility on the 27 acres of land in Swisher where Cedar Ridge Vineyards, Winery & Distillery - launched in 2003 - is now located.

This past summer, Iowa Bourbon Whiskey made its debut, the first bourbon made from Iowa corn since the end of Prohibition.

“We hit on the idea of opening a distillery to differentiate our winery from all the other wineries in Iowa and the Midwest,” Quint said. “We're probably going to have to move the distillery to another building in the next couple of years.

“That said, I don't see myself ever letting go of the winery because that's something I really enjoy.”

Bruce Taylor, after successive layoffs within eight months as a software programmer, also turned to his personal interests.

“After some soul-searching, I decided that I wanted to go into business, and the one thing that I had done in my life that I really enjoyed was the movie business,” said Taylor, who had run movie projectors while in high school in Henderson, N.C.

In 2003 Taylor was driving through Collins Road Square in Marion when he spotted a “for lease” sign on the former Collins Road 5 Theatres.

“At first, I didn't think it was going to materialize, but suddenly I was signing papers, and here I am eight years later,” he said.

Taylor has offered second-run movies, lower ticket and concession prices than first-run movie theaters, “real butter” on his popcorn, and a hands-on approach to the business. He personally welcomes patrons and gives free passes as prizes.

During school holidays, Collins Road Theatres offers free children's movies. Despite being told by a local movie theater manager that the idea wouldn't work, Taylor reported those free showings attracted more than 22,500 children this past year.

While the free movies are a sweet deal for children and their parents, they also provide revenue in the form of concession sales of candy, popcorn and soft drinks.