How The Bake Shoppe's co-owner starts her day

Growing up in the newspaper business, The Bake Shoppe co-owner Lisa Kannapel was no stranger to early mornings.

• Kannapel says she's taken on the work ethic of her father, who still owns small-town Iowa papers in places like Armstrong and Ringsted today.

And while she still puts many hours into the bakery, a breast cancer diagnosis last year kept her out of the kitchen — a major endeavor as a "workaholic," she says.

• Now she tries to take more moments to appreciate other parts of her life.
• "Ever since my cancer diagnosis, we've just kind of decided our personal lives are a little more important than we're giving it credit for," says Kannapel, who runs the bakery with her husband, Chris.

What's next: Lisa is in remission, and the Kannapels are opening a second location this spring in Waukee.

• "You only live once," she says.

Here's how Kannapel starts her day:

⏰ Wake up: 5:15–5:45am.

🍳 Breakfast: Two hard-boiled eggs and coffee. Scrambled on the weekends.

📱 What she's reading: Work emails.

💡 Her advice for new bakers: Start at farmers markets for experience.