NEXT Insurance helps Mrs. Sourdough rise faster with instant COIs

About Mrs. Sourdough:

• Owner: Cassie Cahill
• What they do: Organic sourdough bakery specializing in breads and baked goods
• Location: Nashville, TN
• Employees: 2-10

Organic, locally-sourced flour. Spring water. Salt. That’s it. 

With those three simple ingredients, Mrs. Sourdough, an all-organic, woman-owned bakery in Tennessee, bakes handmade loaves with that chewy interior and crisp crust that bread-lovers dream of. 

In early 2024, Mrs. Sourdough founder and owner Cassie Cahill was at a crossroads in her career. Like so many entrepreneurs, she was tired of the 9-5 grind and looking for something else. That’s when her passion for simple and clean food and her love of baking led her to start baking sourdough for friends and family from her home kitchen. 

Within six months, she had quit her day job in the medical field and increased production from 10 loaves a week to over 500. She started selling her bread at farmers markets, then she opened a bakery and landed wholesale accounts. 

“Being able to create something by myself that everybody loves has been amazing,” Cahill says. 

But to continue to build her business, Mrs. Sourdough needed partners that could keep up. Fortunately they found NEXT small business insurance. 

See why Mrs. Sourdough chose NEXT to protect her bakery. 

The challenge: Meeting insurance requirements without slowing down growth

• Farmers markets and wholesale partners require proof of liability coverage.
• Waiting for certificates of insurance (COIs) was stalling new sales opportunities.
• Juggling rapid growth, this solo founder needed a simple way to get the insurance coverage she needed. 

Landing her first major farmers market was an important step for Mrs. Sourdough. 

“Farmer’s markets in Nashville are very different from anywhere else,” Cahill says. “They’re very busy. People are very loyal and committed to supporting local small businesses.”

When expanding to new farmers markets, each new application requires a certificate of insurance (COI). For a small business built on speed, waiting on paperwork wasn’t an option. 

“When I go to sign up for a farmers market, you have to submit that certificate of liability with the application. Otherwise, you’re not considered,” Cahill says.

She wanted small business insurance coverage that wouldn’t slow her down, and the right policies to protect her business without administrative hassle. 

Why NEXT: Fast, digital coverage that keeps up with small businesses

• Recommended by another food vendor.
• Clear policy options and simple sign up.
• Self-service app and online portal.
• Instant COIs for new markets and partnerships.

A big part of being a small business owner is relying on your community. “When you run a small business, you need to be able to ask for help so you can continue to grow and be successful,” Cahill says.

Asking for help included reaching out to other vendors for partner recommendations. Cahill heard about NEXT from another vendor at a farmer’s market in Nashville: “They had great things to say about NEXT’s pricing, customer service and policy options.”

From the very beginning, Cahill found NEXT to be a productivity boost. 

“I’ve saved a lot of time with NEXT — time saved on research and trying to find something to fit my needs,” she says.

Mrs. Sourdough became a NEXT customer as the bakery was opening. And it turned out to be the right move. 

“Having NEXT really allowed me to branch out quickly,” Cahill says, ”I’m not having to wait on anything.”

“The NEXT app is so easy to use. I love that I can pull it up on my phone and have all the information ready,” Cahill says. “It’s really nice because I can go into the NEXT app and add different farmers markets that I’m going to be at to make sure I’m covered under each one.” 

And she can easily manage her coverage and instantly download certificates of insurance (COI) as needed. 

The result: More markets, less paperwork and greater peace of mind

• Instant COIs enable quick sign-ups for new farmers markets.
• Time saved on research and admin.
• Confidence knowing coverage is ready when needed.

Since signing up with NEXT, Cahill has been able to focus on her craft and expand faster — joining more farmers markets and delivering her sourdough starter across the U.S.

“Using NEXT as my small business insurance provider has been a very seamless process,” she says. “I haven’t had to look elsewhere for an insurance company, which has been really nice when I’ve got all this other stuff going on.” 

And it’s a comfort to know that, with NEXT, she has the coverage she needs for whatever comes her way. 

“I have confidence in NEXT because I feel like when I need them they’re going to be there and there won’t be any hoops to jump through,” Cahill says. “If something were to happen, I can rest easy knowing that it would be taken care of quickly and promptly.”

The NEXT difference: Simple protection for busy small business owners

After a couple of years in business, Mrs. Sourdough has some words of advice for other would-be entrepreneurs. “Starting a small business takes time and a lot of dedication to your craft. But if you know you have a good product and trust the process and let things come as they are, you can become a success.”

“Whatever you can offload to a trusted partner is time you can invest back into your business. I have a list of things to worry about running my small business. But with NEXT, business insurance is another thing I can just check off.” 

NEXT’s self-service, digital coverage model gives small business owners like Cahill freedom. 

“Thanks to NEXT, I can just keep rolling, keep the bread baking and keep serving our customers,” Cahill says.

How NEXT helps small business owners

NEXT makes it easy for small businesses to get the coverage they need to help businesses like Mrs. Sourdough rise.

See how NEXT can help protect your business. Get an instant quote today.