Ben Watson of Kinship Bread centers his work on two values: honesty and accountability. He names them plainly. They shape the decisions he makes and the way he moves through his craft.

He describes working with his hands as an exchange — a give-and-receive energy that feels built into the process itself. He keeps things simple. He uses ingredients he trusts. He pays attention. He sources with intention. When he talks about feeding people, there’s an awareness in him that people are taking something he made into their lives, and he wants that bread to be as healthy as possible.

When I asked him what choice changed everything, he said moving to Colorado — specifically to Boulder.

After the pandemic, he moved from bakery to bakery, searching for a place where his craft could take root. When he first arrived in Colorado, he carried feelings of uncertainty and doubt. Even so, he quickly felt a strong sense of acceptance and support for his craft, which gave him the confidence to pursue the dream of opening his own bakery. It took time to build the right connections, but along the way, he learned to slow down and practice patience in ways he never had before.

Kinship Bread was born. He brought his bread around to restaurants, coffee shops, and local spots, and he was supported. Showing up in this town gave him a sense of purpose and joy. He felt at home because Boulder is a place where people care deeply about food, about the world around them, and about how they move through their days. He felt welcomed.

When I asked him about a moment that tested him, he told me about the time his biggest customer closed, and he lost the majority of his income. It pushed him to reach out to the broader Boulder community. He approached Nude Foods and asked if they would carry his bread. They said yes. The customers he already had followed him to the new spot. He appreciates the partnership — he brings them business, and they give him a place for his bread to live. It mirrors the give-and-receive feeling he recognizes in the craft itself.

When I asked him what he wants Boulder to know about him, he said he hopes to stay here. He would like to be the bakery for Boulder. It fulfills him to bring the highest-quality bread he can to a place he enjoys working. Kinship is exclusively sourdough, using organic flour that can be traced back to the farm. He works with heirloom grains and single varietals grown and milled in Colorado, giving each loaf a unique complexity. The bread is always long, slow-fermented to develop a deep, rich character and flavor.

He shared something that meant a lot to him: people stop him and ask, “Are you the bread guy?” They tell him how much they appreciate his bread. They share stories about driving across towns to get it. They offer help. They want him to know it matters.

For him, that recognition — being himself, being known for the work he does, and being accepted fully — is meaningful. It reflects the life he’s chosen here: creating something with intention, honest work, and staying connected to a community where his values feel understood.

If you’d like to explore more of Ben’s work and Kinship Bread in Boulder, you can find him here: Visit Kinship Bread and his Instagram has beautiful pictures of his craft.

For many of us, the ‘Hero’s Journey‘ is a roller coaster of wins and losses. Here, I share my insight into how you operate under stress during your own workday. It’s a quick way to understand your own patterns so they stop running you: Take the Work-Stress Quiz

If you’d like to keep reading about how local leaders operate in our community, here’s a recent AboutBoulder spotlight that offers a meaningful look into another Boulder voice: Read the John Tayer feature

Kate Galt Primal Leadership Business Coaching

Kate Galt coaches and challenges leaders at all levels— from entrepreneurs to seasoned executives— to sharpen their vision, articulate key messages so they connect and inspire, and make decisive, strategic moves that drive real business growth. Based in Boulder, Colorado, she works with individuals and teams to strengthen leadership, improve team dynamics, and achieve measurable results.

Her coaching is rooted in Primal Leadership—because the strongest leaders move with instinct, command presence without force, and create unshakable trust through raw, real connection.

Like any driven person, Kate is always figuring out how to do it all—running a business, raising two kids with her equally involved husband, and still making time for the adventure that brought her to Colorado in 1998. Whether it’s snowboarding, mountain biking, or chasing an ultimate frisbee, she knows the best leadership isn’t just learned—it’s lived.

The bottom line? Kate makes good leaders great.

Curious about what makes her coaching style so impactful? Book a call and experience it for yourself at CoachTheLeaders.com.