Baking Joy in the 60's: Kristin Middleton’s Leap into Starting BougieGougies.com
From depression and doubt to dough and dreams...the courageous rise of Bougie Gougies.
When Kristin Middleton turned 60, she didn’t take up painting, book a cruise, or settle into a quiet retirement.
She started a bakery.
And not just any bakery — Bougie Gougies, a company bringing back the French gougère (a cheesy, airy delight) with a modern twist. Based in Seattle, Bougie Gougies now ships nationwide and has already been featured in Goop. But what makes Kristin’s story unforgettable isn’t the media attention — it’s the decades-long journey behind the dream.
Kristin’s path is a perfect example of what we call an UnLost Cause. It’s a story of returning to something that never truly left you — something that tugged at your heart even when life pulled you in other directions.
Let’s dive into some key lessons from her journey.
1. Some dreams don’t die. They just go quiet for a while.
Kristin first tasted gougères as a child at a dinner hosted by a family friend who had lived in post-war Paris. The memory of that flavor — the smell, the warmth, the delight — stuck with her.
She made them for parties. Played with recipes. And though she shelved the dream of launching a business more than once, the idea never left her.
“Other ideas would float in and out,” she told me. “But this one? This one kept coming back.”
2. Your lowest moments might plant the seeds for your brightest ones.
Kristin’s path wasn’t linear. After a career in banking, she shifted to the wine industry — but also battled periods of depression, including two complete life resets. It was only after a deeply emotional stay at Canyon Ranch — where a therapist told her, “You’re in no state to start a business yet” — that she began to heal.
That permission to pause was exactly what she needed.
From that pause came space.
From that space came clarity.
And from that clarity came Bougie Gougies.
3. Market research doesn’t always look like spreadsheets. Sometimes, it’s your friends.
Kristin’s soft launch began organically. She’d bring her gougères to dinner parties, and soon, friends weren’t just eating them — they were requesting them. Eventually, they asked if they could buy them.
These weren’t polite compliments. These were real signals.
She told me, “When the most buttoned-up hostesses — the kind who have themed name cards and napkins — started asking if I could sell them gougères for their freezer… I realized there might be something here.”
4. Starting at 60 is a strength, not a weakness.
Kristin doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of launching a business in your 60s. You move slower. You have to manage your energy more carefully.
But she also says that her age gave her something else:
Perspective.
She’s not trying to impress investors or prove anything to anyone.
She’s doing this because she wants to.
That mindset has been a superpower. “I know I’ve only got so many years to really go for it,” she said. “And that’s exactly why I’m all in.”
5. Structure creates confidence.
One of Kristin’s biggest shifts came after reading The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma. (Note: I’m also a fan of the book as well ;)
She told me she used to procrastinate and “wing it” — but now she starts each morning with quiet, structured intention.
She journals. Meditates. Walks. Reads in Spanish.
This rhythm grounds her and gives her energy for the more chaotic moments of entrepreneurship.
For me, the most moving part of Kristin’s journey came when she shared the quote that finally pushed her to leap:
“If you don’t do this idea… would you regret it for the rest of your life?”
She didn’t even hesitate.
Yes. She would regret it.
And that one realization changed everything.
That’s the question we all need to ask ourselves.
Not: “Am I too old?”
Not: “Will it be hard?”
But: Will I regret not trying?
Because the truth is — most people regret the things they didn’t do more than the things they did.
Kristin made the leap. She hired a consultant. Started cooking. Launched in September.
But even if the business ended tomorrow, she said she’d still feel proud. Because it’s hard to be brave.
If her story sparked something in you, ask yourself the same question she did:
👉 Would I regret it if I never tried?
If the answer is yes, you know what to do.
🍽️ Taste Kristin’s creations at www.bougiegougies.com
📬 Have questions? Post here and let the community support you.