Check Out Dylan Daughenbaugh’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dylan Daughenbaugh.

Hi Dylan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey really started back in high school. In 10th grade, I began taking classes at a community college with the dream of becoming a pastry chef. I even earned certificates in pastry arts and was accepted to Johnson & Wales with a scholarship, but the financial reality made me step back and rethink.
I pivoted to business, earning a full-ride scholarship to CSU Pueblo. While I excelled in math and science, I quickly realized business management wasn’t my calling. After taking some time away, I explored healthcare and began working as a patient attendant, then as a patient care tech. That experience planted the seed for my long-term goal of nursing.
Life took me on a winding path — I moved to Denver, briefly pursued nursing school, explored cosmetology at Aveda, and eventually completed my business degree at MSU Denver while working as a CNA and in corporate roles. After business school, I started my MBA, but after one semester I realized it wasn’t for me.
Years later, after working at a youth homeless shelter and navigating my own mental health, I felt called to social work. I began my MSW, but through both my coursework and hands-on experience, I realized I wasn’t equipped for that path. The emotional toll was too heavy, and I couldn’t help others if I wasn’t fully able to help myself.
A few years later, I shifted into tech recruiting, which led me to coding school. I loved creating projects in JavaScript, Python, and React — it was exciting and fun. Unfortunately, I graduated just as massive layoffs were hitting the tech industry.
I never thought I’d circle back to bedside healthcare, but during the pandemic I realized I wanted both stability and fulfillment. That clarity brought me back to nursing, where I’m now pursuing my ADN with the goal of eventually working in cardiac or critical care.
When I hit a major setback in nursing school, I unexpectedly rediscovered baking. A friend shared a sourdough starter with me, and it quickly became my coping skill. What started as baking bread for family and friends grew into a small business — I now sell at the Downtown Littleton Farmers Market and through bi-weekly drop-offs at a local boutique – J Claire Women’s Fashion. I’ve sold out every market this summer, and it’s been both healing and inspiring to see my bread connect with people.
Another defining part of my story has been my health journey. For most of my life, I struggled with obesity, often using food as a coping mechanism. At one point, I stepped on the scale and it simply read “error.” That was the day I promised myself I would never let things go that far again.
At over 400 pounds, I started meal prepping, walking more with my dog Zankou, and trying different diets (keto, paleo, intermittent fasting, tracking macros). Still, I found myself battling my mental health alongside my weight. Eventually, I told myself, “You need help.” In February 2024, at 384 pounds, I met with a bariatric surgeon. By April, I was in the OR at 364 pounds.
Since then, I’ve completely reshaped my lifestyle. Now, about a year and a half later, I’m around 170 pounds — 200 pounds lighter, essentially losing “a whole person” off myself. I’m much pickier with food these days, and while I miss some of my old favorites (fried food and Dr. Pepper especially!), this is a lifestyle change I’m committed to for life.
That journey taught me discipline, resilience, and self-respect — qualities that now carry over into everything else I do, whether in nursing or in sourdough.
Today, I’m balancing two passions: nursing and sourdough. One is a lifelong dream of caring for patients, and the other is a creative outlet that keeps me grounded. Both paths, though very different, have shaped who I am and where I’m headed. I’ve been down many roads to find my niche, but each step added to my skills and perspective — paving the way toward my future.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I’ve faced plenty of challenges along the way, both personally and professionally. Two of the biggest have been my mental health and my weight — struggles that shaped much of my journey and taught me resilience, perseverance, and the importance of healthy outlets.
Both of these challenges may trace back to a TBI I sustained in 2002, when I had brain surgery. For years, I wanted to play sports but was told I was as fragile as an egg — one more hit could have left me severely disabled. From grades 4–8, that limitation shaped my relationship with physical activity. By the time I was finally cleared, I’d lost interest and instead found myself in drama club. Less activity led to more weight gain, and research shows TBIs can contribute to mood disorders too — something I lived through. With therapy, medication, and love, I’ve worked to become a better version of myself, for me and for everyone around me.
Another challenge, one many queer people share, was coming out. I was a flamboyant teenager who knew I was gay, but my dad wasn’t on board. Years of hiding myself took a toll on my mental health, and eventually I reached a breaking point — I couldn’t keep carrying that weight. I had to embrace who I was. Since then, I’ve learned the cliché truth: it really does get better. Being open, authentic, and loving who I love has made all the difference.
Along the way, I’ve realized that medication alone doesn’t fix everything. It takes consistent effort, therapy, and self-reflection. Even after five years in therapy, I’m still a work in progress — and that’s okay. Working on both my mental and physical health has changed my life in ways I never thought possible.
A lot of this growth has been through trial and error — making mistakes, owning them, and finding a way forward stronger than before. Balancing nursing school, work, and launching a sourdough business has been a challenge in itself, but also incredibly rewarding. I’ve been blown away by how fast the bread business took off in just one summer, and I’ve had to figure out how to carve out the time (and the sanity) to keep both things moving.
One of the hardest moments came when I failed a nursing class. I still get emotional about it — when you want something so badly and have to pause, it feels crushing. But it fueled me. I came back more determined than ever. I know I’ll succeed, and I refuse to let one setback define me. That failure even gave me something I never expected: my cottage baking business. If you’d asked me a year ago whether I’d be running a sourdough stand, I would’ve laughed. And yet here I am… getting crusty!
The road hasn’t been easy, but every challenge has shaped who I am today. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: I’m a lot more resilient than I ever gave myself credit for.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Right now, I’m working full-time at a local hospital as a nurse extern on a cardiac neuro unit, and I’ve been in patient care for almost 10 years, with a brief detour into the corporate world. It’s been an incredible experience to learn in such a dynamic environment and gain hands-on skills while pursuing my ADN. One of the things I’m most proud of in this role is receiving a scholarship through my hospital’s partnership program, which allows me to pursue my nursing degree debt-free. Having the support of my workplace as I grow into my career has been both empowering and motivating.
Outside of the hospital and school, I run Dylan’s Homemade Goods — my sourdough business. I couldn’t do it without my husband, who is very much my silent partner. Whether it’s prepping starter while I’m on a long shift or helping with baking after a 16-hour day, he makes it possible to keep everything moving. What started as a coping skill has grown into something much bigger. I now market, bake, and sell loaves at the Downtown Littleton Farmers Market and through bi-weekly boutique drop-offs. I’m especially proud of how quickly it’s grown and of the feedback I’ve received — even from seasoned bakers who say my bread stands out in flavor and quality.
What sets me apart is the balance I’ve found between these two worlds. On one hand, I’m deeply committed to building a career in healthcare; on the other, I’ve embraced my creativity through sourdough. Both paths challenge me in different ways, but together they’ve made me more adaptable, resilient, and passionate about connecting with people.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me happiest is my family. I’m married to my soulmate, and together we have a dog named Zankou. We’ve been married for almost a year, and I truly can’t imagine my life without them — my husband and Zankou are at the core of my happiness and who I am. I also have three amazing siblings and a supportive mom, and I love spending time with our wonderfully quirky family — on my terms, of course. On top of that, I have a best friend I’ve known since 4th grade — 25 years! We bicker like a married couple, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can’t forget my girl Gina — we met when I lived in Oregon, and she has always been (and always will be) a rock that grounds me.
Beyond family, I find joy in simple but meaningful things. I love making people smile, whether through sharing my bread, my knowledge, or just being present. I’m a big coffee enthusiast — I’ll happily enjoy a cup any time of day, as long as it’s good. I also love museums and learning, which fits my forward-thinking nature. I enjoy being outside, especially on a perfect 70-degree day, taking Zankou for a walk. Music also brings me joy — my sourdough starter, named Cruspell Roan (inspired by Chappell Roan), is always on repeat, and I’m currently obsessively revisiting Wicked 2025 and Charmed 1996. Baking bread brings me happiness, and getting to earn from something I love is incredibly rewarding.
Another source of happiness is personal growth. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made — going from a 4XL to a medium has been life-changing, both physically and mentally. My mental health is stronger, my resilience has grown, and I’ve been able to turn setbacks — like failing a class — into catalysts for new opportunities, like starting my sourdough business. I love being part of the nursing community, I love learning, and I love my crusties — everyone who supports my bread.
Ultimately, what makes me happiest is the sense that I’m building something meaningful — in my personal life, my health journey, and my future career. It’s exciting to think about where I’m headed, and that forward momentum brings me so much joy. So get ready — Dylan, RN 2026, is on the way!

Pricing:

• Sourdough Bread $12-18

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dylandotanthony.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylanshomomadegoods/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DylansHomoMadeGoods
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylandaughenbaugh
• Other: https://linktr.ee/DylansHomoMadeGoods

Image Credits
all mine 🙂