‘“It seemed obvious,’ Scott Lynch says with a grin when asked why he and his family started La Fortuna Pizza, a mobile wood-fired pizza business based in Madison, Wis., that features local ingredients. But Scott’s not trying to be coy: “We have a passion for local food, love to cook and find a deep satisfaction in making people happy. Pizza brings these all together.”

“The Lynch’s business features Neapolitan-pizzas with flavorful toppings atop thin crusts, cooked in a wood-fired oven that can reach 900 degrees F. Their whole operation is designed to be portable, enabling them to vend at area events and farmers’ markets as well as cater weddings and private functions.’We built our business around pizza because, frankly, everybody loves pizza; it’s an accessible food,’ Scott explains. ‘We can also use pizza as a means to educate folks about the importance of knowing our farmers and where our food comes from. We can tell folks exactly where each ingredient comes from.”’

“Increasing numbers of people, like the Lynch family, are creating their own entrepreneurships that connect to their soul—and the soil!—instead of simply earning them a paycheck. By keeping things lean and green, sustainability can happen on our farms, in our kitchens and through a viable livelihood that gets us excited to pop out of bed every morning.”

“The Lynch family shared three slices of advice for aspiring food entrepreneurs: 1. Connect your values; 2. Involve those you love. 3. Take the leap.”