Mia’s most recent column featured Bunner’s Bakeshop – a gluten-free, vegan bakery recently opened by Ashley Wittig and Kevin MacAllister in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood.

What started as a pipe dream has since become an very successful small business. After leaving her job in September 2009, Wittig quickly started catering and appearing at local farmer’s markets, trying to get the word out about her unique brand.

Mia writes: “By last summer, Bunner’s already had a loyal following on various social networking sites, so the two young entrepreneurs decided to take their online marketing one step further: They added their information to Veg.ca, the Toronto Vegetarian Association’s food directory. From there, business really took off.”

“We were getting three or four calls a day,” Wittig recalls. “So we asked ourselves, ‘What are we doing this for if we’re not going to open up a place?’ ”

On Dec. 11, just a little over a year after Wittig left her job, she and MacAllister opened up their retail shop.

“It went gangbusters after that,” Wittig says. “All of a sudden, people were blogging about us like crazy, and blogTO named us the No. 1 best new bakery opened in 2010.”

Mia writes: “They may be new to running a business, but Wittig and MacAllister made some very smart decisions from the outset. Bunner’s has both a strong online and offline presence, participating in social networking and in-person community events. The shop promotes its products through placement in two other high-end coffee shops, and engages with bloggers and the media alike. Wittig also positions herself as a thought leader about vegan and gluten-free cooking and baking – a great benefit to the Bunner’s brand.”

“Wittig and MacAllister are inspiring,” Mia continues. “It is so important for Canada’s young people to continue to push boundaries and innovate in the work they do. Sure, Wittig might have been nervous to pull the safety net and start her own company, but she didn’t let that stop her.”

“Even though I was nervous, I always knew it was a great idea,” Wittig says. “For anyone opening up a business, I’d say that if you think there is a need for it, and if you’re looking around and there’s nothing like it, it’s probably a good idea.”

“You just need to take that chance.”

Check out Mia’s column every Thursday in the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.