Success story · Richmond cohort

Proper Pie Co.

Retail bakery — hand pies

A 13-year, fiercely independent pie shop with a loyal following, retooling production and opening paths to distribution.

A husband-and-wife team · Owners · Church Hill, Richmond

The two owners of Proper Pie Co. wearing branded shirts.

Where they started

A husband-and-wife pie shop with a loyal following and steady growth — but limited capacity to scale.

What changed

The outcomes after twelve weeks.

15%

Revenue growth, year over year

−25%

Labor cost, via new equipment

New staff hired

NYC

National trade-show access

The story.

Working from their Beyond the Million growth plan, the founders identified high-impact operational improvements — including a double-pass sheeter that cut labor costs by 25% — and mapped capital needs from a commissary-kitchen buildout to new distribution channels.

Their mentor, Jill Donaldson, brought them to the Specialty Food Association's national trade show in New York to explore wholesale and distribution, and they're now in talks to fund the next phase, including a food-truck concept.

The takeaway

With the right equipment, mentorship, and access to industry networks, an established small business cut costs, grew revenue, and opened doors to expansion that had felt out of reach.