What happens when a fine dining chef challenges one of the most traditional processes in baking?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly Houston sits down with Craig Hutchinson, COO and co-owner of Olmo Bagels, to talk about how innovation, hospitality, and operational thinking helped transform a pandemic pivot into one of the most talked-about bagel brands in the country.

Craig shares how Olmo Bagels pioneered a New Haven-style bagel by using fresh-milled grains, steam technology instead of traditional boiling, and a production system designed for consistency at scale. The conversation dives deep into bakery operations, workplace culture, training, leadership, product quality, and why “numbers don’t lie” has become a guiding philosophy inside the business.

This episode is packed with insight for bakery owners, pastry professionals, and anyone navigating growth in the food industry without sacrificing craftsmanship or hospitality.

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What do you do when giving 150% to someone else’s dream gets you nowhere?

You build your own.

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly Houston sits down with Kady Miller, founder of Alchemy Bake Lab in Houston, Texas, for an honest conversation about what it really takes to build a bakery from the ground up.

After being laid off from her corporate job, Kady made the decision to go all in on herself. What followed was a journey filled with pivots, rapid growth, hard lessons, and major wins.

From building her business with unemployment income to hitting six figures during COVID with no-contact dessert delivery, Kady shares the behind-the-scenes reality of bakery ownership.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Starting a bakery after being laid off
• The mindset behind betting on yourself
• Scaling from home kitchen to storefront
• Hiring, leadership, and team culture
• Why trusting your intuition matters in business
• “Train your replacement” and other growth strategies

This conversation is packed with real insight for bakers, students, and entrepreneurs alike.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re ready to take the leap—this episode might be exactly what you need to hear.

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Most people think baking is about creativity.

Rachel Liu Martindale will tell you it’s about systems.

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Rachel shares what it really looks like to walk away from a stable engineering career and build a bakery from the ground up—without skipping the hard parts. From scaling recipes and calculating margins to testing demand through pop-ups and navigating a business through COVID, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it takes to create a business that actually lasts.

We talk about the gap between being a great baker and being a prepared business owner, why slow growth protected her business, and how rebranding around identity and market demand reshaped everything. Rachel also offers a candid look at leadership—what it means to manage a small team, set operational boundaries, and build a business that doesn’t require you to sacrifice your life to sustain it.

If you’ve ever thought about opening a bakery—or you’re already in it and feeling the pressure—this episode will challenge how you think about growth, success, and what it really takes to stay in the industry long-term.

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