477 Dana Bloom: Founder & CEO of Proper Food

Pandemic Impact

The pandemic posed a significant challenge for Proper Food, a business designed to serve office workers in major cities like San Francisco and New York. Dana Bloom recounts how their revenue plummeted by 96% overnight due to lockdowns, forcing them to pivot quickly and creatively 1. They transformed their operations to include home and grocery delivery, even converting part of their kitchen into a pick-and-pack facility to sustain their business 1. Dana reflects on this period, stating, "Our business should have failed... but we just weren't willing for it to be the end of our story" 2.

   

Funding Challenges

Fundraising presented its own set of hurdles for Proper Food, particularly during the pandemic. Dana shares that they were on the verge of securing institutional funding in March 2020 when the pandemic hit, causing potential investors to refocus on their existing portfolios 3. This setback turned into an advantage, as it allowed Proper Food to make swift decisions without needing to consult institutional partners. "We were able to make decisions very, very rapidly when Covid happened," Dana explains, highlighting the agility that helped them survive 3.