Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Getschmann.
Hi Shelby, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Our story began in 2022 when we started baking as part of our homeschooling curriculum. We wanted our children to learn self-sufficiency, real-world skills, and the joy of creating something with their hands. A few months later, in 2023, we opened G6 Sourdough as a cottage bakery and built it intentionally as a homeschool project. Through it, our kids learn entrepreneurship, accounting, customer service, and – most importantly – how to feed themselves well. After all, great bread begins with just three simple ingredients: flour, water, and salt.
Once we introduced sourdough into our baking, we went through the usual growing pains: handfuls of failed loaves and even a couple of “starter casualties.” But with persistence, we found our rhythm and began developing recipes we truly love. Today, we mill fresh whole grains for our loaves, and our bestselling item has become our sourdough chocolate chip cookies. We often hear, “These are life-changing!” – a comment that never gets old.
We’re constantly experimenting and learning as a family. Our newest creation is a long-fermented, par-baked sourdough pizza base that has allowed several customers to enjoy pizza again. And with the help of recent updates to Texas cottage food laws, next month we will start offering a family-friendly pizza/pasta (yes—sourdough pasta!) and dessert night. Our heart is to serve good food made with ingredients you can actually pronounce (we list our ingredients) while giving neighbors a chance to support a local family and directly invest in our children’s education.
We’re also expanding in ways that highlight our kids’ gifts. Our oldest son has discovered a passion for crème brûlée, so we’ve added “Kid Creations” to our menu. It’s been special to watch him take ownership—and of course, we don’t mind the taste-testing.
Beyond baking, we’ve begun teaching sourdough classes and workshops to help others learn, create, and even launch their own cottage bakeries. We believe in equipping families to feed themselves and their communities. Because of that, a portion of every sale supports our Daily Bread Georgetown program, which provides free sourdough loaves to neighbors who need a little encouragement.
Our bakery is truly a family effort, built on simple ingredients, patience, hard work, and a desire to serve our community one loaf at a time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has definitely not been smooth. In early 2024, shortly after moving to Georgetown, a burst water pipe destroyed our home and left us displaced for nearly a year. We moved from Airbnb to VRBO to hotel rooms – sometimes across Texas, sometimes as far as Florida – while trying to keep our bakery alive. During that season, we baked in every kind of oven imaginable. Some were wonderful, many… were not. But each one forced us to learn, adjust, and stay committed to serving our customers.
Looking back, that time tested our family and our bakery in ways we never expected. Yet by God’s grace, it strengthened our determination instead of weakening it. We learned to adapt, to be resourceful, and to hold tightly to the mission we started with: feeding our neighbors and teaching our children resilience, responsibility, and entrepreneurship in real time.
This experience also reminded us that a strong community matters. Even in the hardest moments, we continued baking, delivering, and showing up. Our customers encouraged us, prayed for us, supported our kids, and ultimately helped us rebuild. That season deepened our gratitude and gave our bakery a story far bigger than flour and water. It became a testimony of perseverance, purpose, and community love.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At G6 Sourdough, everything we make is rooted in long fermentation, simple ingredients, and the belief that real food should nourish both body and community. We specialize in sourdough baking and are best known for two things: our original artisan loaves made with fresh-milled whole grains and our sourdough chocolate chip cookies. Those cookies have developed a loyal following – people often tell us they’re “life-changing,” and it’s still one of our favorite compliments.
We also hear regularly that our bread tastes dramatically better than what people find in the grocery store. The combination of long fermentation, freshly milled flour, and careful, hands-on methods creates a depth of flavor and a level of digestibility that surprises many first-time customers.
But what truly sets us apart is that our bakery is also our classroom. G6 Sourdough is a homeschool-run cottage bakery where our four children learn entrepreneurship, customer service, accounting, recipe development, and the life skills that come from feeding others well. They help with everything from milling grain to shaping dough to serving neighbors at pickup. Watching them grow in confidence and creativity – especially as they contribute their own recipe ideas – has become one of the things we’re most proud of.
Beyond baking, we teach sourdough classes and workshops to help other families learn these same skills. We also run our Daily Bread Georgetown program, which provides free loaves to neighbors who could use a little encouragement. For us, baking isn’t just a business – it’s a way to strengthen our community, teach our children responsibility and generosity, and offer good, wholesome food made from ingredients you can actually pronounce.
In everything we do, we aim for a simple goal: to serve our neighbors with warmth, quality, and intentionality, one loaf (or cookie!) at a time.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Mentorship for us hasn’t looked traditional. We didn’t come into sourdough or entrepreneurship with formal business mentors or a built-in network. Instead, our “mentors” have been a mix of community support, trial and error, generous bakers who shared their knowledge, and the local cottage food community here in Texas.
One of the most helpful things has simply been asking questions and building relationships with people who are a few steps ahead of us – whether that’s another baker, a small business owner, or someone familiar with cottage food laws. Most people are far more willing to help than you expect, especially when you show genuine curiosity and a willingness to learn.
We’ve also found that serving our community has created connections naturally. Teaching classes, talking with customers on pickup day, connecting with other homeschool families, and joining local groups have all opened doors to encouragement, advice, and friendships that feel like mentorship in their own way.
My best advice is this: stay teachable, stay humble, and stay involved. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you admire, even if it’s just for one question. And surround yourself with communities – local or online – who share your values and your work ethic. Those relationships often end up being the most meaningful and the most helpful.
Pricing:
- Our Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies start at $6
- Our Sourdough loaves start at $14
- Our Sourdough Classes and Workshops start at $20
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.g6sourdough.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g6sourdough/
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/g6sourdough
