We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Barbara Bloom a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Barbara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I love the gift I have been given to have a business with my husband, and to create wonderful products. Our business came about through a financial reversal when we both lost our corporate jobs in the 2009-2010 economic downturn. Until that time we were corporate worker bees and only gave thought in passing about having her own business. There is so much greater freedom to work for yourself, not restrained by politics and all that goes with a corporate job. I’m very grateful for all of the years of employment I’ve had for other people but I can’t begin to express how liberating and encouraging working for yourself is. There’s so many lessons we’ve learned and are still learning about running a business of our own. I spent decades working for someone else and making those companies wealthy. It’s nice to earn an income for myself. And there’s a special kind of joy when you see that what you create resonates with customers, improves their life and brings happiness to the world. We love to listen to our customers, try to solve their requests with solutions. Customers have brought some amazing ideas that have turned out to be very good ideas. For example a sweet lady stopped at our booth at an art fair and told us about a soap she bought while traveling in Asia. The soap was made with persimmon extract, and removes that old musty smell people develop as they age (scientific term is nonenal smell). She translated the label and asked us to make it…. And after some research and development we created “cuz you stink “ soap. It flys off the shelf, but not just as a humorous gift- our customers come back and buy it again because they like the results. Our business allows us the freedom to create, develop and produce products without having the limitations a corporate setting brings.
Every day I remember where I came from, and am grateful to have this opportunity to serve my customers in a meaningful way. No looking back to working for someone else. Honestly I wish we had started this 20 years ago.

Barbara, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

To introduce my story is also quite a privilege and I want to thank you for the opportunity. My name is Barb Bloom and together with my husband Steve we own and operate Images in Bloom Studio in Cleveland Ohio. Until 2010 we held corporate jobs, with only fleeting thought of having a business of our own. But in 2010 life fell apart. My husband worked as a liaison between developers and the city, and if you remember the bottom dropped out of the housing market. His job dried up. And 3 months later the hospital I worked for downsized by a third and I was out of work. We both hit the pavement with calls, resumes and after reaching out repeatedly with no response we realized we needed to do something to create an income. Initially I began crocheting tote bags from plastic grocery bags, and Steve began making soap. Our humble starts we’re noticed, and be began picking up a customer following. Fast forward 12 years and we have a studio where we make our products, and we can say they are in a dozen shops around the area. I also returned to my love of art and began painting silk scarves. My work is juried into fine art shows around the region.
Our first adventures in marketing our products were farmers markets and small community festivals. Initially we stayed within a 25 mile radius of Cleveland. We became more adventurous in applying for larger art festivals as far away as Michigan, pennsylvania and West Virginia which were very successful.
We also discovered that our business is a people business. We love the old-fashioned idea that local business is about knowing your customers and them knowing you. We love developing our customer base by offering wonderful natural handcrafted soap and shave Products. We take great Joy buying the best ingredients for our soap, knowing that The quality will speak for itself. Over these 12 years we’ve learned that listening to people, hearing their stories and being available to them has made all the difference. When we do art shows we always bring an extra chair and more often than not someone comes in touch down just to talk. We really think this is needful and a part of our brand. We genuinely do care for people and not just an offering great product but in listening to them. We reflect back to our childhood when much of the shopping was local butcher, a local bakery, local shoe store and they all knew your name. I remember when my mom would go into the butcher shop The butcher always knew what she wanted and had said aside a piece of meat he thought she would want. It’s that kind of service were you thinking ahead and want to know your customer base that distinguishes us from others. Perhaps you could say that we have a more old-fashioned take on life and think that it should be slowed down enough that we know our neighbors and we talk routinely.
As I mentioned in the previous question, we listen to our customers and try to find solutions for their request. Early on we began Do you have customers requesting us to make shave soap. Until World War II Having a mug, a chunk of soap and a big brush or common to see on everyone’s bathroom sink. What distinguishes shave soap is bentonite clay. Mixed into a gentle soap formula the bentonite clay gives a smooth shaving surface that the razor to glides over easily. Another interesting property is that the clay forms a low electrical charge which allows hair to stand on end giving a closer shave. You don’t really feel the electrical charge but your hair does. And the third benefits of bentonite clay is to detox the skin. After multiple requests for us to make Shave so we did and we’re up to 5 scents of shave soap, packaged in nice little boxes with a little guide on how to get the best shave.
If there is one complaint our customer give us it is that the bars of soap last too long. I guess that’s a good complaint.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

The start of our business was on a shoestring budget. We were both unemployed, with very little income. We set aside 10% of our income to buy supplies. As product sold the funds went into new supplies, and for a few years we just used our profits to fuel the business. We determined at the start that we would run this business debt free, and income would dictate growth. We still run a leaner budget, paying for studio rent, and covering expenses.
If there is one lesson we feel strongly to share it is how important it is to remain debt free at all times.

We have watched other small businesses accept loans, and the businesses are not around any longer. Freedom from debt is a liberating mindset…. Allowing much thought into planning, and accepting limitation when it comes to growth is something we believe in highly. Running the business within our means takes the edge off times when income is lean.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

A pivot story! That has been our life these last 12 years. The biggest pivot was from unemployed to self employed business owner. It took a shift in our thinking. We knew if we didn’t work at the business we would not see income. Honestly going from a 6 figure household income in 2009 to under $10k in 2010 was a unsettling situation because we still had mortgage, life expenses and bills to pay. And yes, there is an emotional component to unemployment- the loss of what we believe is our life purpose. Both of us went to college and post graduate work to refine our corporate skills and that purpose was no longer on the table. The pivot to running our own business gave us a new sense of purpose, and the dignity to rightfully earn an income. It’s all in the mindset as pivots happen. The willingness to change, and the desire to be teachable are essential. Above all, pivots require a heart of gratitude.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.imagesinbloom.com
• Instagram: @imagesinbloom
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-bloom-mpa-989a3a17
• Other: I have eliminated much of social media

Image Credits
Barbara bloom/images in bloom studio