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

Kim, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

When I was planning my son Ben’s Bar Mitzvah, I knew I didn’t want to go the traditional route with flowers or décor for the table centerpieces. I wanted them to be more meaningful—something that could have an impact beyond the event itself and something that reflected his Mitzvah project. At the time, though, I couldn’t find much inspiration or guidance for that kind of idea.
So, I started brainstorming and talked it over with my like-minded creative friend, Lisa Hoffman. I floated the idea of building the centerpieces out of new, everyday toiletry essentials that could later be donated to Connections for the Homeless. Ben did a toiletry drive for his Mitzvah project, so this is how the theme or the focal point of the centerpiece came about. The thought of building upon the act of giving back to others with the party centerpieces, felt like the most appropriate way to decorate the table.
As I experimented with different ways to design and display these items on the tables, the concept started to come to life. Working with colorful washcloths, bars of soap, a box of Kleenex, body wash and toothpaste – all creatively organized in a clear reusable caddy, the centerpiece began to take shape! Also incorporated was a message informing guests about the centerpieces and designated where the items would go after the event was over. Guests noticed and loved it—not only for the creativity but for the purpose behind it.
That first experience opened my eyes. A few years later, Lisa’s son had his Bar Mitzvah, and we built his centerpieces around his Mitzvah project using books that were later donated to Bernie’s Book Bank. Seeing how this concept could be adapted to different causes, different personalities, and still create joy in the room while giving back—that’s when we knew it had real potential.
It wasn’t just about centerpieces anymore. It was about creating a way for people to celebrate life’s milestones while also making a difference. That blend of creativity, community, and purpose made me confident this idea could grow into something meaningful and sustainable.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

After graduating college, I began my career in marketing and brand management, but eventually stepped away from the professional world to raise my kids. Years later, while planning my eldest child’s Bar Mitzvah, I had a realization that changed my path. Like many families, we wanted the celebration to feel meaningful and beautiful—but I couldn’t shake the thought of how much of the décor options out there would simply end up in a landfill. That moment sparked a bigger question for me: Could we celebrate one of our family’s important milestones in a way that was both memorable and sustainable?
That question led me, alongside my friend Lisa Hoffman—who shared the same mission—to create a small business called Donatable Centerpieces. We came up with various items to build centerpieces around – things that local philanthropies need – items such as sports equipment, school supplies and shelf stable food. After months of gearing up and launching our business in 2019, the world stopped holding events and parties due to Covid. In order to keep us busy and give others in our area something to give as gifts, Lisa suggested we start creating Candy Gifts (similar to what many know as candy cakes) as graduation season was upon us in May 2020. We offered graduation gifts in school colors made out of candy. It took off! As we were realizing with Covid, we could round out our down time from creating Donatable Centerpieces with Candy Gifts and Centerpieces. A new branch of our business was born and over time we realized the company name, Donatable Centerpieces no longer made sense, so we made the updated company name to Tied with a Bow.
Over these past couple of years, we have adapted to different ideas and extensions of our business, and many times it is due to a client’s idea or inspiration. That is the beauty of our business – we can make things happen and cater to our audience pretty quickly.
We have identified two different markets in the past couple of years where we have branched out – one extending the Candy arena into making Candy Bouquets for local theater companies. We are able to create something that the kids will like and the parents feel good about giving to their kids instead of flowers, something many of the young actors may not appreciate. We have also broken into the Real Estate market by providing brokers with a Move-In gift that includes the essentials to a new home buyer. Our secret power is that we are quick to adapt and cater to our audience in the North Shore of Chicago.
Because we would love to expand our Donatable Centerpiece business, we have started a DIY option so that anyone can create a donatable centerpiece, not just in our local area. For a small Design Fee, we are able to create a prototype, shopping list and video tutorial on how to put it together. We feel very strongly that more people should be doing this!
Tied With a Bow. Our business focuses on creating thoughtful, sustainable décor and gifts that don’t just look beautiful for a few hours, but actually have a lasting impact. Whether it’s candy bouquets as a fun alternative to flowers, or donatable centerpieces designed to reduce waste and give back to the community, we help clients celebrate with both style and purpose.
What sets us apart is our philosophy: celebrations should be joyful for people and kind to the planet. We love showing clients that there’s always a creative option that reduces waste, reuses materials, and supports a greater good—all without compromising on beauty.
We’re most proud of the fact that we’ve built something that blends creativity with conscience. We’re not just helping families and businesses celebrate; we’re sparking conversations about sustainability and offering real, tangible alternatives to the throwaway culture that often surrounds events.
For anyone new to us, the main thing I’d want you to know is this: with Tied With a Bow, you never have to choose between thoughtful design and responsible choices. Every creation we make is designed to leave a lasting impression without leaving a negative footprint. We also love to work with new ideas and make them a reality!

Have you ever had to pivot?

When Covid hit and large gatherings came to a halt, our business — which had been centered around Donatable Centerpieces for events, mostly Bar/Bat Mitzvahs — we had to quickly adapt. With little to no celebrations taking place, we decided to pivot and focus on the candy side of our work. At the time, we had junior high and high school graduates in our own community, and we wanted to find a way to bring a bit of joy to them during such a difficult and uncertain time. We began creating customized candy gifts and centerpieces designed for at-home or small, intimate celebrations. What started as a creative response to an unexpected challenge has since grown into a major part of our business — today, our candy creations make up nearly half of what we do today.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

One of our most effective strategies for growing our clientele has been listening to our clients and responding to their needs. Many of our most successful offerings have come directly from their suggestions and requests. For example, we’ve expanded into Hospitality Gifts after recognizing the demand from clients in that industry, created thoughtful Move-In Gifts for our realtor partners to give to their clients, and designed personalized Care Packages for college students or loved ones in need of a little extra comfort and pampering. Our ability to listen, adapt, and bring our clients’ ideas to life not only helps us grow but also builds lasting relationships rooted in trust and genuine care.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tiedwithabowchicago.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tied_with_a_bow_chicago/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiedwithabow