I hope you all are enjoying hearing the stories of how these inspiring creative entrepreneurs have built their business. Our next guest is Stacie Bloomfield, owner of Gingiber!
I met Stacie in New York for the June and January City Kid Pop up shop last September and was immediately drawn to her. She is incredibly down to earth – it must be the midwest in her – and what I love best is that she is never afraid to just ask for what she wants!
I hope you love this interview. If you have questions for Stacie, leave a comment below. 🙂
Hi! My name is Stacie. I am an illustrator. I have 3 kids named Violet, Lucy and Dexter. My husband, Nathan, is a mathematician, and I own Gingiber: a stationery and gift shop that specializes in products that both kids and adults can enjoy! I am excited to talk about running my creative business with you, and hope that I can encourage you to keep chasing those goals!
#pressplay below to watch our recorded Skype interview, and check out her answers in written format as well as pictures of her beautiful creations. Enjoy!
What did you do before Gingiber? How did you decide to start your own business?
I started Gingiber 7 years ago when I couldn’t find the perfect nursery décor for my daughter, but before that I worked at a coffee shop as a manager and then at a local university as an admin. My degree is in Design and Fine Arts from Drury University in Springfield, MO.
Can you give us a brief history of Gingiber? How long have you been in business? What has your growth looked like? Can you tell us a story of some of the “unglamorous” moments just starting up?
I started Gingiber in my dining room, when I decided to start selling Art Prints on Etsy. I remember when we purchased a $600 Epson printer, I was so terrified that I would never sell enough to pay back the investment. I tried to return that printer more than once out of fear, but my husband encouraged me to be brave and keep going! The first 2 years were slow going, where I worked after my day job and after putting my daughter to bed, but going into year 3 we exploded with growth after several prominent features online. For the next 2 years sales doubled and doubled. Going into year 6 we noticed a slow in growth, but steady sales and many opportunities to expand our reach through art licensing and partnerships with other brands. Now, going into year 7, we are just trying to assess “what is next” for our little company!
What’s your big picture WHY? What motivates you to work hard and build your business? What is your ultimate lifestyle goal?
The big why? I do this because I built it with my own 2 hands. I love to create, and I love the feeling of growth and success! At this point illustration is my career,and the big goal is to carve out a permanent career in this lane. Ultimately I want to grow our wholesale business much larger, while pursuing art licensing. I am currently looking for a US art agent, and we just signed with our first wholesale rep!
Where did you find your mentors, or resources to help learn about entrepreneurship and running a successful business?
I don’t have a mentor, but I’m in the market for one (lol)! I feel like I have learned the most by just reaching out to my colleagues and asking questions. I feel like my biggest successes and partnerships have come out of stepping out of my comfort zone and sending an email to someone I admire and simply asking for what I want. I still have a lot to learn about running the business more efficiently. For instance, we have never taken out a loan for Gingiber, but as we grow and need to fulfill larger wholesale orders, we are considering taking out a business loan. It is scary to really decide to take the business to the next level, from a small handmade shop to a substantial brand with hundreds of skus!
Can you tell a story of a specific failure you encountered while building Gingiber? What did you learn from it? What would you consider are your strengths as a business owner?
Wow, which one! I have had so many failures! But who hasn’t? I think a big failure is one that I experienced last year. I had just had a baby, and was trying to run the business without taking off time from having Dexter. I created collections quickly in an effort to get them ready for the National Stationery Show, and did really feel the connection with the releases that we put out. Additionally, SEO is something that I never really paid attention to. Going into Q4 of 2015, I was expecting this HUGE holiday sales season that I was used to, but in November Etsy changed their SEO, and I did not update my listings. I just had too much on my plate and was completely unaware! Black Friday came and went, and it was dismal to say the least. Let’s just say that this entire 2016 has been devoted to me trying to figure out SEO, while also realizing that I cannot count on certain sales channels. Every year I piece together our revenue streams. That is the challenge with online sales, changing trends, over saturated markets, etc. You can never rest on your laurels! I would consider my strengths being my creativity, my persistence to continue to move forward no matter the setback, and my ability to find new ways to get my work out there!
What does your business structure currently look like?
I do have 2 employees, as well as some contracted seamstresses who help me keep up! I have a bookkeeper who keeps me legal and pay taxes! I am still learning as I go, but I would say if you do decide to hire, find people you can completely trust and not have to babysit. Really try to outsource the things that are keeping you from sitting in the “big picture” seat of your business. Also, keep in mind that when you hire employees you are going to be paying more than their salary. Employment Taxes add up! So, really consider the responsibilities that need to be handed off, figure out what you can afford, and then set expectations of what needs to get done in order to make sure that your hires are efficient. Of course, when you are used to running things by yourself for years, it is sometimes difficult handing off tasks. It is easy to assume that you can just “do it the best”. But, a well trained employee is a great asset. I would not have been able to pursue different partnerships with other companies if I hadn’t hired employees to pick up my slack!
How many hours per week do you work? How do you balance family life with work?
I work A LOT! Way more that 40 hours a week. I do not have the balance thing down at all. In fact, the next month is going to be the busiest month of my life. I am traveling to NSS, then straight from NYC to SLC for Quilt Market to debut my new fabric line for Moda called “Thicket”. I have a brick and mortar Gingiber shop at the front of my studio, so my time is really stretched thin. On weekends my kids and husband are at the studio with me. Just today (which was supposed to be my day off) I spent 2 hours working at the studio with 2 of my kids along with me. I do have part time childcare for my 2 youngest. Really we are just trying to make it all work!
I’m Like Brave is about creating an uncommon life. What does an “uncommon life” you love look like for you? How does your business help create this ideal lifestyle?
The uncommon life is the life that you are in control of, I suppose. I am so fortunate that even though I work all the time, it is my choice to do it. When I worked corporate jobs, I could never take my kids to work with me. I could never rearrange my schedule to accommodate field trips or weekly coffee with my girlfriends. I get to do things that I never thought were possible, like travel for work, or make connections with some of my design idols. I feel like this life, although crazy, where I don’t always feel like I’m in the driver’s seat, is still MY LIFE THAT I CHOOSE! And that makes it uncommon.
What has been the most exciting thing to happen to your business so far?
Most exciting? This fabric line with Moda is pretty stinking exciting! For Gingiber, also, we’ve shipped to some pretty awesome celebrities! So those are “pinch me” moments!
What is your ultimate vision for your business in the coming year? Where do you see Gingiber in 5 years?
My vision for this year is to double our wholesale accounts! That would rock! 5 years from now, I don’t know? I am working towards distinguishing Gingiber as a illustration brand that can be licensed onto products. I would love to have a publishing deal, illustrating books for Quarto Kids (hint hint Quarto!). I hope have scaled to a point where I might even be able to outsource the shipping and assembly portion of the business.
What is it that you need help with right now, and if you could get free advice that would solve your problem right now, what would it be?
I think brand recognition needs to be stronger. Additionally, finding the right vendors to help produce my products has been tricky. I feel like if I can improve these 2 things I will be able to move in that direction! Plus, time is a factor. I am stretched pretty thin right now. I am just trying to lay the groundwork for a future where my style is timeless enough that I am a sought after illustrator!
If you could sit down with any entrepreneur for a 2 hour lunch and pick their brain, who would it be and why? What would you ask them?
I would want to talk to Emily McDowell about her recent deal with Madison Park Group! She is a smart cookie! I want advice about how to become more profitable, and how to increase engagement with my direct to customer audience. That has been the biggest letdown in the past 6 months. I feel like my customers have disappeared, if I’m being honest! Social Media presents an idea of “success” that looks shiny and perfect. But, behind the scenes, if a business does not have sales, it cannot thrive and grow.
What advice would you give your “just starting a business” self knowing everything you know now?
Trust that “YOU ARE TALENTED”! I used to have major confidence issues, not feeling like what I created mattered. But now, I feel like maybe my art makes people happy. My products are in thousands of homes. Babies all over the country are wearing my clothing.
That is a satisfying feeling.
Jamie Tardy, podcaster at “The Eventual Millionaire” says millionaires share 2 habits: they all journal and they all have a morning ritual. What does your morning ritual ideally look like?
I wish I had a morning ritual! My kids are the lightest sleepers EVER! But, I do make a French Press of coffee for myself every morning. That is my time.
If you could do anything in the world, with no possibility of failure, what would it be?
I would build my dream house with my own studio inside! I would write and illustrate my own children’s books. I would take a yearly trip to Italy. Oh, don’t get me started on dreaming!
What’s been the best business book you’ve read?
I don’t read a lot of “business books”, but I just read “Big Magic” and it really helped me get out of a creative funk and keep moving forward! Fear is a real, crippling part of running a business, and I loved everything that Elizabeth Gilbert wrote.
What’s your favorite success quote and why?
“Do whatever brings you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Well if you didn’t already know about Stacie and her business before, I’m glad you do now. You can find her online store here, and on instagram @gingiber.
Be Brave,
Hillary
