Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Fulcher.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I give credit to a late-night infomercial for getting Birchmark Designs started.
I’ve always been a crafter, and I love seeing ideas go from start to finish. So, while trying to lull my 6-month-old night owl back to sleep one night, an infomercial for a vinyl cutting machine caught my eye. I began searching for excuses to make things, anything really, before I realized the idea, I was looking for was right in my lap. Literally. My sweet little babe.
I’d been taking milestone photos of my son each month, but the outfits were hand-me-downs. Some didn’t fit right, some were the wrong season, and some should have been burned. Flipping back through earlier photos, I was disappointed and regretted not getting him something of his own. In a true ‘I can do better’ moment, I decided to put my crafting skills to use and made a set of wooden milestone blocks with vinyl words.
After some encouragement from my husband, we listed the blocks for sale online and were seriously shocked when they sold. One happy customer after the next, and we knew we had to keep going.
We moved from our kitchen island, into the dining room, and eventually into our basement. By that point, we’d saved enough to buy a printer to do the lettering for us. And sadly, my trusty cricut reached an early retirement. Three years later, we outgrew our basement and uprooted our family in search of more space. Now with more room, we’ve been able to add new equipment, and in turn, new products to our shop.
Over the years, we’ve been able to enjoy the parenting journey with other families, as they mark the milestones, watch their little ones grow, and add siblings. My heart smiles thinking of the moms and dads who are making memories and documenting their family’s story.
All because one happy little night owl refused to go to sleep.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh goodness, pick a year! Or any month for that matter. But I suppose it’s the obstacles that we’ve overcome, that have diverted us to the path we’re on.
As a husband-and-wife team, we’re both DIYers. We tend to dive right in and learn as we go. Brian started out as a car guy, and now he’s running a woodshop. I started with zero design experience, and now I could spend all day playing around in different programs. While it has been exciting to learn new skills and to be accountable for our own growth, I’d be a fibber if I said those learning curves weren’t steep.
Another challenge has been the breadth of roles we’ve taken on; it feels a bit like making a snowball. Mom, wife, maker, marketer, researcher, customer service rep, website developer, product photographer, social media manager, blog writer. Dad, husband, saw-man, sander, IT guy, production manager, fulfillment, and on it goes. The more we grow, the more roles we need to fill, and with just a team of two, we’ve had to learn how to juggle too.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At Birchmark Designs, we help growing families dial back time and create lifelong memories with handcrafted keepsakes, so years from now, they’ll have beautiful reminders of their little one’s journey.
Parents experience a mix of emotions during the first year – from sheer joy to a bittersweet sense of grief as babies progress through the months and milestones. The early months are fleeting, and we’re living the moments that will only happen once. We specialize in milestone markers that serve as a way for families to collect and preserve memories with their baby through photographs that will someday be physical reminders of their history together. Their story.
In addition to milestone markers and their photo displays, we also make name announcement signs to introduce new bundles to the world, birth stat blocks that record the tiny details of baby’s birth, and personalized bookends that dress up shelves.
What sets us apart is that everything in our shop is handcrafted from start to finish, right here in Ohio. Because we make everything with our hands and hearts, we’re also in a unique position to deliver exactly what our customers want. Right down to items that are personalized with the names of their favorite people. They get to make choices that fit their style, taste, life, and family.
I feel so proud seeing our keepsakes with their families. We’re at their baby showers, their name reveals, in hospitals when babies are being born, celebrating the months and birthdays. I can still hear a new mom telling me that seeing her daughter’s name in print for the first time brought her to tears (in a good way). We did that. That was us, and knowing we brought her even the teeniest bit of joy feels pretty amazing.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Forgive me as I get a little sappy. In e-commerce, the personal aspect can easily get lost; we become nameless, faceless robots just filling orders. But I feel an immense sense of personal responsibility to deliver on the promises we make – on everything from quality to timing. We take great pride in our work, and I hope that comes through on the other end.
I might get scolded for taking things too personally, but this IS personal. We’re serving families after all. Some are elated, some are anxious, most are in a sleep-deprived state, and all have their own story to tell. Likewise, I want our customers to know us as more than just business owners; we’re parents, baseball coaches, dog lovers, hockey fans, and real-life humans.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@birchmarkdesigns.com
- Website: https://www.birchmarkdesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birchmarkdesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Birchmarkdesigns
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/birchmarkdesigns
