Today we’d like to introduce you to Chanin Hale.
Hi Chanin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello and thank you so much for this opportunity! My name is Chanin (pronounced Shannon) and I am a 25 year old small business owner based in Stow, OH. I operate BLOOM Natural Nourishment “Guilt-free Plant-based Goodies”– which is a vegan and gluten-free cottage food business that I run out of my little apartment. BLOOM came into existence from the domino effect of some other things that have happened throughout my life.
Earlier this year, I made a rather significant career change in order to create a healthier work-life balance. I thought that this change would improve my mental health–and it did—but deep in my soul, I still struggled to feel fulfilled. One evening, I was spending time with one of my dearest friends and we somehow got on the topic of a pipedream that I had back in college. I remembered that when I first transitioned to a vegan lifestyle, I had decided that one day I wanted to run my own vegan food business (in the middle of obtaining a completely unrelated degree of course). This idea made me feel as if I had finally found my purpose–as veganism had been the main catalyst to helping me define my values and find what my passion truly is. My friend and I talked about how my dream got pushed to the back burner and how I felt it would be a very long time before I could even entertain the thought of starting a business–especially with the financial burden of student loans (the struggle is real with that one). My friend brought to my attention the ways in which I COULD revive my pipedream and realistically bring it into existence now.
Even though I was not in a position to fully open a café or start a food truck at this time, I WAS able to start somewhere small and nurture the idea into whatever it is meant to be one day. From this realization, my passion for a balanced vegan lifestyle resurfaced and the idea for my own plant-based business became attainable. As a result, BLOOM Natural Nourishment was born.
After months of planning, hours of cooking, and a LOT of trial-and-error, I am now at the conclusion of BLOOM’s summer debut in the local farmers’ market scene. BLOOM aims to satisfy your sweet tooth with plant-based baked goods that are health-conscious and made from simple ingredients.
The success of BLOOM in such a short amount of time has been overwhelming but so incredibly heartwarming. I have made many great connections and cannot wait to continue exploring this community. Most importantly, I have been able to provide something valuable to people who were being left out of some of life’s most joyous pleasures–DESSERT! There were so many times in my transition that I went without a meal or was left out at dessert, and to be honest… it sucked. It was ostracizing and made me feel even more like an oddball. With BLOOM, I am able to provide a refuge to individuals who have special diets or preferences and hopefully help a few people out there feel “normal,” or simply just included. I don’t know about you, but a health-conscious “pop-tart” pastry (yes, we make those!) is sure to brighten my day–so I just hope that I can make others feel the same.
I plan to keep BLOOM active in my local entrepreneurial space with hopes to one day operate at a permanent location. Until then, I will keep baking out of my kitchen, loading up our truck, and attending every event I can to continue connecting and sharing my passion with those like me–or with anyone who just likes dessert!
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?
BLOOM blossomed (lol) from my transition to a vegan/plant-based lifestyle in 2017. This was one of the hardest changes that I have ever made in my life, but now it is one of my proudest accomplishments. Transitioning to veganism was not difficult because of just the changes in my diet, but also because of the lack of support or understanding that I had from those around me. I was truly alone in the process and struggled to feel accepted or included in a lot of situations. I had been ridiculed, mocked, and degraded by people who were supposed to be in my corner–all because I was trying to live a more compassionate, ethical, and conscious lifestyle. Despite the adversity that I faced, I was still successful in my transition. Now I can proudly say that I have been vegan for over 5 years, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
BLOOM Natural Nourishment aims to satisfy your sweet tooth with plant-based baked goods that are health-conscious and made from simple ingredients. All items made by BLOOM are free from animal products including dairy, eggs, and gelatin. BLOOM’s menu items include options for individuals who follow a gluten-free, sugar-free, oil-free, or low-fat lifestyle. Our menu is always changing to provide items that are unique, fresh, and seasonal–but our most popular items include “pop-tart” pastries, donuts, and ready-to-eat mug cakes. I think what sets BLOOM apart from others is our focus on simple and healthy ingredients. A lot of vegan goodies are loaded with sugar, oil, and other heavily processed ingredients. We try our best to keep every item simple and only made with ingredients that you can read and recognize!
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I feel that I am still in the beginner stages of being an entrepreneur; therefore risk-taking is something I have yet to do. The riskiest thing that I have done to date is change something in a recipe and hope that the product will still be edible afterwards, LOL! (It usually is, I promise)
When the day comes that a risk-taking situation arises, I know I will be certain to approach it with as much caution as I can–if that’s even possible. I am the type of person who likes to consider all constants and variables when making a decision. I try my best to be thoughtful and calculated before I make my next move. I am open to trying new things and going out of my comfort zone, but I try to avoid situations where all of my hard work is jeopardized. This is all probably just a fancy way of saying that I’m ~likely~ not a major risk-taker.
Pricing:
- Our items range between $3-$4.
- Item price depends on the production cost and time spent making the item.
- I strive to make my prices fair and accessible.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomnaturalnourishment/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomnaturalnourishment
