Kaylyn and Michelle co-founded Bloom in 2009, an internationally successful line of fashion planners and stationary, after graduating from UD.
Class of: 2009, 2010
Hometown:
Kaylyn Minix: Middletown, Delaware
Michelle Trincia: Wilmington, Delaware
Majors/Minors:
KM: marketing and operations management Double Major
MT: English with journalism concentration, interactive media minor
Involvements on campus:
KM: Women in Business, American Marketing Association
MT: The Review, guest reporter and multimedia editor
HC: What inspired you to start your own business?
KM: “It all started with our internship with the college planners Student Media Group. We’ve always been planner lovers and planner users and we know how useful it is for college students and we just wanted to create something fun and attractive for students to carry around. It really stems from our boss allowing us to be entrepreneurs within the business and start this brand.”
MT: “He [our boss] actually referred to it as ‘intrepreneurship’ so even though you’re not the boss you can be entrepreneurial. We owe a lot of credit to him for allowing us to run with the idea of Bloom. He gave a lot of freedom and financial backing in the beginning to let us experiment and since then it really took off and has become this really fun fast paced roller coaster.”
HC: Are you just based in Newark?
KM: “Our main office is in Newark but we go to college bookstore trade shows and we sell to over two hundred colleges and universities all over the country.”
MT: “As of this year we got our first international deal so we’re working with a company called Lifestyle so now we are in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and we had to make a custom line for them because they have different dates.”
KM: “It’s basically the largest department store in the UAE like Macy’s here but they sell a whole stationary line that we’re a part of.”
HC: How competitive is your business?
MT: “It seems like there’s more and more every day. It seems like the trend has come back to planners. We try to differentiate our product with the message of the brand. Anybody can make something that is a cute pattern but we try to infuse our product with positive messages that set us apart as a brand versus just being a cute planner.”
KM: “Like Michelle was saying we have inspirational quotes and monthly reflections so the brand is all about inspiration and gratitude.”
MT: “And we call everyone who uses our products a Bloomgirl so on social media we use the hashtag #bloomgirl and people will share their pictures of the planners and their inspiration so it’s a great community of girls empowering each other.”
HC: Do you come up with your own patterns?
MT: “We have a graphic designer and we all work together as a team.”
KM: “We pick the colors and patterns we want based off trends and things that we see and then the graphic designer puts it into the designing software.”
HC: What do you see for the future of Bloom?
MT: “Just this past year we released ten new products. We want to keep growing and expanding the line. We definitely want to focus more on international expansion.”
KM: “Yeah just really growing our brand awareness and our message. We’re always so inspired by our bloomgirls giving us new product ideas. Like it’s so easy to expand the brand because there’s always so much more out there. For example, a lot of my friends are teachers so we made teacher planners and now it’s our best selling product. And Michelle just got engaged so now we’re working on a wedding planner. So there’s always something new and exciting out there.”
MT: “Yeah I think it would be really great to have a product for each stage of a woman’s life so we always say our products can be used for middle schoolers to moms. We try to make them generic like anyone can use them but we do want to focus and hone in on the niches like the teacher and wedding planners where as you go through these different phases in your life have tools that can help you.”
HC: What was your favorite college memory?
MT: “Mine was definitely studying abroad. I did Australia/New Zealand and I love to travel so it was such an amazing experience.”
KM: “That’s probably my biggest college regret that I didn’t do! In college it was all about making memories. Like living off campus and turning 21. But we’re so lucky that we are based so close to campus so we can go to campus for lunch or like walk around the green. UD was the absolute best and we miss it.”
MT: “We have a lot of interns from UD too so we feel like we get to relive college and they keep us updated.”
HC: Do you have any advice for new college students?
KM: “Obviously be organized, you can always use a planner! Write down your to do list, go to class, study and live it up! Take advantage of every moment you have because we miss it so much.”
MT: “I would just say utilize the experience, take in as much as you can, learn as much as you can and don’t skip class. Its such a unique experience looking back there are so many opportunities at your fingertips. If you have an idea, go for it. Don’t think that you have to find your dream job when you can create it if you work hard enough. Don’t limit yourself with a job description just throw out some seeds and plant them and you never know what will Bloom!”