Behind-the-scenes business coaching for makers and shop owners

Our Mission

What North & Bloom Stands For

We’re here to help businesses grow through connection, clarity, and confidence.

without the sales funnels or pressure. Our mission is simple: bring together tools, templates, and real-world strategies in a space where business owners and creative entrepreneurs can get honest answers, learn from shared experience, and move forward faster.

  • We’ve Been in the Trenches

    We know what it’s like to juggle customers, cash flow, and chaos while trying to keep the vision alive. Because we’ve done it ourselves.

  • We Tackle the Messy Middle

    We’re not just about the start or the finish. We help you navigate the in-between with practical steps, guidance, and encouragement.

  • We Show Up With You

    We don’t just hand you tools and walk away. We’re there in the community, answering questions, celebrating wins, and problem-solving alongside you.

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Helping small businesses grow through shared tools, honest conversations, and community.

Led by Lauren, Andrew, and Dereck. North & Bloom is a community built for real business owners, makers, and creative entrepreneurs who want to scale without losing the heart of why they started.

We bring proven tools and templates, tested in our own businesses, and share them openly so you can skip the trial-and-error and focus on growth. Our approach is rooted in transparency, no hype, no gatekeeping, just actionable strategies and a supportive network.

We’ve seen firsthand that when small business owners and side hustlers connect, share resources, and show up for each other, real growth happens. This is where we make that happen, together.

Real People. Real Experience. Real Support.

We’re not coaches who’ve only read the books. We’re business owners who’ve lived the late nights, tough calls, and big wins. We know what it’s like to start small, grow step by step, and adapt when the unexpected hits. That’s why we’ve built North & Bloom as a place where you can learn, connect, and move forward knowing you’re not alone.

Meet The Team

Laurel Jenkins guiding retail brand development at North & Bloom

Laurel Jenkins

Laurel is the founder of Emporium 23, a thriving retail brand known for its soul, style, and community impact. But her true gift lies in helping others build businesses that feel just as aligned.

Before launching her own storefront, Laurel spent years in corporate retail, where she mastered the metrics, margin sheets, and behind the scenes strategy it takes to run a profitable business. She understands the numbers, but also knows they don’t tell the whole story.

With over a decade of hands-on experience growing a purpose driven brand from scratch, Laurel brings both practical wisdom and deep empathy to every consulting session. She’s walked through burnout, built systems from chaos, figured out what sells (and what doesn’t), and created a space where creativity and cash flow can thrive together.

Now, she helps other shop owners, makers, and dreamers cut through the noise, clarify their vision, and build retail businesses that actually work without losing what matters most. From vendor sourcing to brand storytelling, event strategy to customer experience, Laurel offers real-world insight and heart centered guidance that meets you right where you are.

If you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of your next step. Laurel’s been there. And she’s exactly the kind of guide you want in your corner.

Andrew Walker designing sustainable systems for small business growth

Andrew Walker

Business Strategist and Systems Architect

If Laurel is the soul, Andrew is the spine. With a sharp mind for systems and a heart for people, Andrew brings structure, strategy, and sustainable growth models to the small business table.

With over 15 years as a seasoned entrepreneur and Founder and Creative Director of the KANSO creative, Andrew has helped dozens of businesses refine their operations, streamline their marketing, and scale their impact without burning out. His specialty? Cutting through chaos to build clarity turning scattered ideas into strategic action plans, and translating big dreams into everyday results.

Where Laurel brings creative insight and retail-rooted wisdom, Andrew ensures that behind every inspired idea is a rock-solid system ready to support it. From branding and SEO to operations and client communication, Andrew helps small business owners feel empowered and equipped.

He’s not here to give fluff. He’s here to help you figure out what’s not working and fix it. With equal parts candor and compassion, Andrew is the person you call when you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start running a business that truly works.

Dereck Sherrill

Creative Builder & Operational Backbone

If Andrew is the system and Laurel is the soul, Dereck is the hands building, refining, and making things actually work. With a background that spans firefighting, custom manufacturing, and e-commerce. Dereck brings a rare blend of grit, strategy, and no-BS execution to every project.

He’s the founder of Little River Customs, a brand known for bold design, high-quality gear, and a fiercely loyal following, especially among firefighters and tradespeople. What started in a garage as a side hustle turned into a streamlined, multi-channel business with nationwide reach. And it didn’t happen by accident.

Dereck knows what it takes to build something from the ground up when you're juggling late-night orders, customer questions, inconsistent margins, and a to do list that never ends. He’s tested every tool, cracked every workaround, and lived the hard lessons most business owners face in year one (and year five).

Whether he’s optimizing workflows, coaching someone through their first Shopify launch, or helping a brand stand out in a crowded space, Dereck brings clarity, speed, and a deep understanding of what actually drives results.

No ego. No overcomplication. Just smart strategy, straight answers, and a relentless focus on helping good ideas become real, profitable businesses.

If you’re overwhelmed by all the moving parts, or just need someone who can help you cut through the noise. Dereck’s the one you want in your corner when it’s go time.