How This Started

North & Bloom didn’t come from a plan—it came from experience.

We’ve built businesses, hit walls, made bad calls, and spent time figuring things out the hard way. Not because we wanted to—but because that’s how most people are forced to learn.

Over time, one thing became clear: Most business owners don’t need more information—they need the right input at the right time.

That’s what this was built to solve.

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

What Matters to Us

We help business owners get clear, make decisions, and move forward with confidence.

We’ve built businesses, made mistakes, and learned what actually works. That experience shapes how we show up—practical, direct, and focused on helping you make real progress.

  • We’ve Been in the Trenches

    We know what it’s like to juggle customers, cash flow, and everything else while trying to keep things moving. We’ve been through it and figured out what actually works.

  • We Tackle the Messy Middle

    Most people struggle in the middle. That’s where we help working through real challenges with clear steps and practical guidance.

  • We Show Up With You along the way

    We don’t just hand you advice and disappear. We stay involved, answer questions, and help you solve problems as you move forward.

1 3

Real People. Real Experience. Real Support.

We’ve built businesses, made mistakes, and figured out what actually works. That experience is what we bring—clear guidance, practical input, and support that helps you move forward with confidence.

You’re not getting theory or recycled advice. You’re getting real perspective from people who’ve been through it and know how to help you make progress.


We know how it feels to hit roadblocks, second guess decisions, and try to figure things out on your own. That’s why North & Bloom exists—to give you the clarity and direction you need without wasting time.

Meet The Team

Laurel Jenkins guiding retail brand development at North & Bloom

Laurel Jenkins

Brand Builder and Retail Strategist

Laurel helps business owners build brands that are clear, consistent, and built to connect with real customers.

As the founder of Emporium 23, she has hands on experience creating a retail brand with strong identity, loyal customers, and real world traction. Before that, she spent years in corporate retail mastering operations, pricing, and the strategy behind profitable stores.

Inside North and Bloom, Laurel focuses on brand clarity, customer experience, product positioning, and helping businesses create something that feels right and actually sells.

If your brand feels scattered or unclear, Laurel helps you define it, shape it, and bring it to life.

Andrew Walker designing sustainable systems for small business growth

Andrew Walker

Business Strategist and Systems Architect

Andrew helps business owners turn ideas into clear, structured systems that actually work.

With over 15 years of experience as an entrepreneur and founder of KANSO Creative, he has helped businesses refine operations, improve marketing, and build sustainable growth without burning out.

Inside North and Bloom, Andrew focuses on systems, workflows, business structure, and turning scattered ideas into organized, repeatable processes that support real progress.

If things feel disorganized or unclear, Andrew helps you simplify, structure, and move forward with confidence.

Barbara Bechtel

Creative Strategist and Brand Storyteller

Barbara helps turn ideas into clear, compelling brands that people understand and connect with.

With a background in retail operations, creative direction, and small business development, she brings both creative instinct and practical structure so your brand not only looks good, but actually works.

Inside North and Bloom, Barbara focuses on brand messaging, storytelling, positioning, and helping businesses clarify how they communicate and show up.

She specializes in the messy middle where ideas feel scattered and direction gets unclear, helping you refine your message, simplify your approach, and move forward with confidence.

If your brand feels unclear or disconnected, Barbara helps you bring it into focus and build something that truly resonates.

Dereck Sherrill

Creative Builder & Operational Backbone

Dereck builds, refines, and gets things working, turning ideas into real operational businesses.

With a background in firefighting, custom manufacturing, ecommerce, and website development and SEO, he brings a practical, no BS approach to execution. He is the founder of Little River Customs, a brand built from the ground up into a streamlined business with a loyal following.

He knows what it takes to build something while managing the day to day, orders, customers, margins, and everything in between, and brings that real world experience into every project.

From building and optimizing Shopify sites to improving visibility through SEO, Dereck focuses on clarity, speed, and what actually drives results.

If things feel scattered or stuck, he helps you cut through the noise and get moving.