Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Bowman.
Hi Melissa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I had recently moved to Charleston and wanted a side hustle to keep me active in the community while I was a full-time mom. The Blue Root started as a gifting company. Through curating custom gift boxes, I made many of my professional connections with local makers. Several years into gifting, I added catering to my life. I graduated from culinary school and catered for years, but I put that career on hold while my kids were little. After several of my repeat customers, who knew I had a catering background, started asking me to deliver food to their homes for guests, I decided to try it. It didn’t take long for the catering part of The Blue Root to take over, and I was back to catering full-time. One day, a friend who rented her home for summer rentals asked me to deliver a last-minute brunch to a prominent Instagram influencer. I was new to the world of Instagram, but I knew enough to know that I wanted to amp up our menu. It was at that moment that my husband offered a suggestion. “Make your zucchini bread,” he said. By a stroke of fate, I had the ingredients on hand, so after I finished laughing at what I thought was a hilarious suggestion, I baked a loaf of zucchini bread.
When I dropped the brunch off, the Influencer greeted me with a smile and asked what I had in my hand. When I told her it was zucchini bread, she laughed and asked, “How did you know that is my kryptonite”!? The next thing I knew, she posted about it on Instagram, and I immediately started getting emails and phone calls from people wanting to order zucchini bread. My husband added it to my website as an option, and we never looked back. The zucchini bread morphed into its own thing, and we quickly shifted The Blue Root into a zucchini bread business.
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?
I doubt anyone who owns their own business can say they have walked a smooth road to get where they are. The same is true for The Blue Root. We have had our struggles! The first issue was finding a commercial kitchen space to rent. My kids were still young, so they needed me around a lot. At the time, all the kitchens to rent were in North Charleston (30 minutes away) or had wacky hours. Clearly, I would have to pivot to plan b to keep up with orders. I was losing hope when I finally convinced a nearby church with a barely used kitchen to let me get it up to code and inspected. To my relief, they agreed! I was and always will be so grateful to them for taking a chance on me. It turned out to be a win-win situation for both of us. Once we were baking regularly, we still encountered many struggles along the way. Sharing a kitchen space is never easy, so we had to navigate scheduling issues, and just when we thought we had it all figured out, Covid shifted everything again. We just learned to take it daily and became very flexible in adjusting to the ever-changing work around us!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The Blue Root is a boutique baking business specializing in direct consumer/e-commerce sales. We offer a small batch, gourmet product that is unique and makes a great gift. Our price point is fair and allows our customers to buy frequently.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is one of many moments spending time with my family. I grew up in a large Polish family where we all gathered on Sunday afternoons at my grandmother’s house in Pennsylvania. She would cook enough food to feed an army. We would sit around, talk, play games, and a feast for hours. I would often be able to join my grandmother as she prepared her homemade meals and desserts. I remember standing on a chair beside her, watching her every move. Helping her stir, chop, and create the most delicious food. Little did I know at the time I was practicing for what would become my future career!
Pricing:
- Original Zucchini Bread $12.99
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread $13.99
- Banana Zucchini Bread $14.50
- Gluten Free Zucchini Bread $15.50
- Gluten Free Chocolate Bread $16.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theblueroot.net
- Instagram: @theblueroot
Image Credits
Lindsay Narcisso, Caleb Jones
