Hi! It's Me

Hi. It’s me—Kim. The heart and soul, and maybe a little bit of the brains behind Ember and Bloom. It’s nice to meet you.

I wanted to introduce myself, to show you that I’m a real person, and to share a bit about who I am—and why Ember and Bloom exists.

This might be a long one. I’m just shooting from the heart and the hip here, so hang in there with me.

I created this business with one goal in mind: to uplift, encourage, and empower people who need it—and yes, maybe help put a little money in their pocket too.

Why?

Because I’ve had enough.

Enough of the constant curveballs life keeps throwing. Enough of wondering when I’m finally going to get a win.

Sometimes, though, the wins are the ones you don’t see right away. The ones you can’t recognize in the moment.

More on that later.

I grew up poor. Not because I had to—but because after my parents divorced, my mom believed it was best to give all our money to her church as tithing. That left us with almost nothing.

I remember having a piggy bank. I also remember breaking it open so my mom could pay the electric bill. I was eight years old.

That cycle of giving, sacrificing, and taking care of business never really stopped.

I’m tired.

I’m heartbroken.

I’m beat up and worn down.

But I still go on. One foot in front of the other. Day after day.

I’ve been in abusive relationships. I’ve had everything stolen from me except the clothes on my back. I’ve been homeless.

Still, I march on.

I don’t really feel like I have a choice.

In 2016, I found out I had choroidal melanoma.

On Friday—the day of my surgery—I had vision in both eyes. When I woke up, I had lost vision in the eye with the tumor.

(Get your peepers checked regularly, people.)

The following Friday I went home. That Monday, I was back at work.

Today, I am NED—no evidence of disease. Remission, if you will.

In 2021, I lost my dad to lung cancer.

He had lost his voice, and he used to say, “The doctors don’t know why.”

I believe he did know—and just couldn’t accept it.

In August of 2022, my husband and I bought our house.

In November the week before Thanksgiving

He was diagnosed with stage four small cell lung cancer.

Today, he is NED too, but will still have to have infusions for the rest of his life.

Cancer drains everything—your body, your mind, your spirit, your finances, and your hope. The unknown can turn hope into hopelessness real fast.

Still, I put one foot in front of the other.

I have no choice.

I’m a mom, a wife, a sister, a grandma, an auntie—and all the other titles life hands you.

I’m also a woman who’s been through the wringer and came out swinging.

I have no idea what I’m doing with this business.

Social posts made in Canva. A website that promised it would take five minutes (it took four months). Designing clothing. Learning platforms. All of it is wildly outside my comfort zone.

But here I am.

And honestly? I really love the “No Shits Given” line.

Because sometimes life deserves a big old middle finger.

So that’s a little about me—and the why behind Ember and Bloom.

No matter how hard it gets, you are not alone. I see you. I hear you.

The wins aren’t always big or obvious. Sometimes it’s hearing the words NED when you never thought you would. Sometimes it’s watching the cats play. Other days, it’s just managing to get out of bed.

No matter what it looks like—it counts.

And it’s still a win.