Good Neighbor Podcast Northport
Bringing Together Local Businesses and Neighbors of Tuscaloosa and Northport!
Good Neighbor Podcast Northport
Mark Tant's Transformative Journey: Elevating Window Treatments with Bloomin' Blinds
Discover the transformative journey of Mark Tant, a veteran-turned-entrepreneur who found his true calling in the world of window treatments. Join us as Mark shares his inspiring story, from navigating life after the Air Force to exploring various careers before landing at Bloomin' Blinds. This family-owned franchise, rooted in love and service, has become his dream come true despite the hurdles of launching just before the pandemic. Through Mark's experiences, we uncover the power of perseverance and the everlasting joy of enhancing homes and building meaningful relationships with customers.
Explore how Bloomin' Blinds not only transforms spaces but also creates a nurturing environment by treating employees and customers like family. We highlight a memorable customer story that showcases the profound impact of their services, from noise reduction to energy-efficient solutions. Discover how Mark balances innovation with employee well-being, implementing a four-day workweek while staying ahead of trends with motorized options for smart homes. This episode is more than a business journey—it's a testament to passion, trust, and the beautiful connections that blossom from exceptional service.
#GNPNorthport #GNPBirmingham #PodcastCommunity #PodcastLife #SmallBusinessStories #BusinessSpotlight #LocalBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BehindTheBusiness #ShopLocal #SupportLocal #BirminghamAL #NorthportAL #MadeInAlabama #SmallBizLove #AlabamaEntrepreneurs #InspiringStories #LocalSuccess #BusinessJourney #BusinessLeadership
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Patricia Blondheim.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. I'm your host, patricia Blondheim, and today we have good neighbor Mark Tant and. Mark is the owner of Bloomin' Blinds here in Central Alabama. Mark, how are you this morning?
Speaker 3:Doing fantastic. I'm liking the fall weather, so it's beautiful outside.
Speaker 2:Isn't it fantastic. I'm always I have a fear of the false fall, but I think this might be it.
Speaker 3:Yes, ma'am, absolutely Just dressing up, right.
Speaker 2:Exactly, exactly, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm very carefully taking the long sleeves out of my closet, one at a time. I haven't begun the great migration, yet Understandable. So can you share the story behind Bloomin' Blinds and what, what inspired you to get into the window business?
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely so. I was in the military, in the Air Force for eight years, got out, was doing some non-profit consulting around the world. It was a whole lot of fun. That door closed and worked for a local tech company here in Birmingham, enjoyed that. But knew that there was more. I researched probably 150 different franchise opportunities out there, came across Blooming Blinds and it was like a light shined on it, like that's what I was supposed to do, and so flew out, met the family that started it. It was a single mom with three sons. They're all like six, six, so they don't even need a ladder to put most of this stuff in a fantastic family owned business. Um, they grew it to $2.4 million on their mom's kitchen counter just loving and serving people. And after you know 150 different opportunities out there, I knew that if I was going to own my own business, this would be the opportunity of a lifetime, and so it took a little bit to get started. You know, just getting over my own fears, went ahead and did training for two weeks.
Speaker 3:Just before COVID, nobody knew that the whole world was going to shut down. No one knew yes. So you can imagine, you know, put finances forward, got business started. Covid happens a few weeks later and I felt like I needed an adult diaper. I thought I was going to mess my pants. You know, yes, indeed, but it turned out to be the biggest blessing. It helped us to get launched and started like none other. We have been in the top 10% of sales for the entire nation, for the franchise number one and number two for sales for the entire nation. So much so we've grown so fast that they fly me in to do keynote speeches no-transcript. It is a whole lot of fun. Imagine like every day, an episode of HGTV, and so that's what it's like going to work every day, meeting beautiful customers that I would never have a chance to meet and serve them and make their homes beautiful. It is just a piece of heaven on earth.
Speaker 2:I absolutely adore it so what excites you the most about the work that you do with window blinds, shades, you know, and shutters? Um, because you don't just do blinds right, it says bloom and blinds but you do any sort of window covering yeah basically go ahead, yeah, go ahead, go ahead. I'm sorry that's okay.
Speaker 3:Um, basically anything that you can put on a window except for tint. So we do blinds, shades, shutters, drapery. We also do patio solutions, so we have exterior retractable screens, louvered roof pergolas, awnings, Like we do all kinds of fun stuff. But the thing that is just amazing is people.
Speaker 3:I believe the wealth of the world is not stuff, it's people, and I have an opportunity to meet some of the sweetest, most endearing people all over central Alabama. Of course I love making their homes beautiful. I get little old ladies with tears in their eyes because they always want shutters in their home and it turned out absolutely gorgeous. We're able to save them on energy bills a couple hundred dollars a month with some of our products. And so just to get up every single day and see who you're going to meet next, to find out how you can serve them, to see them light up with their brand new beautiful window treatments, transforming their homes, getting it ready for the holidays Like it's just a lot of fun. Just to meet people and serve them to the very best of your ability Like it's just a lot of fun, just to meet people and serve them to the very best of your ability.
Speaker 2:I think that's beautiful because I think no one asked me, but I think that my home is the temple that holds my temple.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, I really I place that much importance on my home and and I think that I get the feeling from you, mark, that there was like a moment when you knew this was the right business for you for a certain reason. Yeah, can you share that with us?
Speaker 3:Yeah, of course, you know, going through jitters of opening a brand new business, will it sustain itself? Did you make the right decision? And, of course, as soon as you start your business, you're offered the job of your lifetime. You know, and so you're like, oh no, did I make the right decision? And you stick to your dreams and continue to pursue them.
Speaker 3:I would have to say, you know, when I have so many customers that treat me like family and I treat them like family and just the relationship, like I think it's just old school business, you know it's not about the sale, it's not about the dollar, it's not about, I mean, your business will grow and that's a joy in itself, but like I don't overstep people for the next sale or the next dollar, like it's just the people that you meet and build relationships. I have people that are stone cold, you know, like they're like what are you trying to sell me? You know, and so you go in and you just make them smile, you make them laugh, you bring them joy and before you know it they're they're inviting you to their family reunions, their housewarming parties. It's just so amazing to build the relationships, and so I would say that's just the key.
Speaker 2:So, mark, can you tell us about the team behind Blooming Blinds in Birmingham, and how do y'all work together to achieve this customer satisfaction that you're so famous for?
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely so. Family-owned business. My wife and I actually started we were driving in the van together, so she was making appointments in the passenger seat as we were riding around and she was my in-saw helper so she would help clean up trash or hold something like just being sweet. And so we treat every one of our employees like family and so with respect. Like if I can't treat my guys with respect and treat them like family, then how can I expect them to treat every customer with respect and like family? You may mention of it earlier.
Speaker 3:We don't take advantage of being in people's homes. It's their sacred place. It could be a hoarder's home, Like the kids are going crazy, it's not even cleaned up, they're just trying to survive the week, you know, with all that's going on and we just we treat it as an honor to be inside of each and every home. So I teach all my guys, all my installers, every person that works in the office. We just don't take people or the opportunity to serve them for granted. We joke and say that we and I guess it's dinging McDonald's, but we provide a Chick-fil-A experience, not a McDonald's experience, you know so.
Speaker 2:And it's my pleasure.
Speaker 3:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Well, do you have any memorable stories of customers who've had like a dramatic or maybe not so dramatic transformation in their home or office? You know after using your service, but it made an impression on you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely. I would say, you know, I rejoice over, you know, the 300 plus five star reviews that we have online, like they're just a joy to read. But one of them that's just kind of funny is I had a lady she came to the home show at the BJCC that we do the home and garden show every single year and so I can't wait to see some of the customers that pass by the booth and stuff like that. And so she comes up and she, you know, she's got her hand on her hip a little bit, you know, and she's like Mark, you know how did I make you late for work? And she said you know, you put those beautiful shutters in my bedroom and you know they double their window insulation but they also deal with noise, and so she couldn't hear the people going to work in the morning.
Speaker 2:That's usually woke her up right.
Speaker 3:Uh-huh. And then they closed higher than blinds. And so she said, mark, I was all snuggled in that bed. She said I was late twice for work just because of the beautiful shutters that you put on the windows. You know.
Speaker 3:No-transcript on our energy bills because you put shutters in our home. You know that doubled their window insulation. And so you just hear all these stories and customers are saying Mark, do you do anything else? You know, do you paint, build decks? And I was like no, we just do the window treatments. But you just build such a rapport that you know part of the sad part.
Speaker 2:People trust you right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and you have to say goodbye and hopefully you see them around town or whatever until they need you again. But yeah, it's just building those relationships along the way. That's special.
Speaker 2:It's an extra bonus to be out in the community, I find, and have people recognize you and extend their friendship to you. I mean, it speaks a lot about why you do it and how you do it right, Absolutely. But running a business also comes with a lot of challenges and as entrepreneurs, we have to figure out a way to fill our own cup so we can fill others. So how do you? Manage to balance your professional responsibilities with your personal life. What do you do for fun?
Speaker 3:Yeah, for fun.
Speaker 3:It might sound like not like a whole lot of fun for a lot of people, but I love church, I love people and so it's fun to be with your church family and do things with you know, friends and family and you know, take little day trips, or I do like the outdoors, so I like hiking and, you know, just creation itself, and so I try to make sure, because we stay really, really busy, um, and customers are, you know, always needing you and things like that, um, but I always try to just take a moment, you know, and just appreciate everything, so that way you just don't drown and and all your responsibilities. For instance, my guys work four tens on purpose, um, and I make sure that they always have a three-day weekend because I want them to enjoy their families and get rested up and be able to serve their customers you know, a hundred percent every single week.
Speaker 3:So we try to do that as a whole company.
Speaker 2:I think that's Mark. What trends in window treatments or customer preferences are you seeing, and how do you ensure that Blooming Blind stays innovative and ahead of that curve?
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3:I would say, first and foremost, with you know rising cost of just even energy, we try to stay ahead of that curve, making sure that we have window treatments that can dramatically not just beautify a home but also bring down energy costs, and so that's super effective in saving people money every single month. The other thing I would say is, as life continues to become, you know, busy and so forth, then we have a lot of motorized products To be with you. We can motorize anything. So from drapery to shutters, to blinds, to shades, and so you can do app control, you can do siri and alexa. You can tie it into your alarm system, for instance.
Speaker 3:I have customers that pair it with other apps so that way, if it gets above 85 degrees, their shades are automatically closed, which of course saves them on energy and you and bleaching their floors or furniture or anything else like that. And so, with motorization, a lot more cost effective than ever before, we have entry-level programs in the motorization. That's very, very cost effective, not as much as what people we beat people's expectations all the time but cost, and then you only have to charge them once a year. So you plug them in like you would plug in a cell phone, no batteries to replace or anything else like that, so you just simply plug them in once a year and they'll last you a whole year before you ever have to recharge them.
Speaker 3:So it could be for high up windows or just to open and close your shades each and every day. If you even want to get your kids up in the morning, you can automatically set their shades to a certain time and they'll go up and go down. They can go up and down to sunrise, sunset. So it looks like, even for security purpose. It looks like your home even while you're on vacation, because your window treatments will still go up and down for you. So motorization is another way. And then, of course, just beautiful fabrics, things that are contemporary and so forth that will match and edify your home and the decor that you have on the inside.
Speaker 2:Mark, what would you like our listeners to take away about blooming blinds?
Speaker 3:Yeah great question, First and foremost. I think a lot of times when we think custom, we think expensive, and that's not always true. We've got high-end products and we have entry-level products. Truth of the matter is that our prices beat most big box stores when you go to purchase something from them and you get a higher quality at a better price. And so, just because you think custom doesn't mean always large pricing, it actually means you get a lot of times better service, better pricing and a better product.
Speaker 3:So you get your money's worth out of using a company like Blooming Blinds. And then, of course, we stand behind it. So most of our stuff has a limited lifetime warranty, and so it's going to cover some of the pain points that you have with window treatments or things that you may have bought before and were dissatisfied with. And so we stand behind our product and we're not going anywhere. We're actually a national brand, and so we sell some of the top brands in the nation in the world actually brands in the nation, in the world actually and so we were able to give you some of the best products at the best pricing and then give you that rock solid service as well for many, many years to come.
Speaker 2:And Mark, how can our listeners find you? How can they contact Lumen Blinds?
Speaker 3:Yeah, great question. And so we are everywhere we try to be anyway. Um, it surprises me that people say, mark, we still don't know you, even though you know we're on television and radio and social media.
Speaker 3:And so we're easy to find. Um, bloom and blinds birminghamcom is the easiest way to go and find us. You can set up a free consultation so no price to you whatsoever. A free consultation, so no price to you whatsoever. We can bring the showroom to you and show you all the colors and styles and fabrics and things like that in the comfort of your own home, with the colors and fabrics that are already inside of your home, so we can pair something beautiful for you.
Speaker 3:We're also on Instagram at Blooming Blinds of Birmingham. Facebook, twitter, linkedin we're just about everywhere, so we're super easy to find, very easy to get a hold of. Somebody in our call center would love to be able to take an appointment for you, and I would love to get you taken care of for all of your window treatment needs. I will say this that we haven't talked about yet, and that is we're also a repair company, which means yes, ma'am, so say you're moving out of a home. So a lot of people are buying homes nowadays, moving out, moving into something different, and so if you're trying to get your window treatments ready to move out of a home, then we can come and refresh those, repair your blinds, your shutters, things like that, and so that way you can make it ready for that next person that's going to purchase your home.
Speaker 3:So we try to keep it simple, very cost effective, but just provide you that impeccable service.
Speaker 2:What a great benefit, and I didn't even know that existed.
Speaker 3:Honestly, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 2:Well, let's get the word out, mark. Thank you so much for coming by and for sharing Blooming Blinds with our audience and coming by, and and we're going to do this again.
Speaker 3:Sounds great. I would love to.
Speaker 2:Hold on, hold on. We're going to do. We're going to do that extra again. Mark, thank you so much for coming by and sharing Blooming Blinds with us. I appreciate you, I appreciate your customer service and I know that our listeners will as well.
Speaker 3:Yes, ma'am, it's such a pleasure to be with you and look forward to meeting every single customer.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpbirminghamcom. That's.