Develop a hub for BIPOC SMBs to have Mailchimp’s actionable small-business building resources in one space, especially coming out COVID in 2020 and the devastating and disproportionate impact on diverse business owners (From February 2020 to April 2020, the US saw a loss of -41%, -32% and -26% in the number of Black, Latino and Asian small business owners, respectively).

Bloom Season is a resource with first-hand experiences and actionable insights to help entrepreneurs of color thrive. Developed for and by the community, the platform creates a space for conversations on family, social justice, wellness and business.

This inaugural issue focuses on the specific challenges that Black entrepreneurs face; isolation, alienation and mistrust. It's a community centered digital resource that provides guidance on starting, running and growing a business. It also provides perspective on striking the balance between professional and personal life, discussing important topics including mental health, avoiding burnout, working with your family, perfecting the pivot and discovering your third act. These entrepreneurs are the roses that grew from concrete, Bloom Season is here to help them realize their ambitions and build the businesses of their dreams.

To solve the challenge we needed to understand the specific needs and challenges of each underrepresented diverse group. We started with Black entrepreneurs, conducting qualitative research and focus groups to understand their specific challenges; isolation, alienation and mistrust. We couldn't find a thoughtfully created destination with the tangible resources and actionable insights that Black entrepreneurs could access to achieve more success so we decided to build one from the ground up. We set out to create a space where Black business owners could feel at home online, where they can authentically be themselves and see each other fully represented.

Inspired by Afrofuturism and the colorful data visualization of W.E.B DuBois, our design concept imagines a future for diverse entrepreneurs that is paved with possibilities and not roadblocks. It's a true representation of the richness, vibrancy and brightness of our audience and their experiences. Using an eclectic color palette, dynamic typography, vibrant illustration and empowering photography we've created a space of authentic representation.

Editorially, the site was designed to reflect the notion of possibility. From the homepage, viewers can explore different forms of content through various peaks of interest. The navigation is structured by three key pillars, each offering resources for personal and professional growth. "Bloom" is a custom wordmark that was designed for impact at large and small scales. We removed counters and added subtle rounded edges to make the letterforms feel welcoming. Our Illustrations evoke a sense of inspiration and positivity. Our photography is empowering and honest.

Early Bloom Season readership easily surpassed ten thousand with minimal promotion, and it continues to grow each day through word of mouth. We're specifically focused on a relatively small but growing market of Black entrepreneurs, primarily in the US for our first issue. We anticipate Bloom Season readership will continue to grow quickly as we invest resources in media, market the publication to Mailchimp's customers, and cross-promote it with Intuit Quickbooks customer base later in the Spring.