Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Buscemi.
Hi Karen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been building brands for my clients for nearly 30 years. I went from an art director/copywriter for an ad agency in Royal Oak, Mich. to starting my own graphic design and writing business while pregnant with my first child when I couldn’t find suitable childcare. It was a tough way to start a business, but it was right for me and my kid. Nothing like breast feeding while taking a client call and trying to type one-handed! But it showed me what I was made of – what I could accomplish when I set my mind to it.
My career zigged and zagged over the years. I built myself up as a journalist, starting with tiny neighborhood papers to The Detroit News, Women’s Health, Self, HuffPost, Figure and Hour Detroit Magazine. During this time, I also held roles as an associate editor for a national trade magazine and editor of Signature Magazine, which was owned by Detroit Media Partnership.
I left Signature when I was ready to have my second baby. I didn’t want to start another design and writing business with a newborn, so I gave myself the time to get it established before getting pregnant. My youngest was only six months old when Detroit Media Partnership came calling again, with an offer to help start a new publication focused on fashion, beauty and home. I couldn’t say no to that. I helped establish and served as the editor of StyleLine Magazine, which at the time was the largest magazine in the state.
Because I can never seem to do just one thing, while editing the magazine, I also founded and was the president of Detroit Garment Group – a nonprofit teaching the business of fashion with a goal to help fashion designers and others in the fashion industry become entrepreneurs to keep our talent in Michigan.
That eventually led me to launching a sewing factory called Detroit Sewn. There were so little opportunities for fashion designers to. make their products in the state, so I created that resource. It was the toughest thing I ever did. Manufacturing in the U.S.A. is not for the faint of heart! When the pandemic shut many businesses down, my business turned way up. We pivoted to become an FDA-registered facility, providing PPE for a national health system. We couldn’t meet their needs on our own, so I partnered with two automotive suppliers. One of them, ZF Group, headquartered in Northville, even reopened one of their. manufacturing lines in Mexico to help us keep the supply of masks and gowns flowing. Together, we produced hundreds of thousands of masks and gowns. I also established the Michigan Mask Donation Center two doors down from the factory, partnering with Glamorous Moms Foundation to oversee a network of volunteers who made free masks for the community.
Once the ships filled with PPE started sailing from China again, the need for American-made PPE dwindled, which severely hurt the factory, along with the number of small businesses we served that closed during the pandemic. I made the tough decision to close the business, and went back to my own independent business, building brands for my clients.
Today, KB Promo is a full-service brand-building agency, providing a variety of services from brand identities and websites to copywriting and promotional products. I’m also in process of writing a memoir about my sewing factory.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being an entrepreneur is never a smooth road! It’s challenging to be responsible for employees’ livelihoods. It’s challenging to always be looking for new clients and projects. You have to be disciplined and thick skinned to not just survive but to thrive.
We’ve been impressed with KB Promo, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
KB Promo is a brand-building company that’s right for a small business looking to be cared for. I call myself a hand-holder. Want to build a brand but don’t know how best to start? I’ll guide you. Not great with technology? I’ll handle that for you. Don’t know which promo products you need for an event? I’ll curate a selection of items that match your brand, audience and budget. Want to do some of the work yourself? I’ll teach you how. Whatever my clients need, they get it. Take a look at my Google reviews and you’ll understand why my clients not only love working with me but also come back to me time and time again.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
No one has ever followed their dreams without taking a risk. Starting a business with a newborn was a risk. Establishing a nonprofit was a risk. Building a manufacturing company was a huge risk. Even the memoir I’m writing is a risk. I can put my heart and soul into it, but I can’t guarantee that someone will want to publish it. You have to feel passion for what you are doing. You have to want the journey. Then whatever you are doing will always be worth the risks involved.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kbpromobrand.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_buscemi_kb_promo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kbpromoproducts
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenbuscemi/
- Other: https://www.karenbuscemi.com/
