Bainbridge Gets Creative: Rich Batcheller
In this moment of year end reflection, we remind ourselves that 2020 opened a stream of dormant creativity in our community. This creativity has fueled our resilience and our ability to continue to move forward in the darkest of times. Enjoy a few of our favorite stories about how some of Bainbridge Island’s best and brightest were able to overcome obstacles in 2020.
Meet Rich Batcheller
Founder: Blackmouth Design
For Blackmouth Design, reflecting on 2020 can be difficult. Like many businesses in the beginning, we decreased our workforce and moved to a work from home model. Our projected revenue for the year became volatile and our ability to keep the doors open meant not dwelling on the unforeseen but instead, ideating on how we could use our skills to meet the needs of our new normal.
We started by creating personal protective equipment (PPE) for local businesses and hospitals, we took on local projects for businesses looking for ways to continue to serve their patrons, like the Fletcher Bay Winery Model T, and we built a small A-frame as a quarantine getaway. We also started a hand-full of Blackmouth Design projects, including retrofitting two vintage Airstreams and developing two, “confidential-for-now,” product-lines, as well as focused time and effort updating and relaunching our website. All of these projects enabled us to stay inspired and motivated to continue to acclimatize to our new environment.
That willingness to adapt forced us to look beyond our pre-conceived industry borders. When we opened ourselves to new business avenues and partnerships, we found ourselves carving out a specialty niche within residential construction – focused on fabrication of architectural elements. These new partnerships allowed us to bring back a full team and ultimately add more talent to our existing pool.
Although we feel tremendously thankful to have pivoted and survived the pandemic thus far, we know this has not been the case for many. We know we have to continue to be diligent in our efforts to evolve and be open to new possibilities. We also believe our community (and the community surrounding each of you), now, more than ever, is the path to cultivating stronger businesses in the future. By leaning into each other, lifting each other up, and learning from one another’s craft – we have the ability to become better, more creative and increase our ability to adapt in our everchanging world. There will always be a multitude of different ways to come at a challenge, why not learn from those around you.
-Rich