What a Difference a Year Makes

Vicki Bohlsen, President & Founder

It is hard to believe that in June of 2020, all our Bohlsen Group belongings were moved into a storage unit. At the time, I wasn’t completely certain that I had made the right leap to negotiate us out of our Pan Am Plaza lease. I just knew that my gut instinct to send everyone home with a laptop for as long as necessary was important.

Like so many businesses, we were in survival mode due to the pandemic, not certain of our future. Reimagining my team’s health and wellness and the company’s financial security was a priority. I knew getting out of this big monthly expense would be imperative to survival.  

I was talking to a colleague the other day when something came out of my mouth. I said I realized that “through the isolation, uncertainty, and fear of the last 15 months I never got depressed; I was just sad.” We agreed there is a big difference. When you are depressed, you feel hopeless. I was never hopeless; rather, the sadness motivated me. 

The sadness of 2020 caused me to be really present… present to exactly what I was hearing, thinking and feeling. I chose to learn from the chaos. I was inspired to be and do better after the shared trauma that we all endured in unique and different ways.

I have seen resilience in so many people and businesses. I have been awed by the parents who juggled remote work and home schooling simultaneously; health care workers who isolated from their family members to take care of ours; and students who had to entirely give up iconic events like prom and graduation.

Present day: Bohlsen Group survived, is thriving, and is glad that it gave up its real estate and is adjusting to a new hybrid working model like so many others. 

We hope to host you in our new office space at 5420 N. College Ave. We are loving it! 

We have an office room for team meetings and brainstorms, a full sized kitchen for all of our snacking (and mimosa-ing) needs, and even a beautiful mural to brighten up our space. With our open desk layout, on the days that we venture into the office, we get to catch up with one another and truly work together as a team.

We look forward to seeing you soon!