Annette Corsino-Blair & Bruce Blair are co-founders of The Knitting Tree LA, a community-centered fiber arts business blending creativity, education, hospitality, and connection while expanding its mission beyond Los Angeles.

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Guest Resources

The Knitting Tree LA – Explore in-person classes, fiber arts education, and the online school community.

Annette Corsino-Blair Email – Email Annette directly.

3 Value Bombs

1. Build a business around belonging, turning customers into loyal supporters.

2. Combine complementary strengths to create memorable customer experiences.

3. Scale your impact while keeping customer connections personal and meaningful.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.

Today’s Audio MASTERCLASS: How to Go from Kitchen Table to Global Community: How The Knitting Tree LA Built a Business Around Belonging

[01:12] – What’s something you believe about becoming successful that most people disagree with?

Bruce believes people often overlook the small successes they experience every day.
Acknowledge your progress, practice gratitude, and build on small wins instead of treating success like a race.

[01:56] – How did teaching knitting to friends and neighbors around the kitchen table evolve into The Knitting Tree LA?

Annette grew up in a diverse, close-knit community where people gathered, shared food, and made things together.
Those experiences shaped her desire to recreate that sense of connection through knitting and other fiber arts.
As more people came to learn, she recognized the opportunity to open a neighborhood store, even without business experience.
The Knitting Tree LA grew from the simple idea of creating a place where people could make things together and build relationships.

[04:09] – How have you divided responsibilities, and how have your complementary strengths shaped the company?

Bruce and Annette met through tango dancing and eventually decided to build the business together.
Annette brings creativity, teaching experience, intuition, and a natural ability to connect with people.
Bruce draws on his hospitality career with organizations including Ritz-Carlton and the Beverly Hilton to bring structure and service principles to the business.
Bruce describes their approach as “aggressive hospitality”: welcoming guests enthusiastically, starting conversations, and making people feel included.
Annette has learned from Bruce how to remain calm in difficult situations, while Bruce has learned from her to trust his instincts.

[08:03] – How did you intentionally build community, belonging, education, and relationships into the customer experience?

Annette wanted The Knitting Tree LA to be a place where people could create together and form friendships with people they might never otherwise meet.
Customers describe the store as their happy place and a welcoming escape from everyday stress.
The business treats visitors as people to connect with, not simply customers who might purchase yarn.
Employees often begin as customers and become ambassadors for the business.
When the store faced difficulties during and after COVID, the community supported it through crowdfunding, demonstrating the value of genuine relationships.

[10:20] – A timeout to thank our sponsors!

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[12:34] – What did the popularity of the Emotional Support Chicken teach you about creating products that connect emotionally while generating commercial value?

Annette created the knitted Emotional Support Chicken in 2019, turning a whimsical stuffed chicken into a product with a meaningful emotional connection.
The store’s regular customers immediately encouraged her to teach a class, signaling early demand.
The business developed kits containing the yarn and materials needed to make the chickens, as well as selling the knitting pattern.
The product offers people a fun, comforting way to express care and give someone a tangible reminder that they are supported.
The pattern has sold in 76 countries and is available in seven languages. Between kits and patterns, the business estimates it has sold approximately 200,000.
Bruce estimates that more than one million Emotional Support Chickens exist worldwide, reflecting the product’s broad appeal and the human desire for connection, fun, and hope.

[15:43] – How has the Emotional Support Chicken become more than just a knitted toy?

Annette explains that the chickens are used in children’s hospitals, psychiatrists’ offices, and by women who have undergone mastectomies.
People also make and donate them to support domestic violence fundraisers and help children manage anxiety during public speaking.
Smaller versions are shared with children who need encouragement and comfort.
The product demonstrates how a simple creative idea can develop into a meaningful way for people to support one another.

[16:49] – Why are people increasingly craving physical spaces where they can create, learn, and genuinely connect?

Annette believes physical spaces offer something online interactions cannot fully replace.
Knowing someone’s name and making them feel seen can be especially meaningful in a large city like Los Angeles.
The Knitting Tree LA hosts potlucks twice a week, creating opportunities to share food, inspiration, and life experiences.
Customers share major life milestones, including births, illness, and loss, making the store a place for connection throughout life’s ups and downs.

[18:55] – What makes community spaces so important in a world where loneliness and isolation are increasing?

Bruce points to research and public discussion around the health consequences of loneliness and isolation.
He explains how repeated encounters in physical spaces can turn acquaintances into friends over time.
Creating welcoming environments where people can talk, feel heard, and develop friendships helps strengthen communities.

[20:05] – How do you scale the business and educational offerings without losing the personal culture that made the brand successful?

Bruce emphasizes staying true to the original mission: caring about people and expanding the community built around the kitchen table.
The Knitting Tree LA launched an online school platform in August, attracting more than 200 members from over six countries.
The platform aims to recreate the in-store experience through a private community, video tutorials, and opportunities to ask questions and receive help.
Bruce stresses the importance of continuing to look for each person’s potential and celebrating small successes.
Annette and Bruce personally welcome new members, encourage introductions, and help members discover others nearby so online connections can become real-world friendships.

[22:22] – How can Fire Nation connect with you and learn more about The Knitting Tree LA?

The Knitting Tree LA – Explore in-person classes, fiber arts education, and the online school community.
Annette Corsino-Blair Email – Email Annette directly.

[23:04] – What’s your final value bomb for Fire Nation?

Bruce announces that The Knitting Tree LA was selected by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for its 2026 Top 100 Small Businesses in America.
The business was placed in the Global Stars category, recognizing its international impact.
Bruce encourages listeners to celebrate the reach of their work and the difference a community-centered business can make.

[25:17] – Thank you to our Sponsor!

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From Kitchen Table to Global Community: How The Knitting Tree LA Built a Business Around Belonging with Annette Corsino-Blair & Bruce Blair