Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Retzlaff.
Hi Renee, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I arrived in this season through a series of reinventions. I spent years building a successful career in sales and marketing, but after the crash of 2008, I found myself aged out of the corporate world in my late 40s. That moment became a turning point. At 50, I returned to college to pursue a Culinary Arts degree—something I’d long dreamed of but never had the timing to pursue. Along the way, a liberal arts photography class sparked a new passion, and I fell in love with the camera.
After graduation, I felt the pull to return to the familiar structure of corporate life, managing food service programs. But something was missing. I was pouring in time and energy, yet joy was elusive. After a difficult season with management, I made a bold decision: I walked away.
I headed to the mountains for clarity. Two weeks immersed in nature—with just my camera and silence—changed everything. I came home and launched Renee Marie’s Cuisine, followed by RMB Design Photography, seven years later, and most recently, Bloom Where You Are Planted, an online community for women over 50.
Today, I have full control of my time—our most precious asset. Conservation photography, giving back, and spending time with my fifteen grandchildren are central to my life. This lifestyle has brought me balance, purpose, and a sense of legacy I never imagined. I remain open and responsive to opportunities, wherever in the world they arise. I’m committed to paying forward the gifts I’ve been blessed with—and creating a life that reflects both freedom and deep intention.
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?
Not at all. One of the hardest truths I had to face was the reality of age discrimination. I had never been without a job as an adult—I was always pursued, moving from one opportunity to the next. That’s how I landed the role I eventually lost during the market crash. Suddenly, in my late 40s, I found myself on the outside looking in. Even after a recent multi-million dollar client I brought in to the company, who had to let me go. Don’t worry, he said, I will write you a great recommendation.
At 50, after I made the bold decision to go back to college, it was a huge adjustment. I worked overnights at a local fast food joint. It wasn’t easy. My twin sons were also starting college, I had a mortgage, a car payment, and was newly divorced. I went from leading high-level sales conversations with industry executives to sitting in classrooms with 18- to 28-year-olds who often struggled just to show up. I had to find a new rhythm for everything. Buying groceries, laundry, my life was literally flipped upside down.
It was humbling. It was stretching. But it was also the beginning of a deeper transformation. That season taught me resilience, reinvention, and the power of choosing purpose over comfort.
Going back into the corporate world after experiencing age discrimination left me doubting and skeptical. I managed a food service program, and it was difficult to find and maintain a staff of over 40. It became a constant struggle, and when I looked at it from a 50,000-foot view, I saw no signs of improvement—only more burnout ahead. No matter how much time and energy I poured in, the return wasn’t joy or fulfillment. It was depletion. That realization was pivotal.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
First and foremost, I’m a Personal Chef. I love cooking for my clients—each one is unique, with different needs and lifestyles. Many are successful in their own right, and they deeply appreciate the care and creativity I bring to their meals. My culinary business has grown almost entirely by word of mouth, which I take as the highest compliment.
I also cater, but I’m intentional about the jobs I accept. I have a set price, and if a project doesn’t align with my value or energy, I walk away. That’s a liberating place to be. On the flip side, I sometimes take on events not for profit, but because I’m in a position to help. It brings me comfort knowing that someone in need is receiving nourishing, beautiful food.
Beyond the kitchen, I’m a photographer with a passion for conservation. I use my camera to pay forward—donating proceeds from print sales and photo sessions to causes that matter to me. As a scuba diver, I support the turtle conservation program in Cozumel, where I’ve had the honor of hosting an international photography exhibit titled Nature Belongs To Us All. It was a chance to speak about conservation on a global platform.
Recently, I volunteered my photography skills for a nonprofit in Kibera, Nairobi—one of the largest slums in the world. I captured images for their marketing and used those visuals to help raise funds for clean water, food, and education. That opportunity came from a chance conversation with a woman I met on a beach in Cozumel. Today, I sponsor three young men in their journey to become electricians.
Because of the success I’ve had with my first two businesses, women often ask me, “How do you do this?” That question led me to create Bloom Where You Are Planted—a mentorship, lifestyle coaching, and online community for women over 50. I am building a movement that helps women rediscover their purpose and live their legacy to the fullest.
What sets me apart is the way I integrate creativity, service, and soul into everything I do. I’m proud of the life I’ve built—one that reflects freedom, intention, and a deep commitment to giving back.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I am humbled by the lives I’ve touched. People often see me as a strong presence—confident, capable, and driven. But beneath that strength is a vulnerable soul who leans into nature when life feels heavy. The mountains, the ocean, even a quiet walk in the woods—those are the spaces where I find clarity and healing.
Someone once told me, “Strong women get less.” At the time, I didn’t fully understand it. Now I do. Strength can be misread as invincibility. It can make others forget that we, too, need softness, support, and space to breathe. I’ve learned to honor both sides of myself—the woman who leads with vision and the one who retreats into stillness when the world feels too loud.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.reneemb.com and https://www.reneembloom.com
- Instagram: @reneembloom
- Facebook: Bloom Where You’re Planted Renee Marie’s Cuisine
