Welcome. I'm Barbara Hobart
Back in 1994, I was working in Los Angeles as a TV comedy writer/producer and during a hiatus I was puttering around the garage when I accidentally came up with a fun new way to decorate light switch plates for my new home. (Back then, decorative switchplates weren't even a "thing" -- much less a tangible product.) They were a hit with friends and while I was still working as a writer, I hired a group of stay-at-home moms to make them and HomePlates was born.
On the weekends, they made the rounds at craft shows, and soon the product took off. I began to sell them on a very basic website and they made their way into stores. (“Basic,” is an understatement… back then, my internet was still using dial up... and Google didn't even exist!)
In late 2003, while visiting friends in London, I offered to make them a switchplate to replace their plain, boring, white switch and was told: “You can’t. UK switches are wired into the wall and are not removable.” Well, "can’t” isn’t a word in my vocabulary. And so, a challenge became an opportunity -- and an international business.
In 2004, I invented and introduced the first injection-molded decorative light switch cover to the UK -- which required no rewiring. (One of my very first accounts was manufacturing switch covers for Laura Ashley; matching their gorgeous wallpapers onto switchplates.)
After a few years, wanting to leave no continent undecorated, decorative switch covers were introduced to the Australian and New Zealand marketplace and HomePlates Worldwide, Inc. was “officially” born. Today HomePlates has expanded, and develops, creates, manufactures, and sources a variety of products for businesses and brands across the globe... on purpose.
Some of my clients include: Laura Ashley, British Home Stores, John Lewis Department Store, WIC, Grand Ole Opry, Gifford's Ice Cream, Blake Shelton, Aspace, Netflix, Kroger, BBC America, Live Nation, House of Blues, The Coca Cola Company, The Campbell's Soup Company, and many others.
CUT TO: 2019. my personal passion for cooking and entertaining led me to honor my mother, Bernice and her amazing recipes. I needed to hire food photographers to shoot the recipes and discovered they were dragging around marble and wood slabs that were ridiculously heavy and difficult to store, not to mention they stained like crazy.
And so, I created Best Ever Backdrops, a line of 100% waterproof, lightweight, and stain resistant backdrops for food and product photographers, content creators, bloggers, and stylists because I was tired of watching my photographer friends lift backdrops that could earn them gold medals in weightlifting! If you need to photograph your products (the ones you will be creating) shoot them on the best backdrops in the market.
If you want to hear the backstory of how all of this began, watch me tell it here. (My first time back on stage in 20+ years.)
As for writing, yes, I still write for a variety of media: television, stage, and print.
For over 3 decades, I’ve helped small businesses, global brands, content creators, professionals, and startups create kickass branded merch and custom products to help elevate their brand awareness, gain new clients, and generate revenue.
If you want to make a lasting impression, connect with your clients and potential clients in a uniquely personal way, and stand out from your competition, you’re in the right place.
Whatever you need for your next event or meeting, a thank you gift to wow your customers or if you want to build your retail brand – let’s work together to put your brand in the hands of your clients.