Mia and I have walked alongside each other for much of our creative journeys, especially the past five years. She is an incredibly talented florist, known for her whimsical and creative approach to floral design. When Brad and I got engaged she was at the top of our list for florals and did a beautiful job for our wedding!
WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS PODCAST:
- How has the business changed over the years?
- What mistakes to avoid?
- How has Mia personally changed since starting her business?
- What advice does a florist have for a photographer?
- What are a few pieces of advice for those who are pursuing their dream?
How has the business changed?
Root Floral Design began in a shed on Mia’s parents property. Five years later, Mia has a 1000 square foot shop complete with multiple coolers and her own van to transport the flowers. In the beginning, Mia was creating any type of arrangement that was needed. But now, she likes to focus solely on floral arrangements for weddings. Since wedding arrangements can be tedious and time consuming, they need their own attention. Root Floral Design now designs between 30-50 weddings a year!
A few mistakes made
When first starting the business, Mia decided she could do it all on her own. However, she quickly became overwhelmed and even started to lose interest completely. Mia then knew she needed to ask for help and hired her friend, Sophie. When running a small business, it is best to find the things that are most important to you and focus on those things. If you are able to, hire someone else to help with all of the other remaining tasks.
Just like in every business, mistakes are unavoidable especially in the early stages. At one of Mia’s first weddings, some of the arrangements froze in the refrigerator leaving her to create all of the arrangements with whatever she could find! Another time, Mia wrote the wrong time down for a styled shoot and had to put together the arrangements in the back of the van on the way to the shoot! Just like every mistake you make, you can learn from it and hopefully avoid making the same mistake again. Above all, no matter what is thrown at you, you have to make it work!
Throughout the years of running Root Floral, Mia has learned not to be too hard on herself. In the beginning, it is so easy to put too much pressure on yourself to succeed. When Mia became a mother, that is when she really realized how important the help of her family and friends would be in every aspect of her life! Now, she strives for more of a balance in her work life, home life and making time for herself. All of which are so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle while running a business!
Advice from a Florist to a Photographer?
In the wedding photography world, there are so many different photography styles. When it comes to shooting floral arrangements there are a few things that photographers should remember. While shooting arrangements, it is best to to edit for the actual color of the flowers. The color of the photo can get lost in the editing process of the images. Some brides love photos they have seen of certain flowers, but in reality…the flowers are not the actual color that are shown in the photo. Photographers should take a mental note of what the color of the arrangement is and try remember that while editing the images of the wedding.
Advice for those looking to pursue their dream?
Do not take on more than you can handle! It is best to delegate certain tasks and get help, especially in the early stages of starting your business. Running your own business can be overwhelming and having help is a huge part of keeping you sane and successful! Also, it is helpful to find a program that is specific to the type of work you do. Mia uses the program Quotient, to write up custom quotes for her clients. I use Shootq as a workflow program for my photography which holds all of my clients information and correspondence. These programs are definitely a game changer and have helped to keep both of us more organized in our day to day business tasks!
So many fun stories, details and lessons learned were shared in this episode so be sure to tune in!!!
LINKS REFERENCED:
Quotient
Shootq
CONNECTING:
Website: rootfloraldesigns.com
Instagram: @rootfloraldesign
SPONSORS:
Showit – User-Friendly Web Design Platform: Use code MAGIC for 10% off your subscription!
Black River Imaging – High Quality Online Print Site: Use code MAGIC for 20% off your order!
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