This is my very first paying client, my son Jackson.
In the fall of 2016, Jackson was taking a date to a homecoming dance for the very first time; which led us to an old school established florist for a corsage. We wanted something very special for this milestone moment but instead, we were met with mass-produced designs, presented on dirty, laminated catalog pages.
My son had his own money and his unique sense of style, but he was offered what every other 15-year-old kid was offered in white, red, or pink, in a plain plastic box for $45.00. The florist would not make eye contact with him, and talked through him, AT me, and seemed annoyed by our presence in her shop. At that moment, I turned to him and said, "I don't know what we are going to do, but we can do better," and so we did.
As a lifelong artist, when I see a beautiful product or work of art, that inspires me, my immediate reaction is not, "Where do I buy that?", but "How do I make it?". True to form, we went straight home and after a few YouTube videos and a trip to Hobby Lobby for several hours and an arsenal of craft supplies, we had a corsage. Still a little unsure of my newfound skills, I showed some photos to my friends just to make sure I wasn't making a huge mistake and setting my kid up for humiliation.
To my surprise, my friends loved my design and hired me to make corsages for them too for $20 each, and the seeds for my new business were planted. The following spring, I made over 30 corsage and boutonniere sets at $55 each and from the photos I posted we booked our first wedding and the rest is Sentimental Petal history!
Seven years later, I now have a very successful small business built on creative, high-quality design and personal, luxurious service for everyone, regardless of their age, experience, or budget.
Thank you to all of our clients who have trusted us to add life and color to your most sacred days. Thank you to our friends and family who have supported and cheered us on. Thank you to the photographers who made us look like we knew what we were doing in those early days and the industry professionals who practice community over competition showing me not only how to make a corsage, but also how to build a deeply fulfilling business.
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