I am always surrounded by the most inspirational people & consider myself so lucky. To kick off my first post of my new series called “Women Worth Watching” is Rachelle, from Flowers by Willows. If you follow along on my social media, you will see I spend a lot of time there; discussing business over coffee and baileys. She quickly became an inspiration to me with her infectious smile, giving heart & crazy talent.
1) What is your business name & how did you come up with it?
Well, I am not super creative with coming up with names, but since I love my last name I thought I would just keep it simple. I also believe in standing behind your business and what better way to do that then by putting your own name on it?!
2) What year did you start your business?
I officially started on my own the summer of 2014.
3) What was your dream job growing up?
Growing up I wanted to be a Search and Rescue Technician with the Armed Forces, or a Coast Guard Rescue swimmer.
4) What lead you to your job today / what is your “why”?
Well I used to work as an EMT but I burnt out of that career pretty young. My mom and sister had a flower shop at the time when I burnt out and my mom convinced me to come work for her in the shop for a while to help clear my head and I guess I just haven’t quit playing with flowers since then.
5) What characteristic(s) do you think set you apart from other people in your industry?
I really believe in being present. I only take on one wedding a weekend so I am 100% present for my clients. From prepping all the flowers, to designing, delivery and bouquet presentation it is all me and that is something that I take a lot of pride in. I also grow my own flowers, so when I am able to incorporate my own blooms into the wedding it gives me an amazing sense of accomplishment and it adds a very personalized touch to the florals.
6) How do you define success?
Ahhhh Success!!! So many different definitions for each person but I guess for me it means a few things… Success to me, means being proud of the work I am doing and being able to bring in an income at the same time. It also means being able to give back to the community through my business. That is something that has really given me a lot of pride in the past year and I would say that has left me feeling successful.
7) Who inspires you most?
My late Grandfather Garth Fryett. He was a true gentleman and always encouraged me to do what I wanted to do. He supported me when I went to school to become a firefighter and attended my graduation with such pride. He also supported me when I quit EMS, 4 years after that day and decided to work in the flower shop. He never questioned what I wanted to do he just would say “if a jobs worth doing, do it right the first time”. I don’t know if I have done everything “right” over the years but I have always tried my best with his quote in mind. He lived his life to the fullest and I admire that because not many people truly do, but he did.
8) What advice would you give yourself when you were first starting out?
Be kind to yourself and don’t judge your self so harshly. My best designs have come since I threw away the textbooks and rules. Amazing things can happen when you trust in your abilities and let yourself go. Just let go….
9) What is your favourite motivational quote?
I don’t know if its “motivational” but my Grandfather was interviewed years ago and a quote from the interview was when he was asked “What would you change in your life if you could?” and he said “If I had to live my life all over again, I would do exactly the same thing.”- Garth Fryett
I can’t say that about my life I know I have made mistakes, but I think his is a motivational statement because it has such a greater meaning behind it. How amazing would it be to truly have no regrets at the end of your life?
10) Where do you see your business in 5 years?
In five years I see myself in a field of 10000 peonies…on my hands and knees weeding between 10000 peonies ha ha! But truly that is what I would love! I also see my business transforming into more of an educational platform where people can come and immerse themselves in my flower farm and learn some new skills to help them in their own floral journey.
11) What are 3 super random facts about you?
I hate peanut butter…like gag at the smell of it hate it.
I would wear flip-flops 24-7 if I didn’t live in a climate that turns into a deep freeze 50% of the year. I have a severe dislike of shoes or anything being on my feet..even socks ha ha!
I like 2 kinds of books…Historical Romance Novels and true stories about events that took place in World War l & ll. I read about one book per week and I would be perfectly happy stranded on a island with my kindle and a little wifi to run it.
Rachelle is truly crushing her niche market & I couldn’t think of a more inspirational woman to begin this series with.
You can find & follow Rachelle here:
