Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in floristry, but not sure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with florist, Emma Cox owner of Emma Cox Floristry in the UK.
Tell us about yourself and your journey to where you are today...
My background sounds a bit all over the place but I think every role has taught skills I use every day running my own business. I started as a Graphic Designer once I finished university. I left that industry after not seeing a long term future, especially in print media and retrained as a Design Technology teacher.
I loved being a teacher but I never had time for my own creative outlets and by this time I'd met my now husband who is a self employed tattoo artist and it made me think about being self employed. My father in law had a property in France so I began trading as an antiques dealer, sourcing items in France and selling them in the UK.
In doing that I met and sold to lots of inspirational florists who's work I admired online. I would buy flowers to dry to make wreaths in winter, then create fresh flower arrangements to display urns I was selling. I finally, after a couple of years of dabbling reached out to one of my favourite floral designers and started attending workshops with her. I'd also spend every spare day or afternoon practising and posting online until people started booking me.
What motivates you each day?
Some days it can be tough to be self motivated, but surrounding yourself, either I'm real life or online, with like minded, self driven, creatives really helps. It's really nice to work with other's who are running a business and share the same enthusiasm for their own business.
What makes your flower business stand out?
What makes my business stand out is me. I treat every job like an artistic commission and customers or couple's who book me appreciate that. I think I have my own style, the way I combine colour and texture, use a certain space and create movement.
I feel quite lucky that asides from a colour scheme, most of my couple's book me and say "just do what you do, do your thing" . I select each component to arrangements for a purpose. If I'm using a certain stem it's to add something of beauty to a piece, either colour, depth, movement or texture.
Everything is considered and nothing is used as a "filler" like foliage for example. If green isn't going to go with anything else in the colour scheme I'll use something else to create movement, like sweetpeas or phlox for example. Everything looks more cohesive and considered. My couples appreciate the overall aesthetics and appreciate that floral designs can enhance the mood they want to create for their day.
To what would you attribute your entrepreneurial success?
I think putting out the work I want to attract has been a huge factor in helping me grow and attract more of what I want to do. Also spending time on creative projects to share with people has completely changed my business. Setting aside time to create something for myself, get ideas out that I've wanted to try has only ever been positive. A little time to create something different is not only chance to keep practicing skills but also show my audience or potential customers something they may not have considered for their wedding.
There's so much to do with weddings out there that couple's can think they have to have A, B and C for it to look like a wedding, which is not the case. Taking time to create something different is great for me as I can flex my creative juices but also inspire a potential couple to think differently about how their day could look.
What is the hardest thing that comes with being a business owner?
Balance. A work life Balance has got to be the toughest. Having a cut off time to stop working in the evening or evening having a full day off from work is something I haven't managed to do yet. Luckily my husband is also self employed so he understands but some friends and family I think struggle to grasp why even on a "day off" I'll slip away to reply to an email or take a call.
Where can people find you online?
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share then email community@subkit.com, we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check us out and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.