Sustainable creations by Flowers by Imogen

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in floristry, but not sure what to expect? Then check out our interview with the florist, Imogen Stuckes, owner of Flowers by Imogen, in lovely Hackney, UK.

Tell us about yourself and your journey to where you are today...

Floristry and gardening had always been a hobby of mine, growing up in the beautiful Somerset countryside. After five years of working in lifestyle PR, I decided to train properly as a florist and turn my creative outlet into a job! My experience whilst I was training opened my eyes to how bad for the environment floristry could be - 90% of flowers are imported in the UK, flown across in air-conditioned transport and wrapped in tonnes of plastic. I wanted to offer something different, so Flowers by Imogen only uses all British, seasonal flowers, from my farm in Sussex as well as other local farms. My packaging is all zero waste, too.

What motivates you each day?

Flowers by Imogen offers sustainable fresh and dried floral styling with natural, no-dye all British flowers, heroing the seasons. I create designs in my East London studio, using my flowers grown in Sussex and from other local farms, for bouquets, weddings, and event styling. 90% of flowers in the UK are imported, so I wanted to offer something different! I only use sustainable mechanics in my installation work and the local flowers mean my carbon footprint is low. My packaging is also all zero waste.

What makes your flower business stand out?

I think the real sustainability factor and locally grown flowers have been a selling point to customers, and social media has been a huge tool in helping me grow my business. I've got some amazing friends and family who always spread the word, but having an Instagram page filled with all my work is a brilliant, easy-to-access portfolio for new customers to access. My background in PR has helped with my social media knowledge! I'm currently hosting a pop-up at Netil Market in Hackney, which has been great for getting new customers outside of the digital world. I think people appreciate meeting the owner of the business!

What is the hardest thing that comes with being a business owner?

As a one-woman band, you have to wear so many hats: social media manager, accountant, project manager, operations, creative director, etc... it can be hard to manage everything at once sometimes. I've also found it's sometimes difficult not having anyone to sense check things with, although I've met some lovely other one-woman businesses in the floristry community, and we are all so supportive of each other.

Where can people find you online?

Website: https://www.flowersbyimogen.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowersbyimogen/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flowersbyimogen

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.

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