Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in floristry but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Juan Villanueva, owner of Villanueva Designs, located in New York, NY, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Villanueva Designs is a private client, event florist & garden service business. As a second-generation florist with a fine art background, we provide innovative biophilic works for our client's homes & lives. Since our inception, we've helped everyone from A-list celebrities to premier fashion & world-renowned interior designers, non-profit humanitarian organizations to titans of industry...and everyone in between. With a concentration in unique floral arrangements, custom fabrication & urban gardens, we aim to fill the holes in the marketplace that traditional 'Flower Shops' & 'Bridal Event Florist" can not fulfill.

Tell us about yourself

I am a second-generation florist originally for rural South Texas. After dropping out of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago due to financial hardship, I had to find a job/craft to make a living.....and well, what I remember thinking was, "Well, I know flowers." After taking on a position as an apprentice at a high-end flower shop in Chicago's Magnificent Mile, I moved to New York City in 2003. In 2008 I started Villanueva Designs after the flower shop I was working at began to fail. What motivates me is the sheer challenge of the art, the restrictions of the medium, the blessing of being surrounded by beauty, and being able to do what I love daily.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Well, to be completely honest, I built my company from nothing, starting in my living room for a year & a half. Building a self-funded, bootstrap start-up that has been able to survive the 'great recession, housing market crisis & the struggles of the pandemic has been no small feat. This said, even though our 'Big' accomplishments include working with A-listers, winning multiple awards, being featured in numerous publications/interviews, appearing on Discovery+ topiary competition with host Martha Stewart what is really important is what tomorrow will bring, and keeping my clients/crew happy & inspired.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

One of my early struggles as I pivoted to larger, more complex projects was keeping a healthy cash flow. Just before the pandemic, we ran into a wall where we got caught in about a one-week period between checks clearing and our credit being maxed out. It was a real eye-opening (if not tear-filled) experience, but we figured it out....because, as business owners, we do whatever we have to do to keep the business moving forward.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Keep it simple...a lot of the reason that we have successfully navigated in such trying times is that we have stuck to our Bootstrap beginnings, reinvesting in the company whenever possible, tracking & trusting our progress.
  2. Stay true to your mission statement and values. I've worked with many of the 'top' event companies that New York City has seen, and the ones that truly inspire & are a joy to work with make no sacrifices when it comes to their core values.
  3. Don't be afraid to go slow....or to go fast; trust in your gut instinct, take educated risks and do it at your pace failures will come; dust yourself off, learn your lesson/s, move forward.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Continue to educate yourself at every opportunity. Don't be afraid to ask questions and learn from people in your industry who are successfully navigating your industry. Learn the numbers for yourself; knowing how accounting affects your day-to-day operations should be as important as the art, products &/or service you are providing. Lastly, you should be in love with what you are doing. There is truth in the statement 'If you do what you love you will never work a day of your life again!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://villanuevadesigns.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villanuevadesigns/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmvdesigns/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanmanuelvillanuevadesigns/

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 out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.