Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Cortese.
Ashley, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I earned a degree in psychology with a minor in business management from the University of North Texas in 2012. Following that, I wasn’t really sure what direction I wanted to go with my career. I ended up falling into the industry of events by accident. I worked for a few different companies before taking a sales job with a high-end florist based in Dallas. I had no experience with floral whatsoever at this point, but after about a year I had completely fallen in love. I have always had a creative side and really enjoyed recreational art growing up. I also really love to work with my hands, and I don’t mind a little hard labor.
Floral design seemed like the perfect way for me to both express myself and also learn a true trade. I founded The Rogue Rose in 2016 with an intent to offer an alternative to traditional floral deliveries; however, I started to receive an influx of requests for wedding floral. I realized that there was a need in the industry for an event florist who could produce beautiful designs but also remain conscious of cost as a priority. It has been my goal ever since to work as smart and efficiently as possible in order to give my clients the most value for their event floral investment.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Actually, I would say that it has been pretty smooth, all things considered. I truly believe that this path was intended for me, and, in all honesty, I think the biggest hurdle has been my own self-doubt. When you are first starting out in the industry, you are just praying that people will give you the chance to prove yourself. For the first couple of years, you worry about whether or not you can really pull off what you have promised. If there is one thing I have noticed as a trend among floral designers, it is that we are all “people pleasers”. We want so badly for our clients to be over the moon with what we produce. Once I started to see the trend of people who really did love my work I started to become more confident. The past two years or so have been great, but I am continuing to grow and can’t wait to see what the future holds for The Rogue Rose.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Rogue Rose story. Tell us more about the business.
The Rogue Rose is all about beautiful, accessible floral for weddings and events. As opposed to having a focus on particular style of design, I objectively interpret my client’s vision in order to produce designs that are 100% unique to their aesthetic. No two designs are the same, and that is one of the things I love most about my job. 95% of my business is wedding floral. While designing for a wedding, I am often saying things like “The bride wants it to look more like this” or “She is going to love this flower”. I play the role of “bridal liaison” with my own designs if you will! It is all about the client’s needs, and that pertains to cost as well.
Many of my bride’s come to me disappointed because they have received a quote for their wedding floral elsewhere and it is twice what they can comfortably afford. While it is important to have a realistic budget for wedding or event floral, I think one of the places that my work really shines is in my ability to translate a client’s vision in a way that gives them the opportunity to invest in the elements that are most important to them while offering cost-effective alternative’s in other areas.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Things ALWAYS work out. Even when I think disaster has struck, it works itself out for the better. Someone has my back and it sure isn’t luck. I believe that if you operate your business with integrity, passion, and love you will succeed, and you will likely receive some help from upstairs along the way. This applies to life in general as well.
Pricing:
- Full-Service Custom Event Floral from $2,000 before delivery, labor, and tax
- Semi-Custom Event Floral from $500 before tax
- Private Group Classes from $275 before tax
Contact Info:
- Address: 10930 Switzer Avenue
Ste 124
Dallas, TX 75238
(by appointment only) - Website: www.theroguerose.com
- Phone: (214) 476-0331
- Email: hello@theroguerose.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroguerose_dallas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroguerosedallas/
Image Credit:
Jenny Bright Photography, Elizabeth Carol Photography, Jamie Huffman Photography, Emily Nicole Photography, Beat Box Portraits, The Tarnos Photography
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