Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Reid.
Hi Ashley, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
From as early as I can remember, I’ve always loved creating things for people with my hands – from crayon art on yard signs as a kid to painting camp trunks as a young adult. In my family, we always thought the most meaningful gifts were things that you made with your hands. It meant you had taken the time and used your heart to create something for someone else. We treasured these gifts!
As a young adult, I graduated from the University of Texas and then pursued my masters in Healthcare Administration. My early career in healthcare brought me back to Dallas. I had always found so much joy and purpose in healthcare because it allowed me to help people in the most significant times of their lives.
Fast forward- I got married, had a family and became a busy stay-at-home mom.
I kept finding myself making flowers in my free time – signing up to bring the flowers to the event or make flowers for friends. Something in me longed to get back in touch with that creative, giving side that had once brought me so much joy. After a lot of prayer and reflection, I felt God pointing me towards flowers. Once I decided to pursue a career in the floral industry, it all suddenly made sense to me. I love to draw. I love to sing. I love to dance – and now so do my flowers!
I finally get to create things for people again! It has been a dream to connect with people at these special moments in life – celebrating love and life. In a lot of ways, it’s like what healthcare had meant to me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve been so fortunate to have very supportive people in my life who have made the path much smoother. These people have helped point me to the next step, introduce me to the next person, encourage me to pursue my dreams – even ask me to do flowers for their parties before they’d seen my work!
One of the biggest struggles to pursuing my passion is overcoming self-doubt. I’ve really had to learn to trust myself. When I’m doubting myself or my work, I have to stop, pray, and remind myself what brought me here. I find so much strength and peace in that.
Dallas has so many wonderful established flower shops, so to set myself apart, I quickly realized I had a lot to learn. Education has always been very important to me, so over the past year, I’ve sought out my favorite floral designers across the country and attended their workshops. I’m also a huge fan of the online classes available for growing a flower business.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love to think outside the vase – creating statement florals that you’ll remember! It’s important to me to highlight the individuality and uniqueness of each flower – making them “pop”! I have fun playing with height and shape of my arrangements – creating a floral dance in a way.
Friends can often spot my work for its distinct style. I’m drawn to asymmetrical shapes, dramatic color palettes (monochromatic are some of my favorites!), and finding unique blooms. In Dallas, the details matter. My clients value having something festive and different in their homes – it’s like putting new piece of art in your home to reflect the season or occasion at hand.
As my business is still blooming, my favorite floral jobs are small events and parties. I love designing for a great theme or celebration. I also specialize in arrangements for everyday occasions.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk-taking.
For my flowers – I love taking a risk! Nothing brings me more joy than visualizing a new design, seeing my arrangement come to life, and experiencing the joy of enthusiastic clients.
Naturally, I don’t think of myself as a big risk taker, but in starting Petal Pop, I’ve really had to learn how to put myself out there. You wouldn’t think Instagram would be so hard for someone, but for me, posting my first Instagram post felt like I just finished climbing Mount Everest! I wasn’t sure if people would like my work or understand what I was doing. Taking tiny steps and seeing them as wins gives me the momentum to take the next step with a little more confidence.
Over the next year, I’d love to grow the business, learn new scopes of floral design and design for more events. Each new opportunity is a new risk, but I’ve got the knowledge, experience, and support to make it possible. At the end of the day, being able to find my strength in the Lord makes risks seem a lot less risky.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.petalpopdallas.com
- Instagram: @petalpopdallas
Image Credits
Jason Voinov – @jasonvoinov
