Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Arani.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Katie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been very conscious of aesthetics and design. While my career path has taken on various forms, it’s been the thread the runs through it all. I love when things look pretty, organized and unique. One of my favorite past times as a young girl was drafting meticulous floor plans of my dream bedroom. I might have been five or six, so of course that dream bedroom had an indoor swimming pool, a carport for my pink Barbie convertible, and a huge bed that could fit all of my stuffed animals. I still do this by the way, but now it involves event floor plans, sketches of sprawling floral installations and event budget proposals. The excitement and satisfaction are the same though. How can I adorn this room with blooms in a way that maximizes budget, thrills my client, and feels like my brand?
I graduated from University of North Texas with a degree in Communication Design, emphasis on Art Direction. I worked my first few years at advertising agencies and in-house for Neiman Marcus Online. After much reflection and quarter-life-crisis-angst, I decided to leave the advertising and branding world to do something different. I was tired of having my day predetermined for me and needed more excitement. I had always imagined one day having my own business. After taking a job working at a flower shop and loving every second of it, I realized that is what I wanted to do.
I started Billie ball & co. in May 2017, and it’s been a roller coaster ride ever since. Luckily, I love roller coasters!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Remember what I said about it being a roller coaster? There have been many ups and downs, intense excitement, and intense anxiety. I never knew how much I didn’t know until I started a business. Resale certificates, permits, and agriculture licenses are a bid deal apparently. There have been so many confusing legal terms I’ve had to become an expert on immediately. Thank God for Google and a good CPA.
Please tell us about Billie Ball & Co.
Billie Ball & Co. specializes in floral design for weddings and events in the DFW Metroplex. I get asked all the time about the name. A Billy ball (also called craspedia) is a type of flower. It’s a tiny yellow ball on a skinny stick. I love them so much because they don’t really look like flowers at all. They are the different kids that don’t really fit into the other flower groups. I changed the spelling to “Billie” to make it sound a bit more feminine. It’s in all lowercase because I’m a branding nerd and we like pointless oddities like that.
That leads me into what makes bb&co. different. We are small. Real small. I handle every single aspect of my business. I have a team of designers that help for large events, but mostly it’s just me. I have a distinct level of care and attention to detail that I impart into all of my designs. I obsess over every single arrangement, every stem, every piece of waste I put in the trashcan. I love spending so much time with my clients, most of them become my friends. I would be hard pressed to grow much bigger than I currently am, because I would worry about losing the tiny details in the bigger picture. That might come with age though, I’ve always been crazy ambitious.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I was lucky to grow up in a small town in Tennessee where there was nothing to do but be outside. I remember climbing dogwood trees, rolling down steep hills, and always having dirt under my fingernails. I suppose it’s only natural that I love working with flowers so much.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2095 N Collins Blvd.
Suite 102
Richardson, TX 75080
*Studio consultations by appointment only* - Website: www.billieballco.com
- Phone: 214-500-4686
- Email: info@billieballco.com
- Instagram: billieballco
- Facebook: billie ball & co.
- Other: https://www.theknot.com/marketplace/billie-ball-and-co-richardson-tx-1051583
Image Credit:
Abbie Mae Photography
Nick Largent Photography
Tamytha Cameron Photography
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