Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawntee Reed
Hi Shawntee, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started as a novelist, buying flowers from Trader Joes every Friday to have floral in my home for the weekend. I started randomly posting pictures of my arrangements on my social. And, people would send me hearts or comment on how much they loved seeing my arrangements. Funny, I did not think much of it at the time; but turns out it fueled my passion as a creative. For the past 20 years or so, I have spent most of my career as a human resources executive and as an educator. I never imagined being an entrepreneur, let alone becoming a floral designer. But, through some recognition online from onlookers of my floral arrangements, it took one person to ask me to design for an event. That was in December 2021. The entire following year, I continued to design for this one person for all of her events; scaling from small dinners functions to large scale summits. During which, I created an LLC not knowing I would be investing in a floral studio and eventually leaving my corporate job in Spring 2024. For me, it has always been about creating inclusive experiences in any environment. And, now 2 years later I am creating inclusive experience through floral design. Today, I design table scapes for dinner parties, enjoy teaching others how to create arrangements for their homes, and I partner with restaurants, commercial spaces, corporate clients for team building experiences, and have designed stages for large scale conferences and summits.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting a business comes with highs and lows. It has not been smooth, large in part, to juggling two roles. While investing in my passion as a floral designer, I was working a full-time job. Sleepless nights, working countless hours and dreaming about the possibility of having a floral studio, but struggled with not quite sure how to make it all happen. Not to mention, the struggle in the decision to leave my corporate job to venture out on my own and start a business. Early in my journey, I struggled with needing a “community” of entrepreneurs. It was important to encounter other women who were taking a risk on themselves to pursue a passion, so as to not feel alone. Through networking, I have been able to make more connections that have led to best practice sharing, referrals and new partnerships. Additionally, a struggle that is not often spoke of is the “fear” of striking out on your own and having the resources to sustain my business. I spent countless hours researching how to run a floral business, diving into my finances to understand start up cost, and then my operations. Admittedly, I was flying blind and solo; and at times questioned what I was doing. But, I stayed focused and made the leap. Failure is not an option.
Another example, was my struggle to remain “flexible.” My initial idea was to start in a retail space, but I made a pivot to a commercial space; which meant less day to day engagement and by appointment only. This was a big change in my business plan, but it allowed for more flexibility of the types of clients.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a self-taught floral designer with an unlimited level of creativity. I love creating moody and whimsical floral arrangements. I co-create floral experiences with each of my clients. We determine the type of experience they want to create for their audience, and then explore options. From color palette, type of floral (fresh or preserved) to the type of arrangement that may include centerpieces, stage installations, floral bags as gifts, to a beautiful trailing floral garden.
I am known for my floral bags, it’s easy to grab and go; and place anywhere in your home or to give as a gift.
Also, I’m truly proud of my floral studio. I have designed a space that clients love to visit. From the time they walk in, the space has been designed to engage their imagination. In collaboration, they can curate the complete ambiance for their event. My clients know they can expect that I will surpass their expectation in my design and floral choice. We are audience-centered and am designing floral with that in mind.
What matters most to you?
I want every person I encounter to feel heard and that their needs are being met. As a curator of experiences, it is important, for me, to ensure I can deliver and surpass the expectations of each client. My greatest desire is to create life-long memorable experiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.creativeessenceflorals.com/
- Instagram: shawntee_creativeessence
