Today we’d like to introduce you to Katelyn Michelle Garcia.
Hi Katelyn Michelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I found my love for floral design in high school when I took an agriculture elective class. Because I enjoyed this class so much, I wanted to further my floral design knowledge and found a job working at Seabrook House of Flowers in my hometown. I took into consideration my love for plants when deciding what to study in college thus I chose to major in Horticulture and minor in Recreation Parks and Tourism Sciences with a Professional Event Management Certificate. I always knew that I wanted to own my own business, and after working in the event planning industry for a few years, I took the leap and decided to start Katalina Co. in 2021, a personal event planning company. Throughout the next 2 years, I promoted myself and did small events here and there while still working full time. I enjoyed event planning, but I also strived to own a flower shop, and hoped to find a way to combine my personal interests.
While I was working in Texas, I was in a long distance relationship with my now husband, Christian, whom I’ve been with since meeting in college! We got engaged in April of 2023 and were eager to build our life together after 3 years apart. He was living in Montana at the time and urged me to quit my full time job, move up to Montana and give 100% to my new business venture, Katalina Floral & Co. So that’s what we did! We moved Ranger (our dog) and I up to Red Lodge, Montana and started working on my floral business anyway I could. I had so many successes in Montana this past year and am utterly grateful to all of the friends that supported me while I was there. I was able to secure a floral studio spot right off the main road in town, design for multiple weddings, collaborate with other small businesses, even travel the beautiful state of Montana for business ventures. After moving back to Texas in November, I am excited to already have many Texas and Montana weddings booked for 2025, and can’t wait to keep creating.
Alright, 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?
Giving 100% to my business was VERY scary in the beginning! There were doubts in my head like is this something I can handle, would it be successful, will people like what I am creating? But as I continued to work and grow my business, I became more comfortable and eager to create than I could’ve imagined! There, of course, were a few bumps in the road. We lived in a small town of roughly 2,000 people in Montana ,and sourcing flowers could sometimes be pretty difficult, especially during the winter. For example, if my floral order didn’t arrive in time, I had to do my best to scour the local towns and try to find similar flowers for my clients, but it wasn’t always possible (these scenarios taught me how to come up with back-up plans A, B, and so on!) Working with local farms in the summer also seemed daunting at first, but as I got to know more people, it became easier and I found myself part of a lovely community.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a floral designer who specializes in wedding arrangements, but has a strong background in event planning and can provide specialized services that most florists can’t offer. Whether it’s helping a client plan their wedding or event from start to finish or simply helping with the day of coordination. When considering everyday floral arrangements, I like to think that my signature “travel bouquet” sets me apart from other businesses. The travel bouquet is an easy way to pick up flowers on the go!
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I feel very fortunate to say that I have good luck in life! Though, I don’t think my “luck” has been solely due to coincidence. I’d like to say that things usually work out in my favor because I am proactive: I work hard, I trust my intuition, and most importantly, I try to be as nice as possible to everyone around me. I’ve always been a believer in the saying, “what goes around comes around.” So when you’re nice to others, life has a way of rewarding you, and I feel pretty blessed.
Contact Info:
- Website: Katalinaco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katalinafloralandco?igsh=MTlqaGQwZ3JqZHNkbA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@katalinafloralco?_t=ZT-8uMpmnr5J9i&_r=1
Image Credits
@Entenmannphoto @candidblissphotos
