Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Page.
Amanda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I always had an affinity for aesthetics in my life, but I wasn’t sure how it would manifest in my life as I was pursuing my career. I graduated from college, with a degree in English, and with a desire for creative writing. I didn’t know what direction to take with that degree and considered Interior Design. I decided to get into the industry, at an entry-level job, to see if it was for me. I worked at a design firm in Fort Worth for a year and found out that the day to day of this job was not something that played on my strengths but rather harped on my weaknesses.
Pursuing this field for a year was the best decision for me because it was something I could check off my list and know for certain it wasn’t a path I wanted to take. I think that’s so important for young people to realize at the start of their journeys that you can try things and play around with things that interest you, and it’s ok if it’s not your niche. You aren’t tied to anything at that point. You should be finding and looking for was exemplified your specialty, whatever that may be.
So, I decided to use my English degree the best way I knew how, and I started teaching ninth-grade English at a school in Oak Cliff. I taught for two years and absolutely loved it. I loved getting to share my passion for writing and literature. I loved that every day was so purposeful, and everything I said and how I said it to those students mattered. I truly respected those kids and they respected me in return, and we built great relationships.
Through all of this time at the interior design firm and teaching, I was volunteering my time at my neighborhood floral shop, Dirt. I had always loved flowers and plants, and I just decided to pursue it as a hobby. Honestly, the moment I put my hands to flowers and started arranging and learning the mechanics I just felt like I was in my “sweet spot”. It felt natural to me. It felt right to me. It felt like I found my niche.
I didn’t know how I would ever pursue this beyond a hobby, and I didn’t care. I just liked doing it. I did some friend’s wedding on my own, and I just loved it. I remember going to dinner with my two close friends and said, “I wish so badly that I could just be a floral designer and have an event company.” My friend Elissa, who is a floral designer, said that she was contacted about being the in-house florist for a Dallas wedding venue, but she was growing her family and didn’t feel like it was the right timing for her. She put me up for the job and they hired me. (Sometimes you’ve just gotta put things out in the universe!)
They loved my work and offered me the job. I worked there for about two years there and learned so much about the administrative side of the business. I also was able to do events on a grander scale and really diversify my portfolio. I was getting several opportunities to do work outside of the venue and decided it was time for me to go off on my own and do floral as my own brand. I started Zephyr Floral with great excitement to have something that was fully mine, and that fully reflected me as a designer.
This company brings me great joy, and I’m getting to pursue my passion every day. It’s a dream I never knew I could make come true, and here I am creating and living in my “sweet spot” every day.
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?
Starting your own company is a very exciting dream, but there is so much that goes into the making of that company on paper. I remember being at a loss on where to even start, and if it wasn’t for the amazing women business owners around me guiding me I would still be lost. Particularly, Jen Maudlin, who walked me through step by step on how to legally create my business. It’s so important for people to help one another in pursuing their dreams, and I felt so humbled to have this powerhouse lady by side answering all my silly questions!
Another struggle that I faced was translating my brand and overall vibe through social media. There is so much that goes into presenting your material, and who you are online. I knew it was important and I wanted to represent who my business is clearly and flawlessly. I read SO MANY online articles about this, and spoke with friends who I felt were successful at this. Branding is so important to draw the right kind of clientele to your business.
Zephyr Floral – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Zephyr Floral is a floral design company that caters to, not only weddings and corporate events but residential and commercial floral arrangements. We are not a retail florist, but we do a have a beautiful studio space in Tyler Station where we have consultations, build your floral designs, and host several workshops.
Our style tends towards the loose, wild, and natural feel. We love unique flowers, and we often steer away from your typical traditional floral arrangements. We love texture and contrast. The goal we have for every event is to interpret the overall feel for that our client is looking to achieve, and to create a special ambiance through our flowers, and attention to detail, that really cause the guests to notice a change in atmosphere as they enter your event.
We believe that ambiance is proven through the details and we are here to guide and create that with our clients.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The name “Zephyr” is very special to me. My grandfather was an entrepreneur who owned several grocery stores in West Texas called, “Page’s”. He was just a kind, honest, and generous person. Everyone in town called him “Honest John”. People have told me stories about him filling up a single mom’s basket and saying it was on him over and over again. That’s just who he was. His business was more than a grocery store. He’s superior customer service, kindness and generosity made him successful in so many ways beyond the monetary success.
When I started my business I wanted to embody of these qualities. I wanted to provide superior customer service, kindness, and generosity to my clients. When it came to naming my business I looked up “Zephyr”, which was the street he lived on, and it means, “a gentle breeze from the West”. So, I consider him my gentle breeze from the West spurring me on to be more than just a floral design company.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1300 S. Polk Street. Dallas, Texas 75224 #267
- Website: www.zephyrfloral.com
- Phone: (214) 699-1031
- Email: amanda@zephyrfloral.com
- Instagram: @zephyrfloral
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zephyrfloral/
Image Credit:
Jessica Parker: @jesiicas.photography, A Sea of Love: @aseaoflove, Mia Blessinger: @miablessinger
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