Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Hill.
Lauren, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Full Bloom was always an idea that I was afraid to execute. Many years ago, I would receive flowers through a local florist from an old boyfriend that lived out of state. He would send them very frequently – to my job, my house, and even to an Atlanta Hawks game that he bought me tickets for. It was the sweetest thing and really piqued my interested and made me appreciate having florals around.
Flowers can really elevate any setting. I started to buy them for myself more and more, and eventually wanted to create that experience for other people. I encouraged my mother to purchase flowers and she would make sure that she had a bouquet for me to arrange whenever I came to visit my family. I want everyone to enjoy the moment and appreciate the “now.”
My brother, Greg, knew of my interest in having a floral business. He suggested that I make some arrangements and post them on social media. One Friday, while bored at work, I decided to go to the farmers market and buy flowers, with the goal of sharing them on Instagram and getting rid of them, whether it be selling them or giving them away. I innocently wanted to see how interested my audience/network was in flowers. I got rid of all 4-5 small arrangements immediately and that was the start to a new journey.
So, that’s kind of what drove me to start Full Bloom by Lauren! I saw other colleagues start successful companies while having full-time corporate jobs, and I told myself that there’s no reason that I can’t give it a try. I’ve almost been booked weekly with some type of flower gig since then. It’s been unreal! Instagram has been such an instrumental and powerful tool in allowing me to develop and organically grow my business. I couldn’t have done it without it. I feel like everyone was waiting for this from me and I’m just where I’m supposed to be at this point in my life.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has actually been pretty smooth – a lot smoother than anticipated. So many things have just kind of worked themselves out naturally. Of course, there’s always struggle with any journey, but everything is a lesson. A lot of business has really fallen into my lap and been a blessing, so I can’t say that I’ve struggled in that way. I think that figuring out a business and how to operate and become profitable can surely be a bit of a struggle, which is only natural.
I have had a corporate job most of my life, so diving into Full Bloom full time after being laid off during COVID has eliminated the struggle of balancing a 9-5 and running my own company on the side. While working, it was very difficult to figure out when to go buy flowers, where to put them while I was at work or whether to take them home, when to make deliveries, things like that were surely a struggle and were very challenging for me. I would always worry about Valentine’s Day with work because I knew that I needed to have the day before and day of off, no question. But these are just par for the course in truly doing what you want to do and navigating new terrain.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Full Bloom by Lauren specializes in lifestyle floral design and provides flowers for any occasion. We like to think outside of the box and promote the incorporation of flowers into any setting. We do a lot of weddings, baby showers, daily/weekly deliveries, marriage proposals and other events. We have provided flowers to quite a few celebrities for special occasions and really enjoy personalizing the experience through our unique design. That’s what sets Full Bloom apart – every creation is customized and created with the recipient in mind. I really like to go above and beyond with the care of the flowers and the selection of flowers that are used in order to make sure that the needs of our clients are met.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see the industry shifting a bit post-COVID-19. I think that micro weddings will probably become more of a “thing” and that some brides may be more aligned with the intimate wedding trend. I can totally see smaller weddings being around over the next five years, along with the adjustment to our “new normal”, whatever that may be. Events, in general, will probably change depending on the lasting impacts of the pandemic and how we all have to adjust. I think that a lot of us in the event industry will become more nimble and agile in who we cater to and how we can pivot, knowing that things can change in one minute. We have to remember why we do what we do and determine how we can continue to create special moments and lasting memories, no matter the circumstance. I always want to ensure that my offerings reflect the market’s needs.
Contact Info:
- Website: fullbloombylauren.com
- Phone: 6789419721
- Email: florals@fullbloombylauren.com
- Instagram: @fullbloombylauren
- Facebook: @fullbloombylauren
Image Credit:
Ariel Perry, Sarah Bradley Photography, Oprah Magazine’s Instagram, Carrie Friesin Photography, Michelle Davina
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