Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Etzler-Johnston.
Hi Lauren, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I first started in the wedding industry in college. I needed an internship for business school and loved the idea of being involved in peoples favorite day. I worked along side multiple planners, coordinators, and a florist. I absolutely fell in love with the creative outlet of designing wedding florals and the look on brides faces when their bouquet was presented to them. After 7 years of working alongside a florist I acted on my entrepreneurial itch and started my own business and it has been the best decision yet!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I started my business with a cancer diagnosis which was really the push I needed to do it on my own. You might as well live the life you want and dream of to the fullest, and owning a successful and thriving business doing what I want and what I love was at the top of my list. Learning to set up a business the correct way, invest the money you have smartly, and managing marketing and bookings is all so difficult. Some months you are on top of the world and everything is working out exactly how you envisioned and other months it can be slow and you really lean on your mentors for advice and growth inspiration! With weddings it is very seasonal, so learning to navigate and balance the busy and the slow seasons is something I am and will likely always be working on.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My line of work is a wedding and events florist. I am a full service florist offering personal flowers, ceremony set ups, receptions decor, and everything in between. I offer a fully personal and customizable experience. My design is whimsical, dreamy garden style arrangements. Nothing too perfectly shaped with lots of free flowing and airy aspects. No two weddings are the same but all are designed and set up by myself and my small team. I was one told not to have a team of family but I highly disagree. They are the absolute most reliable team and want to see you succeed just as much as you do. They are forgiving and supportive in all aspects and are always there when you call on them. Obviously, family is very important to me, so my clients truly become like family. They are people who I become friends with, I want their wedding day to be everything they dream of and expect, and I deliver that just as I would for my own very best friend.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
It may be cliche, but to me success is happiness and fulfillment in what you are doing. Booking my calendar with days of designing proposals and florals is what keeps busy and happy. Having a profitable business doing fun “work” is success to me. When I am working in my studio it truly does not feel like work. I have a home studio so often times I wake up in the morning, grab a coffee, and get straight to work because I truly enjoy it and love every minute of it. I don’t begrudgingly walk into the office for another day at a miserable 9-5 I hate and that is success in owning a business you love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://infullblume.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/infullblumeflorals/
Image Credits
Professional Headshots done by Claudia Goodwin Films.
Photo with parasol, Rachel Case Photo
