I met Niki through a networking group on Facebook for women who own local businesses. She had posted about a wildflower installation she was doing and was hoping to find a photographer who might want to collaborate and use the installation in some photos. I decided to seize the opportunity, because it would allow me to photograph something I normally don't get to, while including another fabulous woman in my blog series! In reality, I wasn’t even sure what it would entail to make and/or photograph a floral installation, but I always love a challenge.
Niki was making the installation for her daughters 2nd birthday party, and while Niki offered to have me bring a model to photograph, I thought, why not just use her daughter as the model, because it would be so special to have some professional photos of her with the floral installation her mom created for her birthday.
To say that the wildflower installation was impressive would be such a HUGE understatement. This thing was AMAZING. The level of detail that goes into floral design is incredible. From selecting flowers that will complement each other, to actually putting the design together - it’s amazing.
I got lucky and Niki also had a client that had ordered a vase of gorgeous flowers for her (if I recall correctly) Mother’s birthday, who was a Marines Veteran and I was able to capture some photos of that beautiful design as well. One of the things I love about Niki’s designs is how unique they are - they’re not always “clean cut” bouquets of flowers, I feel like they have emotion in them (if that makes any sense).
As usual, I sent Niki some “interview” questions before we met! Keep scrolling to see some more of Niki’s work and see how she answered my questions!
1. What’s the name of your business and where is your business located? Pepper & Fern, Westboro, MA. Found on Facebook & Instagram
2. What type of business is it? A floral design studio, we offer retail floral arrangements and also design for small events. Our style is a little bit edgy!
3. Tell me a little bit about yourself? I have been married to my husband Jason for 8 years (!) and we have two children, Clark (3) and Ellie (2) and a black lab, Pepper. I work full time in Loyalty & Personalization for CVS Health, and starting Pepper & Fern this March as a side hustle has been a fun creative outlet and passion project. I am a Myers Briggs ENTJ and an Enneagram type 3w2. In addition to spending time with family and friends, I enjoy playing the piano, weightlifting, and trying new restaurants.
4. What has your biggest challenge been starting your own business? Balancing my already-full life and making space for floral design has been a true challenge. Jason has been incredibly supportive and he sees that I’m willing to spend late nights working on something that gives me energy and fills my cup.
5. What is your favorite part about running your own business? I love making people feel loved. Flowers elevate every expression, from celebrations to grief, whether you are near or far. Regardless the occasion, they make people feel a little extra connected and loved.
6. What is one thing you wish you knew before getting started? I wish I knew where to set my boundaries. It was easy for the business to occupy… basically as much of my time as I’d let it! But I quickly adjusted my priorities to better reflect my values, and am letting this business grow organically rather than trying to force it into something much bigger. It’s fun enjoying the journey!
7. What advice do you have for anyone trying to start their own business? Take away the notion that you need to have everything figured out before you begin. If you take a couple of small steps to further your vision, you’ll be ahead of where you were yesterday. Selecting a business concept that you are passionate about will feel rewarding and you’ll want to work harder to achieve your goals!
8. Who is your role model/who inspired you to start your own business? Reading Jen Sincero’s “You Are a Badass” was incredibly inspiring and really pushed me over the edge to go for it.
Don't forget to check out Niki's Facebook & Instagram pages and keep following my pages for more of my Women in Business blog series!
Thanks for stopping by!
~so~
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