Another week, another #MPLocal blog feature! This week we are super excited to feature someone who makes our Instagram feed so pretty on the daily.
We can't be the only ones obsessing over her shop and all of the beautiful pieces she sells. Not only does she own the cutest lifestyle boutique but she wears a lot of hats - marketer, buyer, designer and so much more. She is constantly involved in the community, attending local events, sharing daily inspo and more recently started a separate IG account to help new business owners by offering free advice!
We could go on, but we're excited she shared her story with us for the blog, so without further ado - meet Sarah, from The Girl Floral.
Name: Sarah White
Your title: ‘The Girl’ behind The Girl Floral. My family nickname is “The Girl” because I have two brothers.
Your elevator pitch:
I own and operate The Girl Floral Lifestyle Boutique in historic downtown Galt (Cambridge for those of you who don’t know where that is haha). I pretty much wear all the hats - Buyer, Marketer, Floral Designer, Web Designer, Accountant (although I do get some help with this one) and more. The boutique carries ‘pretty things to bring you happiness’ which includes bouquets, clothing, clean beauty, candles, accessories & more. We also offer wedding floral design.
One word to describe yourself:
Fearless
Why did you choose that word?
I’m not afraid to go after my dreams and work hard to make them happen.
Why did you start the business that you did and what was the inspiration or reasoning of how it came it life?
I originally started out as an e-commerce business delivering bouquets locally. This eventually grew to include wedding design as well. I’ve taken courses in Paris, San Francisco, Toronto & more to perfect my floral design craft. When I started the bouquet delivery business I was craving more creativity in my current job situation and had worked at a flower shop in the past so I thought, “Why not?”. It was a fun side-project for a while but eventually I had to choose. When I had the opportunity to open a brick-and-mortar space back in October I jumped on the chance to take TGF full-time.
First thought when you officially became your own boss:
THIS IS AMAZING I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT. I was also super scared but I knew I could succeed.
When you’re not hustling, what do you do in your free time?
What free time, haha. Sometimes it feels like I’m working 24/7, except when I’m sleeping. I like to go to the cottage when I can but I’ve recently started another side-project called The Girlpreneur - basically an insta account to share the trials and tribulations of starting a business. I get so many questions about how to start a business that I figured I’d start out helping others to go for it and hopefully inspire some future girlpreneurs.
Describe a day in your life:
Wake up as late as possible, grab an iced coffee or chai to-go and head to the store. Try to get emails done in less than 2 hours then go on Instagram and post to my stories (you need 7 a day to make an impact!). I’ll try on new clothing we get in, scour Instagram for new brands, sometimes meet with brides about wedding flowers, all while talking to customers who come in between all of that. My days vary and some of my favourite ones include picking up flowers for the weekly bouquets, visiting showrooms to buy next season’s clothing, attending trade shows or local networking events. It’s a rollercoaster but I’m grateful to be on the ride.
What is your biggest accomplishment?
Opening this business! I don’t have a traditional business school background so I’m proud that I’m figuring it all out.
What are your top 3 bucket list items?
- Visit Japan
- Write a book
- Open another location
What or who inspires you to keep doing what you’re doing?
My husband! He is my rock and I couldn’t do what I do without him. He’s the logical, sane voice of reason I need and supports me 110%.
What is your spirit animal and why?
A squirrel because they’re energetic, enthusiastic and resourceful.
What is your daily mantra?
Lately it’s, “if there’s a problem, there has to be a solution” to loosely quote Rachel Hollis’ from Girl, Wash Your Face.
What are some tips and tricks you use to stay motivated?
I only check my email once a day so I don’t feel overwhelmed and I ask for help from family and friends when I need it. Sometimes looking back at how far you’ve come is also motivating to keep moving forward.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt along the way?
You can’t please everyone. That’s a big one. It’s hard when you put your heart and soul into something and you hope other people will love it, but nobody will love your business as much as you do. It’s your home and your baby and even still people will have something to say that you don’t like. I try to remind myself that it says more about them than it does about me. Remembering not to take everything personally is also a good lesson.
What’s next for you?
I briefly mentioned before but getting The Girlpreneur account more followers and inspiring others to start their businesses is a goal of mine. If anyone is looking to start something and doesn’t know where to begin shoot me a message - I’d love to help you.
How can our readers find you?
We are excited to see where this year takes Sarah and her beautiful lifestyle boutique, The Girl Floral. We would definitely be excited for a second shop, anyone else!
We are constantly looking to promote local businesses and freelancers in the community, so if you are interested in sharing a bit about your life and your journey, send us a DM or email us at hello@mintandpoppy.com.
#digitalmarketing #contentmarketing #socialmedia #mplocal #locallovers #businessowner #localboss #entrepreneur #contentstrategy #localbusiness
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