Today we’d like to introduce you to Domenica Giallombardo.
Hi Domenica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My mother was the most incredible hostess. She was Pinterest before Pinterest existed. She had photo albums filled with categorized recipes, decor ideas, party themes. Our home was gorgeous and meticulously decorated (by her) and, often, full of people. And we didn’t live in some swanky city; we grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati. But our neighborhood was full of families just like ours, and the grown-ups regularly got together for dinners, game nights, any excuse really. Our house was a favorite because of my mother’s hostessing talent. She made everyone feel welcome like they belonged, and I think she had an exotic quality, not having grown up in the Midwest. She made the food of her traditional Italian upbringing, treated every gathering like a special occasion, and always had flowers around for entertaining. Looking back, I realize that I assumed everyone’s house was like ours; it is only in hindsight that I realize how special it all was. And my passion for all things botanical is a direct result of that upbringing. Just like her, I see flowers and plants as an extension of design. Botanical pieces are the accessories of the home, and, as a result, I don’t believe a home is really complete without them. And my business is deeply rooted in that principle.
But the road to the boutique was long. I taught high school English for 15 years, and I loved it. I always wanted to be a teacher. I loved books, reading, and writing. It seemed like a logical step to teach. I learned so much as a teacher, and it prepared me in a lot of ways for this season of life. But I can distinctly recall years of feeling like something was missing. Of feeling out of place in a traditional career. Of wishing, I could make something, create something, build something.
Mid-pandemic, something clicked into place, and I decided to take a leap. I saw a need, a space in the traditional market for something different. So while I was still teaching full time, I started the shop. I began by popping up anywhere that would let me. And, frankly, it just worked. I loved getting to meet people and find gifts for them, to create relationships with regular customers and other vendors. To design whatever I wanted to bring to markets. Event organizers were always surprised at how well we did. For me, it was the realization of a dream. And also the foundation for our next step. Unique, bespoke event design is where my heart really is, but I needed the clientele for the event work. So the pop-ups were an avenue for building a loyal customer base. I knew once people saw our work, our passion, our fresh perspective, we would be set.
Today, we hardly have time for pop-ups anymore, and I really miss them. Our event business is flourishing which is a full-time job. We are intentionally keeping things small so that we can create one-of-a-kind experiences for all of our customers who are so special to us. Every single day in this life is a gift. I just love it. I still smell every rose I prep. It all still holds so much wonder for me. And I’ll be doing this until it doesn’t anymore because there is nothing worse than a life lived without passion and purpose.
Alright, 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?
I think the hardest part of all of this, aside from figuring out how to actually run a small business, is the amount of work it takes. I imagine that looking in from online, it all seems magical. I certainly thought that, looking at other people’s journies prior to my own leap. But the reality of small business is that it is a tremendous amount of work and sacrifice. If you want to be successful, you just never stop working. Especially for the first year.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
One of the best parts of starting this business for me has been the physical realization of a life of unrealized artistic drive. I was never remarkable with a pencil or paintbrush, but I always had the desire to be. I have loved and appreciated art for as long as I can remember. I always wanted to be an artist, whatever that meant, so the frustration of lacking the actual aptitude was very real for me. All of that creative energy and no outlet. But it turned out, I was just waiting for flowers. It’s like sculpting, painting, and interior design. All of these genres rolled into a living medium. And the challenge of no two tulips ever curving in the exact same way. I just love it!
I think that is what we are known for now. Our passion. Our vision. Our creation. We never wanted to be an online florist who delivers cookie-cutter flower arrangements. It was always about creating experiences. Our events, and even our arrangements, are unlike anyone else’s. We don’t ask clients for pictures of ideas to copy. We ask clients for visions and dreams, and we create custom experiences as a manifestation of that. We use the best products and seasonal botanicals to create truly remarkable moments that become the backdrop for life’s most special moments. We are known for unusual and often wild designs. Scenes that seem pulled from the woods and coasts of most gorgeously illustrated children’s stories. The greatest compliment we can receive is someone sharing our name with a friend, recommending us because the experience we created for them was so far beyond what they expected. Nothing brings me more pride than that, and it is how we built the entire business.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
This is hilarious because all of this is literally built on risk. But risk is tricky. I don’t think it is wise, reasonable, or necessary to be reckless. And oftentimes, people confuse being reckless with taking risks. But real success comes from calculated risk. Sometimes, it just isn’t worth it to do something. I think about this everyday in business. Weighing the risk of investment, scheduling, doing something we’ve never done. On the other hand, every great success of my life stemmed from taking a calculated risk, some sort of sacrifice, often my own comfort. Leaving the safety of a veteran teaching career to start a flower business seemed insane to most people. But my husband and I worked through every scenario and decided that in the end, it was a good risk. Here’s hoping we were right.
Contact Info:
- Email: branchandblossombotanicals@gmail.com
- Website: www.branchandblossombotanicals.com
- Instagram: @branchandblossombotanicals
- Facebook: @branchandblossombotanicals
