Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Descamps.
Hi Michelle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
De Mil Flores is my story of evolution, growth and perseverance. Growing up in a family of food stylists, bakers and professional cooks, working in the industry was the obvious choice. I had a Hollywood-esque fantasy of what having a small food business was: fresh baked goods, great coffee, and great clients overflowing the floor every morning. (Picture Katherine Heighl in Life As We Know It).
During my year abroad, I ran across a little café in Paris called Bread & Roses, a small traditional French bakery and a flower and plant shop. Every time I was there, I could picture myself attending to customers and running a place just like it. Putting that dream aside for a while, I went to college and became a vegetarian for a few years (insert eye roll). After graduating, I wanted to create a project that brought awareness about CCD (Colony collapse disorder). In 2016, I created a brand inspired by flowers, where I commercialized honey from different regions and floral origins in Guatemala, supporting the honey industry. I had different floral infusions, such as rose, lavender and chamomile. As my Instagram feed overflowed with pictures of flowers, my followers were more interested in purchasing the beautiful Pinterest bouquets rather than my honey.
This was when I saw my first opportunity to evolve and thought: “If that’s what they want, I’ll make it, how hard can it be?” I visited several flower sellers on the streets, very common in Guatemala, and asked them to help me out. This is where I learned two important things: (1) We are not born knowing everything, but if we really want to, we can learn. (2) Don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for guidance.
A year later, I decided to merge my honey & flower business with my dream of running a Parisian-inspired café and De Mil Flores Bistro was born. Six months later, I was open for business. It was just as I imagined it, a beautiful place, great coffee, and an overflowing floor. The problem was: I hated it. With little restaurant experience, a poor mental health state, and lack of managing criticism, I wasn’t able to handle the pressure. After many sleepless nights, many breakdowns, and two months behind in rent, it was time to close. I felt defeated, heartbroken and powerless. How could this have happened? How could *I* let this happen? I learned lesson number three: you get what you give.
Not wanting to let go of my brand, it was back to me and one floral designer selling flowers and honey from a small studio. With only a couple of orders per day, we managed to grow slowly, but our café client base was in love with our brand, and supported our business and kept buying our products. Lesson number four: when you put love and dedication to what you do, others will follow you for that.
Covid-19 hit, and I was faced with two paths: keep doing what I’m doing by running a small business or focus the extra time to grow into a scalable business. I chose the latter. We standardized procedures, focused on quality while maintaining costs, elevated design, and focused even the smallest detail for a better client experience. Reinforcing lesson number three, we grew 300% in a matter of two months.
On February 2021, Melanie Zaid, founder of My Tuileries, a Miami-based subscription service flower company, reached out for a consultation. It was then when Melanie and I saw the opportunity to bring the best of both of our worlds and introduce De Mil Flores to the Miami area. As of April of this year, we are officially open for business, offering bespoke flower arrangements and flower subscriptions under the De Mil Flores brand in Florida. Lesson number five (and the most cliché of all): if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest obstacles I have encountered as an entrepreneur are the fear of the unknown and the fear of failure. What has distinguished me and helped me overcome my fears is turning them into opportunities.
My fears have brought me to explore innumerable topics, industries, learn new skills and know that there is always room for improvement. At our company, we strive for excellence, and our only competition is who we were yesterday. We focus on doing better every day for ourselves and for our clients.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about De Mil Flores?
De Mil Flores is a bespoke flower boutique offering flower arrangements in the Miami area. With the highest-quality flowers and materials, we are here to brighten up your days and be part of your special occasions. Our main focus is minimalist designs, contemporary florals, and heartfelt dedication.
Contact Info:
- Email: michelle@demilflores-miami.com
- Website: demilflores-miami.com
- Instagram: demilflores_miami
- Facebook: demilfloresmiami
