Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Preston.
Alexandra, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
How I started? Well, umm, many people don’t know that I started doing flowers back in 2013. I was 25 at the time. This gift didn’t just come to me overnight. It came from me watching the most creative florist I knew at the time, my son great grandmother, speak of when she owned her own floral shop in Miami. Her work was simply amazing to me. The family that worked under her at the time then grew up and opened their own shop and they used to fly her out to ATL from FL every Valentines and Mothers Day for years just because her arrangements were that special to them and you know people what her they requested her work. Hearing her story inspired me and put me in a place where I wanted to create. So she taught me what she could and I watched her create every chance I could get. I asked questions and lots of them too. She even let me help her on a few creations. I had no formal training but I had a woman who had experience and loved what she did. I watched her spirits lift every time she created an arrangement and I wanted that same feeling. So every time she went to a flower shop, I asked to go. She showed me the basics of floristry from how to treat and maintain flowers to learning the many different flower names. I learned what tools to use, how to create but I ventured off and started doing novelty arrangements and artificial flowers back then. I operated under the name Alluring Florals at the time. I remember as much as creating arrangements and back then, I did a lot of Pop-up shops to get my name out there and that’s when I realized I too added touch to the industry and could make a positive impact on people’s life.
Fast forward years later, I had given birth to my daughter Bella in June of 2018 and found out she had sickle cell. I remember just starting a job in Sept of 2018 only to lose it three months later because she had a Sickle Cell Crisis. Talk about disappointing. At that point, I was fed up, so I started planning. As a single mother, I wanted security. I needed security for my children and I wanted to have something no one could take from me. So Jan 2019, me and a close friend of mine set a timeline to relaunch my business. We discussed new branding ideas, from creating a website to business cards. Needless to say, I didn’t meet anyone of those deadlines lol. In October of 2019, I got an opportunity to work with Myya Passmore of OvertownCRA for #theovertownexperience. Follow them by the way, she’s amazing. She gave me what I felt was a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase my work in an even more elaborate way than I had before. Everything just happened really fast. She was tough and about her business and I loved that. She said you have one month to register your business name and get a Tax ID etc. Guess what I did, Oct 29, 2019, birthed Bella Bloomz. That event, on November 5, 2019, literally gave me that push I needed and opened a door of endless possibilities for me. Its been up ever since with hard-work and consistency. Here I am today, almost a full year later.
Great, 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?
A smooth road, haha. I’m sorry I have to laugh at that one. I don’t think any successful entrepreneur has had a smooth road. If you find one, you let me know so I can speak to them lol! For me, my road has been nothing but bumpy. However, going through my struggles helped build my character. Most of my struggles with my business consisted of my overthinking and finances starting out. I’ve always had my son’s great grandmother by my side back in 2013 to tell hey that’s not right so I found myself struggling and I wondered if I did a lot of things right. I was scared, nervous that people wouldn’t love my work as people loved hers. I had to believe more in myself and Speak life into my business so that’s what I began to do. I reached out to a top florist in the local market and beyond, seeking help or assistance to learn additional techniques but I didn’t get much help. So I researched a lot, practiced every week and look at me now. Granted, I don’t know everything, but I am learning as I go and my customers has literally been there every step of the way.
Bella Bloomz – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Bella Bloomz will be one of your top florist. I promise you that. I do ALL things floral. If I don’t know how to make something, I will learn, especially if I believe the market is there. I specialize in fresh custom floral arrangements but I do have a line of eternity flowers that most of my consumers love. I’m most known for my sunflower and rose combinations as well as my floral gift baskets. Those are my best sellers. I am most proud of my growth. I couldn’t do it without my customers, though. I believe what sets me apart is my customer service. I treat every customer as if its their first time that I am creating for them. I love the feeling of leaving a lasting impression on my customers. I make it my business to get to know each one of them. I love making the connection of why they are buying flowers and who it’s being sent to because I put that energy into that arrangement. Each arrangement is specialized for that person, their mood and the feeling I believe they will get by receiving a flower arrangement from Bella Bloomz. I love following up with the purchaser to find out the reaction of the recipient also. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction, knowing that I lifted someone’s spirit and made their day.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Oh man, the proudest moment in my career is seeing my inventory stacked up every time I walk past lol. It’s me actually building relationships with my vendors and knowing them and them knowing me on a first-name basis. My proudest moment isn’t just one moment its knowing I started from nothing but a dream and growing my business into what it is today. I collaborate with many local event planners, I have worked with many city officials and I have a very loyal and consistent base of VIP clients in which I cater to.
My career affords me the opportunity to have more of a balance in my life, especially with my children. I am doing something I love doing, which puts me in a different element and it brings forth higher vibrations. I am able to care for my daughter more with her disease and knowing that within this past year, she hasn’t had a crisis that makes this decision of a career change to work for myself fulltime easier to accept. It’s me doing this for them and knowing that I can break barriers and give my children something to look forward to as they get older. It is also motivating people to believe in their dreams, their passions and know that in darkness, a flower can still bloom.
Pricing:
- Small and simple arrangements as low as $35
- Sunflower and Rose Combos start as low as $50
- Sympathy Arrangements start as low as $75
- Acrylic Bloom Box as low as $169.99 (eternity flowers, last up to two years)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bellabloomz.com
- Phone: 954-715-5862
- Email: info@bellabloomz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bella_bloomz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bellabloomzllc/
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