Happy Sunday and welcome to She Leads, my new blog series where we focus on women (identified) who have taken risks, and conquered self-doubt to take the leap into leadership. I'm so excited to bring you all along as I interview these women that I admire so much, and get to know them and their passions! If you missed my first installment of this series, be sure to check it out! It features Kassidy Dingle who started a bridal makeup artistry business, a bridal accessory line, and a false lash line to boot!
Today, we are speaking with Phoebe Marinakis, owner and founder of Blossoms and Bubbles which we'll learn about coming up! Phoebe and I met at a party, and clicked instantly, talking about what inspired us and our future goals, a conversation which eventually devolved over the course of several drinks, ending with an unbreakable comradery. In addition to B and B, Phoebe has joined the photography community (some of her work is featured in this post), and in her spare time, loves cooking, travelling, and of course, playing with flowers.
I'm so excited for you to get to know this bubbly woman! Read our interview below:
To get started, why don't you tell us all a little bit about yourself?
I’m Phoebe, the founder of Blossoms and Bubbles, photographer, and business professional, who can’t seem to choose just ‘one’ thing to focus on. (I LOVE being creative) I started my business(es) to fuel passion and innovation, oh and I’m obsessed with flowers. I recently graduated from the University of Alberta, with a Business Degree and certificate in leadership and have started my first corporate job this past august August. I’m excited to learn more about different aspects of business while still growing my own.
Tell us a little about your business(es)!
Blossoms and Bubbles is an event company specialized in floral workshops that we offer to the public, for private functions, and special events. We're also starting to look at offering virtual workshops where materials are delivered to your door, and then facilitated through Zoom. We’ve also started working with photographers and event planners to create floral installations to add a special backdrop or element to the design of the space!
Wow! So essentially you’re cornering the whole floral market, I love it!
We'd like to say that the flower arranging workshops are really our bread and butter, but we are looking to expand and to see what other options are out there, especially given the shift in the world. But I would say the best way to describe it is that it's similar to an arts night or a paint night but involving flowers!
Do you have a current quarantine routine that you’ve worked out for yourself?
My business up into this point has heavily depended on in person workshops, so since quarantine has happened, I’ve had to learn how to shift and explore other ways for my business to add value and still reach my audience. I'll take some time every day to continue to be inspired or just look for inspiration to try to see what else I can do to bring value. I wouldn't be able to say that there's a specific routine that I have hashed out, but definitely making sure that I'm taking time to stay inspired and stay motivated.
Absolutely! Motivation does tend to fade, so it's important to keep yourself inspired! When you are looking for inspiration, are there any specific accounts you want to shout out that you draw inspiration from?
There are a few accounts in Alberta that I really enjoy looking at. Boreal Blooms is a farmer I like to follow, some of the posts talk about sustainable farming and I really appreciate that. I really love the use of locally grown flowers. Poppy Wynn Flower Co. is actually one of my suppliers and Pam, the flower farmer, is incredible. Whenever I talk to her she’s always educating me on flowers and sustainability, and is such a pleasure to work with. Not only is she a great person to work with in business, her posts light up my day.
In any creative field, inspiration is a huge part of what we do. For someone just starting out, can you offer any advice on where they should draw the line between inspiration and copycatting?
I'm lucky in the sense that in florals, you can draw inspiration but you may never have access to the same materials so by default it ends up completely different. But for entrepreneurs that are in industries where it might look like they're copying, I think one thing that is really important is really understanding what your brand is and making sure that if you're drawing inspiration from somebody else, that what you're creating aligns with your brand and is unique to you. And if I ever post any flower photos or use inspiration from other florists, I always take time to give credit. I think everyone has their own unique style whether they’ve refined that yet or not, and if you really tap into that you'll be able to set yourself apart.
So what inspired you to take the leap into entrepreneurship?
For years and years I had the idea to work with flowers in some capacity, at one point it was subscription, and I was so terrified [to start a business]. But I was super lucky to be involved in some entrepreneurship clubs at the university, I went to a bunch of networking events, and I had a lot of very supportive friends who were also in the entrepreneurship space say “Just do it!”. Then one day I contacted some people and I got a “yes” to host a workshop, and I went from there!
But my initial inspiration came from when I was a kid. My mom used to create centerpieces for her home and her friends just using materials that she got from the backyard and the grocery store, and they were gorgeous! I just remember her creating these arrangements and how much fun we had doing them together, so when I was developing my business, I was hoping to encapsulate those types of feelings and memories in the form of a workshop. Sometimes you just need to give yourself a kick in the butt just to get rolling down that hill.
You mentioned subscriptions. Is that something you still hope to incorporate as part of Blossoms and Bubbles, or was that the spark in your moving on to new goals?
When I initially thought about a business idea involving flowers, my mindset I was like “Subscriptions! That's something that's coming out, maybe I could do it with flowers”, but I quickly realized that it wasn't something I was super passionate about at the time, and I wanted to shift into something that made me feel good. I was motivated to continue doing something that I felt offered value to people. After a bunch of research, I figured flower arranging workshops seemed like I'd love to do. I then got schooling in floristry to make sure that I was prepared and educated, and shifted there.
Does Blossoms and Bubbles have a mission?
Our mission is to bring people together through flowers and creativity in order to create memorable moments and unique experiences.
I can definitely tell you've been successful in that! On the flip side, what has been your biggest struggle so far?
For me personally, it was staying organized with my schedule. In my opinion, entrepreneurs love to get involved in many different things and are excited to learn more, so they may put their hands in lots of different pots. I was a student when I started my business, so I think trying to find balance with my schedule was definitely the biggest challenge and it's something that I'm still working on every day.
Is that something you feel like you've been able to overcome? How are you working to overcome that hurdle?
I think I'll never be perfectly organized. I feel like nobody's perfect in a perfect world, and I also think with my creative side there will always be a little bit of chaos, which is part of the process. That's what I love about myself! But definitely trial and error. If organization isn't your strong suit, you can ask a friend for support, or Google, it won't be the same for everybody but you might be able to take tips and tricks along the way. Trial and error is a good way to see what works for you, and also ask for help. If I had asked for help sooner, I think I would maybe even be further along, but that was a big lesson that I learned. You would be surprised how willing people are to help you, to see you succeed.
Do you have one favorite tip that helps you stay organized?
Mel Robbins is an inspirational speaker, and she said something I try to do every day, and when I do, I feel like I'm a lot more productive: write 3 things down at the beginning of your day that you want to accomplish, and have the other things fill in the gaps, but set in your intentions on finishing those 3 things. It’s simple enough to remember, make them achievable, and when you get them done you’ll feel a lot more accomplished at the end of the day.
I've heard that before, that's a really good tip! How has support from other women played a role in your success?
That's a great question. My primary demographic is women that attend my workshops, and I have found that women have been so uplifting and have supported me in numerous ways. I've had women volunteer their time in the beginning to support my business when I wasn't doing so well, or if I needed help getting inventory, helping me connect with the right people, even just engaging in social media. I have found there are women that have come to my workshops that always like all of my posts, re-share the things that I do, comment on things, and not only does that drive engagement from a business standpoint, but it also makes you feel really good. It gives that sense of accomplishment that you're doing great.
I know you said you have a lot of women typically at your workshops, but we love to see men exploring new activities too, so do you ever get men at workshops? What is the male response like?
I’m so happy you asked that question Tara! First, I think a lot of men come to my events as support. You know, my friends will come out to support me, and then girls started to bring their boyfriends to the events, and they ended up loving it! Guys like flowers too!
There are often times when I go into these workshops I'm teaching, and sometimes the guys have better arrangements than their girlfriends! Obviously every creation is unique, but I'm super impressed. I would say men in the workshops that I've taught at least, receive it very well and sometimes say that they would love to do it again just because of the fun aspect of it. And if any guys read this, we're more than happy to have you! It's a great time, and it's always fun to try something new [...] it's a really fun light hearted workshop.
Obviously people are responding really positively to your company, so why do you think that is?
My friend circle has been incredible, but I think the other positive reactions happen because when I go into workshops, I give 120% every time. I work extremely hard to create unique experiences and make sure that everyone is enjoying themselves, and I always take feedback from my workshops to try to improve. I would say number one is authenticity. I'm still working on how to convey this on social media, but when you're there, you're a part of my family at that point. It’s like you're joining a dinner party with me, and we're having a great time creating these arrangements. I think the reason that people continue to like and follow my page is due to referrals and their experience in the workshop. I have a lot of repeaters that come, so I'd like to say authenticity and experience is what has been driving my success thus far.
Is there something that you wish you knew before getting started?
Most definitely. Looking back I’d try to stay as organized as possible for multiple reasons. You're going to have to file taxes, and you're going to have to keep track of your receipts so if you can build habits to stay organized regarding your finances early on, it will definitely save you a lot of trouble in the future.
Is there any other advice that you can offer to other young women who want to leap into entrepreneurship?
If you're wanting to start something, just do it. I think that you'll always wish that you had done it sooner and if you fail, that's ok. It's all part of the learning process. If you feel you need that extra push of confidence, reach out to your network to get them to hype you up because you're not going to go anywhere unless you try. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started!
What's something you wish your supporters knew?
If you can't attend a workshop or buy products, no worries! A like, comment, and share goes a long way. Also, if you have any ideas or feedback, or if you're wanting to see a certain workshop, please contact me as I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts! We always strive to improve and enhance the workshop experience.
Any future growth goals for your business you'd like to share?
I'd like to grow my business to a point where geography isn't a barrier to connect with others (at least within Canada for now). I'm looking to develop activities that use different materials, and hopefully local!
Is there anything you'd like to promote or anything coming up for you that you want people to know about?
Definitely! If anyone is interested in learning more about flowers, flower care, and DIY projects, definitely follow my Instagram! I'm trying my best to start tutorials and put tip sheets on my Instagram for know flower care about certain flowers and arranging. If you're interested in having a private party or staff party, we are looking to expand to virtual workshops within the Edmonton and St Alberta area. If you have any other questions, feel free to follow me on Instagram or Facebook and shoot me a message! I'm more than happy to answer them!
Is Instagram the best place people can find you to support you then?
Yes! My Instagram is @blossoms_and_bubbles and I also do have a Facebook page: facebook.com/blossomsandb but yes, Instagram is where I am where I'm most active!
That's all the questions I have thank you so much for answering them, and congratulations on all your past and future successes!
If you're still reading, thank you for supporting Phoebe and her business, and for supporting me by reading and participating in the series! As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the segment, and what types of questions you'd like to ask female entrepreneurs and leaders for future posts!
Definitely check out Blossoms and Bubbles for your date nights and friend dates, and if you're looking for more date ideas, find my list of over 200 date ideas here, and my list of over 50 at home date ideas for when you're in quarantine here!
XO
Tara
IG: itstaradelaney
YouTube: ItsTaraDelaney
Amazon shop: Itstaradelaney
All photos not tagged with a photographer are credited to Phoebe Marinakis