Team Flower's "Best of" Floral Journeys
We are so excited to celebrate our 200th episode of the Team Flower Podcast!
One of our favorite things to hear from floral professionals within the industry is their unique journey to flowers, so we have gathered several favorites from over the years. Our hope is that you’ll be encouraged and inspired.
If you’re looking to join the floral industry, may you find hope in these stories! One day, you’ll have one of your own.
If you’re established in the industry, may you find encouragement to keep going. You never know what your journey may hold or what growth your business will boast.
In this episode, you’ll hear from the following past podcast guests:
Natalie Gill of Native Poppy
Native Poppy was established in January 2015 by Natalie Gill as an opportunity to pursue her life's purpose: creating joy in the world by making art with her friends.
Native Poppy currently has two shops in San Diego! One in South Park and the other in Solana Beach. Our dream is to have Native Poppies all across the country so that wherever you are rooted, you'll be able to indulge in pretty. wild. flowers. Check out her work at @nativepoppy on Instagram.
Kalin Sheick of Sweetwater Floral
Kalin lives in Northern Michigan where Sweetwater North was born out of a love of gifting flowers to people. She and her team at Sweetwater Floral have flowered for more than 150 events in Northern Michigan.
The farm is where she and her family live, create, and host intimate, small events and workshops that others can attend. And now, Sweetwater North has expanded to also include DIY workshops! Be sure to follow their journey on Instagram at @sweetwaterfloral and @sweetwaterlavenderfarm.
Myca Sturtevant of Whirly Girl Flowers
Myca started Whirly Girl Flowers from her dining room near Boston, MA, in 2010, and after 6 successful seasons in the big city, moved her life and flowers to rural Wyoming to follow her heart.
Now, Myca is a mom of two and continues to run Whirly Girl! She provides full-service floral design for weddings and a la cart options for smaller events. Follow Myca on Instagram at @_whirlygirl.
Christian Gideon Photography
Sammy Go of Lambert Floral Studio
Sammy’s studies in landscape architecture led him to the world of floral design, which he describes as a “serendipitous meeting.” He has found floral design to be the more perfect medium to create and share beauty with others.
Sammy and the team at Lambert has flowered countless events and has been recognized by publications such as Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Times, Sunset, and Martha Stewart Living. They can be found on social at @lambertfloralstudio.
Susan McLeary of Passion Flower Sue
Sue is a floral designer, artist, and instructor who creates unusual, boundary-pushing floral art, including elaborate headpieces, floral wearables, and her signature succulent jewelry (which will make much more sense when you hear about her life before flowers!)
Susan offers private design instruction for new and professional florists in her studio and through destination workshops. Susan’s work has been featured on the cover of Fusion Flowers Magazine twice and in leading industry publications and websites including Martha Stewart Weddings, Florists’ Review, My Modern Met, Refinery 29, SELF, Cosmopolitan, Buzzfeed, Belle Armoire, Modern Wedding Flowers, and Grace Ormond Wedding Style.
Susan is a member of Chapel Designers and Slow Flowers. Her first book, The Art of Wearable Flowers, debuted in spring 2020. Follow her on Instagram at @passionflowersue.
Paula Pryke
Paula is a world-renowned floral designer, teacher, and author who has been based in London for over thirty years. In 1988, Paula had a dream of opening a little flower shop in Islington.
From her humble beginnings, Paula changed the face of British floristry and has become one of London's top florists in addition to opening a flower school and authoring numerous bestselling books. Her Instagram handle is @paulapryke.
Clive Nicolls Photography
Brenna Estrada of 3 Brothers Blooms
Brenna stepped into flower farming after deciding it was time to leave her full time job to spend more time with her husband and children. Her three boys help run their family's small flower farm on Camano Island in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Brenna and her family offer seasonal flowers and bouquets throughout the growing season and during summer at the Camano Farmers Market. Everything they sell they have grown themselves, most of it from seed, and they continue to pour into their local community as they love the world through flowers. She can be found on Instragram at @threebrothersblooms.
Caroline Walker Evans Photography
Derek Woodruff of Floral Underground
In an industry where so many people begin their floral journey later, it is always a treat to chat with someone who has seen it all! Derek has been in the floral industry since the age of 16, and he has experience in almost every aspect of it.
From retail floristry to event design and everything in between, Derek has taken all of his knowledge and combined it with his passion for teaching to create an incredibly unique business model—a flower subscription box! Floral underground is a regional subscription box service that sends flowers to the DIY consumer. They ship flowers all over the Great Lakes region and educate consumers on how to easily arrange with fresh flowers. Find them on Instagram at @floralunderground.
Kelly and Jesse Perry of Team Flower
In 2014, Philosophy Flowers owner Kelly Perry received a simple phone call from a lady named Lori who had questions about starting a floral business of her own. After that call, Kelly began to have a deeper sense that the floral industry needed a space for flower pros from all backgrounds to share knowledge, support one another, feel cared for, and grow together. And so, Team Flower was born.
Now, Team Flower boasts over 3,000 members that represent over 30 countries and all 50 U.S. States. It is made up of industry professionals of all experience levels and backgrounds. Team Flower is also home to many floral design, business, and growing classes in addition to the annual Team Flower Conference and Team Flower Workshops. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @teamflower.
Heather Payne Photography
