Name: Annie Armstrong
Age: 26
Occupation: Floral designer, owner and founder of best day ever floral design
Instagram: @bestdayeverfloraldesign
1. Why did you start Best Day Ever Floral Design?
I started best day ever out of a desire to create and share beauty with others. It's the first thing that's really made sense to me. Like, once I got into flowers it was like "ohhh this is what I've been meant to do all along." I feel so lucky that what I love and am passionate about is also my career.
2. What is your favorite part about being a business owner?
That's hard! I know this is going to sound cheesy but I really kind of love all of it...maybe not taxes haha but that's about it. It's difficult for creative entrepreneurs though because most of us are either one or the other. I feel really fortunate because I think I'm maybe 60% creative and 40% entrepreneur. As much as I love the flowers and design and all that, I live for business development, creating new ideas, watching the numbers, etc. I used to be really intimidated by this, and I think money in general, but now I feel like it's a privilege to do those things. Also, this isn't the only business I plan on having, just the first one, I definitely want to expand to much more in the future.
3. What has the coolest moment been so far?
Honestly, the moment I got to quit my side hustle to do this full time. That was the moment that I had been waiting for for 2 years of working day in and day out and it felt so good to be like "I did it! This is real!" Also, there have been some really insane installations along the way, but we did a flower wall that was 8ft long by 9ft high and weighed 400+lbs that had to be built in 2.5 hours on site for a high profile client. It was the craziest logistical challenge I have ever been up against (so far...) and literally could not have gone more perfectly. It was also the first time I had ever built a flower wall soooooo I think I cried after we were done from the relief and happiness hahaha. That was a good day.
4. What advice do you have for anyone interested in the flower business?
1. I would say completely inundate yourself with every resource you can get your hands on. You'll never stop learning. Every event, client, and design process will be different every time. So it's almost like you're relearning how to do your job each and every time. However, the more you know, the more experience you have the easier it gets to navigate.
2. Learn about pricing right away. Calculate your hourly rate, learn about buying, make sure that you're making a profit.
3. Have a really good tool kit. 4. Be vulnerable, let the flowers speak to you.
5. Favorite quote?
"I am going to make everything around me beautiful -- that will be my life." Elsie de Wolfe
6. Favorite color combination right now?
Right now, (late February/early March) we have such good product. Mainly the brown sweet peas. I've been really into neutrals lately and mixing dried elements with fresh. Bridging color is really important to me so that there is a good flow. So you can have some warmer plums and mauves fade into camels and sage greens.
7. Favorite flower this year?
The hardest question!! Right now: brown sweet peas, double hellebores, spirea, and butterfly ranunculus. Always: Icelandic poppies in light peach/blush, cafe au lait dahlias, and anthuriums.
