Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shelby White. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Shelby thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

The whole concept of Poppy’s is reimagining the flower industry. Retail floristry has not grown and evolved with societal changes – many stores are “stuck” in the past. Poppy’s brings a fresh, modern take on the floral industry allowing customers to be a part of the design process while enjoying a cocktail or mocktail. Poppy’s also provides ample opportunity for community, offering weekly workshops, vendor pop ups and event rentals.

Shelby, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been in the floral industry for nearly 10 years with 8 of those specializing in wedding and event florals. As a full service wedding planner and floral designer, I produced large scale events filled with large installations and unique concepts. In an attempt to create margin and spend more time with my daughter, I mixed my love of flowers with cocktails and Poppy’s Flower Bar was born. My main goal in opening Poppy’s was to create a space that fosters genuine community where everyone feels welcome, and it has exceeded even my wildest dreams.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

Bryan and I met through a mutual friend who was getting married and wanted him to design her bouquets and me to design her table arrangements. Bryan worked at a traditional retail florist, and I’ll be the first to admit I tried to sway her in a different direction prior to meeting Bryan. She was adamant that she wanted him to design the bouquets, so I went with her to the consultation and witnessed Bryan design a stunning model bouquet for her on demand. We left and I said, “I need to know him!” Later that week, I texted him asking if he’d be interested in any freelance opportunities and that spiraled into him and I designing and opening Poppy’s together – many times working 15+ hour days ripping up floor, hanging boxwood, painting… the list goes on. I’m so incredibly thankful for his hand in this journey. Poppy’s wouldn’t be what it is today without Bryan!

How did you build your audience on social media?

One of the best decisions I’ve made throughout the journey of opening Poppy’s was hiring Olivia to run our social media. Her creativity, consistency and love for Poppy’s shines through in everything she posts and because of that, we have organically gone viral on every social media platform and to date have almost 12,000 genuine followers. I cannot understate how important social media is to a successful business!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.poppysflowerbar.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/poppysoflex
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/poppysoflex

Image Credits

Kelli Lynn Photography – www.kellilynnphotography.com – @kellilynnphotography