We recently connected with Emmelyn Lao and have shared our conversation below.

Emmelyn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea of our business first started with buying pampas grass for our new place. We were stunned with the price tag and saw an opportunity to start selling them. We were posting pampas for sale ads and soon after we started taking requests for custom pieces and arrangements. We were getting a lot of interest in our work, even event planners started looking at us. We started small like proposals, baby and bridal showers, and picnics. Till this day we never imagined we would be floral designers for weddings. I am blessed to have a partner that took a leap of faith with me during the pandemic. I admit it was not easy, but it did make us stronger, and it really tested our personal and working relationship. We both come from finance backgrounds so with I Dream of Palms we had the opportunity to network with people outside of our field. Our worlds became larger with I Dream of Palms in it and we are grateful for the love and support we have been getting from everyone. I Dream of Palms is not only a business, but a community for our family and friends to come together and create something special for our couples.

Emmelyn, 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?

What we think sets us apart from other floral designers is our ability to learn new methods of floral designs and artistic skills. We knew nothing about florals and putting arrangements together but with hard work and determination we started something we can both be proud of. Learning a new skill not only helps with our business, but it also helps us grow personally. It encourages high morale and motivates us to find our individuality and craft. There is always something to learn whether it be for your business or raising a kid or even starting a new job. Never stop learning. It is a great skill to have to be successful in life.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn is to get out of the mindset of buying things thinking we will need them for a wedding in the future. I am still learning to only buy what we need and not to overstock the shelves. I would say this is one of the toughest lessons I still struggle with today and social media does not help. We had to move to a bigger place because we kept outgrowing our workstations. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the number of items I have stocked up over the years and question it. Now I must ask myself, “Do we really need this and why?”. I have to be more selective on what we buy and invest on things that will be profitable.

Any advice for managing a team?

One piece of advice for managing a team and maintaining high morale is to show how much you appreciate them. It is important to give your team positive feedback and thank them for their hard work, especially after a long day. Positive reinforcement does not only boost your team’s morale, but it also encourages them to chase after their dreams. As a leader, you must set a good example for your team and teach them how to be successful personally and professionally.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: idreamofplams_
• Facebook: I Dream of Palms