We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Angela Byrnes. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Angela below.
Angela, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
I first fell in love with picnics while in Prague in 2018. My boyfriend and I picked up a takeaway picnic basket with charcuterie, champagne, and a blanket from a small restaurant and took it to the banks of the Vltava River. We sprawled out alongside the river and enjoyed the delicious food, bubbles, and each other’s company for hours. We spent the whole afternoon talking and laughing until it turned dark. It’s one of my favorite memories together.
Shortly after we returned home to Raleigh, I bought my first picnic basket. We started spending our weekends picnicking all around Raleigh – Dix Park, the Art Museum, and small neighborhood parks. I remember recalling that we hardly ever saw anyone picnicking in the parks, and I wanted to share this almost forgotten way of spending time together. And so, Southern Picnics was born.
My hope is that Southern Picnics can both enrich and support the Raleigh community. As much as I love creating special picnics for others, it’s equally as important to me to support the community. That’s why Southern Picnics partners exclusively with women and minority-owned businesses located in Raleigh to curate the picnic experience. Our partners can be found here, https://www.southernpicnics.com/our-partners. It’s truly my pleasure to work with these incredible businesses in our community to create an incredible picnic experience for our clients.
We are always looking to expand our partnerships, so if you are a women or minority-owned business in Raleigh and would like to discuss a partnership, we’d love to hear from you! (https://www.southernpicnics.com/contact).
Angela, 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?
A picnic with Southern Picnics is unlike any other. Our goal is to take your breath away as you walk up to your picnic. As you walk towards your picnic, you will step back in time. Décor items from the 1950s and early 1960s are sprinkled throughout your picnic. A metal cooler that families took on picnics in the 50s, vintage tennis racquets, glass soda pop bottles, watering cans, thermoses, and lanterns. Mixed amongst the vintage items are seasonal floral arrangements that we hand select and arrange to enhance your picnic setup.We have spent years curating our collection of antique and vintage décor so our picnics can recreate a classic Americana-style picnic. They are truly one-of-a-kind picnics!
Each of our picnics include everything you’d need for a comfortable and relaxing picnic. The following items are included in all picnics:
– Picnic baskets, blanket, pillows, sparkling mineral water chilled in a champagne bucket
– Champagne flutes, low tabletop tray, plates, glasses, cutlery, and cloth napkins
– Seasonal décor, vintage décor, multiple bouquets of fresh flowers (that you get to take home!)
Additional add-ons like charcuterie, dessert trays, and a photography session can also be included in your picnic. A full list of our options can be found here, https://www.southernpicnics.
A full list of our food options can be found at https://www.southernpicnics.com/add-ons. The chef, Tiana Davis of On Board Charcuterie & Catering, has over 20 years of experience in the catering industry and can accommodate any dietary restriction or preference.
We have sourced the freshest, highest-quality charcuterie in Raleigh for our picnics. Our charcuterie boards, created by On Board Char, include an assortment of meats, cheeses, fresh seasonal fruits, briney goodies, artisan bread and crackers, jams/jellies, decadent treats, and sweet & savory condiments. All meats, cheese, and produce are sourced from local North Carolina farms and are hand-selected by a charcuterie expert to pair perfectly with the other items on your board. More information on our charcuterie boards can be found here, https://www.southernpicnics.com/blog/charcuterie-boards-in-raleigh-nc.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
Giving team members “full compliments” has allowed me to recognize good work in a positive manner while also helping the individual understand how their good work as had a larger impact on the company. A “full compliment” is a bit different from a traditional compliment in that it explains how their good work has made an impact. For example, instead of telling an event planner “I loved your suggestion to start filming reels for our Instagram page!”, I might say, “You’re suggestion to create reels has allowed us to expand our reach online! Thanks to that suggestion, we booked 15 picnics this months through people who found us on Instagram! Thank you for suggesting a new idea for our social!”
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Search engine optimization has allowed us to rank for relevant keywords in our industry and allowed new clients to find us organically through Google. We make sure our content is both optimized for search engines and helpful for users and following SEO best practices has been our most effective marketing strategy to date.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.southernpicnics.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernpicnics/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernPicnics/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southern-picnics
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SouthernPicnics
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/southern-picnics-no-title
Image Credits
Reg & Kala Photography Sarah Leying