We were lucky to catch up with Diana Álvarez-Hughes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Diana , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

Naming something is defining it, is deciding what it’ll be, how it’ll exist in the world. I did not take naming Orange Blossom Poems lightly. I knew oranges were trendy, were now, and I always love anything topical. I also fall deeply in love with place and believe it to be more than just setting in our stories, to me place has main character energy. The orange blossom is the Florida state flower. This too influenced my choice for the name. I also love the idea of blossoming, of becoming.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Orange Blossom Poems began as a typewriter poet at local markets creating custom pieces for folks. It has since then blossomed to include poetry workshops, book clubs, write & feel sessions, Patreon, event work (such as weddings, grand openings, soft openings, university visits, library lectures, etc). And it continues to grow, to become. I recently hosted my first in person poetry retreat and before the weekend was over all the attendees were asking when the next one was. That’s how I know I’m doing something important. When folks thirst for more.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Orange Blossom Poems was at its onset a face to face endeavor for the most part. I would be at markets and folks would come and commission a poem from me. But eventually this became a major investment of money and time for me and my little family (vendor fees, insurance, W9s, time setting up, time being there, time taking down, paying for childcare while I worked an event). It became clear that if I wanted Orange Blossom Poems to exist it would have to live beyond the tangible world. This is where virtual workshops entered the chat and have been the single best pivot to have happened to my poetry journey thus far.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

The people who frequent Orange Blossom Poems and what I put out into the world are such beautiful souls. I keep in touch with them via social media like Instagram and Facebook. Many of them are also supporters on Patreon and this often includes receiving snail mail from me. I think seeing their name handwritten or typed up on a typewriter with that classic Courier font invites a moment of feeling seen. I send Christmas cards to folks who have patronized my business that year. For me my supporters are often co-creators of what I’m working on. Their voices are invaluable to the process.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/orangeblossompoems
• Instagram: @OrangeBlossomPoems
• Facebook: @OrangeBlossomPoems

Image Credits
Werlost Boys