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

Haley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I was looking for a summer job in high school and I found a job through friends at a well known Florist in Louisville Kentucky. I started as their inventory assistant way back in their warehouse. I wasn’t thrilled about the position but it was a job and looking back, it really forced me learn every basic step of how a floral operation worked. Then during my summer and holiday breaks I was promoted specific arrangements that were simple then leveled up to harder daily orders. Once I went to college I worked in a small town florist as a designer in which we would do everything such as daily orders, weddings, large events, funerals, etc. I really loved creating the florals for weddings and events. Once I moved to Nashville. I got my degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant and started my career but I missed that creative outlet so I started doing my Christmas arrangements and give them as gifts to friends and family. Then once I was engaged and started looking at floral vendors and saw how much money I’d save if I did my own florals. So, I found a wholesaler and did them all myself. I can say it was the most relaxing and one of the highlights of my wedding weekend. However, What really had me want to kick start this as a business was when my best friend called me and asked me to help her with the flowers at her wedding. When I got off the phone with her, I was so excited and had all these ideas for designs rushing through my head. My husband was there talking to me and he pushed me to use it as leverage to start a floral business.
He helped me figure out all the business sides to things that made it an official business. Luckily, I had multiple friends getting married in 2022 and had the opportunity to do the florals for both friends. Those weddings helped me promote on social media and word of mouth.
I have since met local wedding coordinators and introduced to wedding vendors throughout summer co and Nashville as their number 1 floral vendor. I have found the more events I do the more confidence and realization that I can do this and be successful at it. Although with out my husband, I would not be able to do this. He helps me organize my company, bid wedding estimates, find easier but more professional ways to conduct my business. Without him or all my friends who’ve hired me for various events, I wouldn’t be able to kick start this company or keep it running. They give me the confidence and assurance this is what I am meant to do.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Haley Smith! I am originally from Louisville, KY, went to Murray State for my Bachelors Degree then moved to Hendersonville, TN with my husband when we graduated. When I was in college and would come back to Louisville for the Holiday’s and summer break I would work at the most well known florist in Louisville. They started me in their inventory department where I would break down boxes and count their vases inventory. This wasn’t the most thrilling job for me as I wanted to be on the front lines arranging flowers however this shaped me into knowing all the behind the scene details of owning a florist. After a year of working at that florist during my breaks they had me making arrangements for the Holiday’s and I found such love for working with fresh florals. It was so relaxing and became a creative outlet for me. After the Holiday’s I stayed and helped in almost every department, but when they handed me my first daily arrangement to make I was so excited. My junior year at Murray State, I had gotten a job at a local florist in Murray. I was helping them with weddings, funerals, special events, and daily arrangements. This really taught me about flowers and how to arrange them. Fast forward when my husband and I were getting married, I had found a wholesaler that was open to the public that allowed me to do my own flowers for our wedding. It wasn’t until my friend was getting married and asked me to help her do her wedding flowers when I told my husband “I think I could actually do this for other people, as a florist.”. Since then I have gotten my LLC and made connections with venue owners and wedding coordinators that have helped me gain clients locally, but not to mention all my friends and family that have supported me. My day job is an Occupational Therapist Assistant at a skilled nursing facility in Gallatin, TN. I love what I do but when I talk about the future and plan weddings for the years to come I can see my self doing this full time, but I am taking it day by day! I want to set myself a part from other florist’s by being affordable, easy to communicate with, and their local small town florist that they feel comfortable talking to and feel a community connection. I know I am not a Hendersonville/Nashville native but I have been here for 6 years now and it is my home. I
am proud of how far I have gotten with this business because I was terrified to even try to pursue this hobby into a business. If it weren’t for my husband, I would not have been able to set it up and be successful. When I talk about the future, I

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I was graduating college, my plan was to go to a school in Madisonville, KY. It was my plan A, B, and C and when I did not get accepted into that school, I was shocked needless to say. I was embarrassed, anger, and devastated. Then my husband and I came up with a plan to move to Nashville and try again. We moved, I had gotten a job as an activities director at an assisted living, then applied to Nashville State a year later. Looking back, a pivot in my career and life is a perfect explanation of what I had to do. It helped me learn to embrace change and accept what God has planned for you and just have fun along the ride because you will never guess what He has in store for you. I still don’t know where this business will take me but I am embracing where I am and open to the future.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I learn best by making mistakes, and it is as painful as it sounds. I’ve learned more and more about business with renewal of licenses to sending out bids for weddings and pricing. I have broke even on some events because I wanted to be the cheapest so I could get the job. As it is important to get your name out there, I have learned to respect my time and services.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverchasefloral/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverChaseFloral/

Image Credits
Hunter Hart photo credit