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

Hi Heather, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I am passionate about networking. I love bringing people together and believe we are always one friend away from solving problems. The work I’m most proud of brought people together. I didn’t even have a creative hand in building it, but it was my project and it facilitated great things.

I was a religious ed director for a Unitarian church in my home area. The congregation was going to have a milestone anniversary and wanted something made to commemorate the occasion. I was asked, as an artist, to create something. Instead I crowdsourced artists and artisans from the congregation and then others to create portions of the piece. I designed a chalice sculpture to be used at services. I assigned different aspects of the piece to the artisans in my group. We had a Fiberartist, a writer, a woodworker, a metalsmith, a clay artist, and one or two more. They followed my assignment and built a beautiful altar for the Church’s anniversary. It was a very proud moment for me to see it finished; and, so much more so to see the other artists feeling good things about being a part of it.

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?

Many art majors know early on that they will have to settle on a survival job and “make time” for creative works. Creating is compulsive; so, one way or another, Art happens. I have been fortunate to find that time in mostly small bits since graduating with my BFA many years ago. I have had my fair share of temporary jobs, floral being one of them. I created in fiber arts during my parenting years, and rediscovered other mediums after relocating to a different area to start over. A now former partner was convinced we could start a floral shop so we did.

That venture was wrought with trauma and trouble, but also great creation and discovery. I connected with a new art community, started making new art , and kept the floral business alive despite great adversity and recovery. I’ve proven myself as an artist, and built a strong reputation as a local florist. My attention to custom orders and customer service precedes me at my floral job. My artistic images have been called truly unique which is a high compliment in my opinion.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Customer care has always been my priority. From the first hello on the phone, first click, or at the counter, my customers know I am focused on listening to them. I have never been driven by quantity sales, or reaching quotas. My customers’ ideas and motives for ordering are where my attention is. As a florist, I am interpreting their emotions and care through flowers. It’s vital that I know what they want to say and do with their gift. My products aren’t just a simple transaction click. They are templates for the customer and I to discuss and curate for the ideal message from their hearts to their recipients. Customers tell me weekly that the generous reviews of others have prompted them to let me handle their orders. They already feel taken care of before I even pick up the phone. That’s the reputation that precedes me, and I am proud of that.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

My business has been on a rigorous roller coaster skirting disaster for years. My cofounder, an abusive domestic partner, had my only vehicle repossessed, leaving me without anything to deliver with. A family member saved the day with a unique vintage vehicle that lasted nearly a year and truly saved the business. The aforementioned partner was soon revealed to have abused the business books as well, and I found myself scrambling to move myself and the shop to sites unknown. The new vehicle died for good while I was trying to move, and I bought one recommended by my mechanic which turned out to be a lemon; and was again without a vehicle. A different mechanic acquaintance GAVE me a “beater” van to help me hang in there. It was indeed a lifesaver. One relocation attempt failed but opened a door to a new partnership with a different business. Then the pandemic hit. I was living and renting with a daughter; but, she was moving and I had nowhere to go. I was probably two weeks from living in my vehicle. A farm owner I had collaborated with before needed me to bring her product to another area weekly, and offered a small basic apartment in barter. It was truly a miracle. 75% of my revenue was lost in the pandemic, I had no money (and I mean that), so finding a place to live would have been impossible. I seemed to slip through every assistance crack and never received the monetary help most people had during the lockdown and follow up months. My vehicle once again went belly up, and another became available by installments via friend of a friend. It was enough to float just a little longer. My last business partner had to close her shop for family medical reasons; but, a new opportunity has found me, and it is big. I’m very happy to say I’m involved in a significant growth project with a new business partner and hope to be on solid ground with my business for the first time.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tulips-and-truffles-florist.com