We recently connected with Kari Roach and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kari, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

After years of working various retail store (mainly apparel) positions, I told myself that when I would leave my current (then) job in 2019, it would be to do the work I love – floral design. I had taken the time to invest in my education years prior at the Floral Design Institute in Portland Oregon. Immediately following my graduation, I obtained a business license and started taking any work I could.

Sure enough, In the early Spring months of 2019, I came across a wedding florist I had admired who was looking to add to their team. Without hesitation, I jumped on the opportunity to apply. I was surprised to have been offered the job, if I’m being honest. At this time in my career, I had barely gotten my toes wet in the industry and had zero experience in designing for production. This was the chance I had been waiting for. I submitted my notice at my retail job and stepped into the work that I loved, finally.

My new role included a variety of tasks, unfortunately for me, designing was rarely one of them. I wanted more than what I was showing up for each day. I had invisioned the job where I was surrounded by gorgeous roses; learning the skills behind installations, mechanics beyond the rudimentary level I learned in school. It just wasn’t happening. Whatever learning I was hopeful for quickly got derailed with the overtaking of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
With the pandemic well underway, my role had evolved into everything but design. While doing deliveries one day, I remember a moment in the car where I actually said aloud to myself, “this wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.” It was a tricky time, for sure, but I took the isolation of the pandemic to my advantage and began to sharpen my skills of designing at home.

Before long I was faced with another decision: to continue working where I still wasn’t doing the work I loved, or risk everything in the middle of a pandemic to pursue my own chance. My passion couldn’t wait. I needed my hands to be moving, I needed the dirt under my fingernails. I needed to believe in myself that I was enough and that I would make my dreams a success.

I put together a website, learned what a domain name was, photographed my work and I was OPEN for business! The floral industry was facing an intensely high demand from 2020 – 2022. Flower orders were the go-between for so many who were kept apart.
I will always remember the day my phone first chimed “NEW ORDER.” It was finally happening! Orders began to filter in at a steady pace that was both reassuring and overwhelming.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

August 2015 I married my husband amidst the beautiful pine trees of Central Oregon. I had fallen in love with the natural landscape of the two “home’s” of my life – when California meets Oregon.
It was during our wedding planning where I really began to fall in love with design. I didn’t know the names of any flowers at this time.. I didn’t know how to design a floral arch.. I just knew that the feeling I felt while designing was something that brought joy to my heart and connected me to the natural beauty in the world.

With nature being the main inspiration for our design style, we let the flowers take the lead. I believe flowers are at their best when we give them the space to appreciate their unique characteristics just as they are.

I am immensely proud of building relationships with our customers over the years. It is an honor and a privilege to play a part in all of the special moments in their lives. I am so grateful for every order that we receive. This business is what allows me to be at home with my three kids and not confined to an office building.

I often recall the day in the car doing deliveries, and because I worked for so long doing the work that wasn’t fulfilling, I think it’s important to remain true to yourself. And for that reason, I am comfortable not being everything to every customer. I don’t say Yes to every client/opportunity. I find when I honor that same level of joy I felt when I was planning my own wedding, that the work doesn’t feel like work. The authentic approach to my clients/customers is what helps to maintain the integrity I demand from my team. It’s hard to have a bad day at work when the days are equally fulfilling for myself and my team as they are to our customers.

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

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the floral industry experienced a surge in demand. Now, more than ever, we were playing a crucial role as the connective link among families and loved ones. It wasn’t long before we recognized there was a need within our communities to fill. And despite being young in our e-commerce background, we focused on building a reputation with our customers that went beyond fulfilling an order.

It begins with trust. Providing genuine customer service is how we built trust with our customers. It was important to me that with each delivery we were providing customers opportunities to recall fond memories through the art of floristry. Carefully selected blooms makes it personal and custom to each arrangement.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

Over the years I have experimented with different platforms for e-commerce. There are pros and cons to each that I have attempted, but the most important takeaway I have learned is how it functions for the customer. Our current platform was created by florists with the intention of flower orders. It can change everything for your business, sales, and even SEO if the platform you choose is not customer friendly.

I tested a lot of the common sites in the beginning; Squarespace, Shopify, WIX. These sites worked great but lacked the functionality I needed for my customers.

In addition to the shop being easy to navigate, I also understood the value in the aesthetic of the platform. Floristry is an art that should be visually pleasing and easily identified by the brand’s identity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://DriftwoodandPineFlorals.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/driftwood_pineflorals/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/driftwoodandpineflorals/

Image Credits

#1 – Maria Young Photo
#2 – Corrie Mahr Photo
#3 – A Bitter Orange Photography
#4 – City + Pine Photo
#5 – City + Pine Photo
#6 – BridgeCity Photography
#7 – BridgeCity Photography
#8 – City + Pine Photo