We were lucky to catch up with Lea O’Neal recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lea, appreciate you 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.

Becoming an entrepreneur and owning my own business was never something I dreamt of. Growing up, I was not one of those people who knew what they wanted to do in terms of a career. At the time, I envied people who knew exactly which avenue to pursue early on in life, whether it be a doctor, an artist, an engineer. I followed many paths throughout college and ended up with a cushy medical sales position that while I was very thankful for, I knew deep down would not fulfill me. I was not tapping into my inherent creative nature, so I considered changing course. However, the decision to leave my comfortable job and risk losing my security was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made. Thankfully, that leap of faith rewarded me in more ways than I could have hoped.

My love for nature is what ignited my appreciation for flowers ever since I was a girl. The beauty of the world should be admired, and I knew I wanted to express that in my next career venture. Still not knowing how I would translate this into a business, I ran into a sweet woman who had a flower truck at a coffee shop in Florida. Call it intuition or fate, but whatever it was I something clicked and I knew this was what I had been looking for. I reached out to her, she gave me a few tips, and I bought a truck 1 month later.

Like so many other entrepreneurs, I learned through trial and error. I mostly setup at markets and pop-ups trying to get my name out there. When COVID-19 happened, everything changed. I barely hung on to my little business, but the thought of giving up my dream weighed on me heavily. Once Texas began opening back up, I decided I needed to make a change. I knew what my business offered was an experience, not just an avenue to purchase flowers. I believed in what it could be, and my only option was to make it happen. We no longer focused on markets and pop-ups, and instead changed our business model to be purely event-based. This year, we have tripped the number of events and have fine-tuned how to accommodate 500+ guests. The best part about all of this is, I LOVE my job. I get to bring joy to others and to me, that’s what life is all about.

I have learned many lessons over the years, and continue to learn every day. If I had to share advice with someone who is at the early stages of starting a business, I would say do not be afraid to change course if something is not working. Change your model, change your target market, follow your intuition, and stay true to what you want your business to be. Set yourself apart and strive to make an impact.

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

Hello friends, I’m Lea! I am an Ohio native now living in Dallas and have been the proud owner of Sand and Soil Flower Truck Co. for three and a half years. Our 1960 vintage Volkswagen is the star of our business; think food truck, but with flowers! Our truck is booked for events such as showers, birthdays, corporate events, and even other local business owners who would like to provide a unique experience to their customers. We give your guests the opportunity to get hands-on with flowers. It is lighthearted in nature, yet brings such joy and excitement to everyone who encounters it!

How does it work? We stock our VW with fresh blooms displayed in galvanized buckets and will drive to a location of your choosing. You have the option to sell flowers by-the-stem for public events, or gift them at no cost to your guests as a party favor or client/customer appreciation gift. They can choose their favorite flowers, or let one of our “florista’s” assist in the creative process. Once they pick their flowers, we will arrange and wrap each bouquet in paper and ribbon for your guests to take home and enjoy.

Each event is uniquely curated keeping in mind the number of guests, floral style, and the size of bouquet you would like each person to receive. Keep it simple, or you upgrade your experience with a champagne bar, flower installations on the truck, or personalized stickers to add to your bouquets. Whether you have a party of 25 or 500, we are intentional about making beautiful memories to enjoy for a lifetime.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Coming from a cooperate sales role, everything was based on performance. The pressure of monthly quota, and the fear of not fulfilling your expectations is engrained in you. The thing about starting a business is it take TIME to grow, and in many cases it takes years. I had to learn to give myself grace, and to keep push on when success seemed impossible. If you can change your mindset and allow your business to grow organically, it will prosper.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

While I initially expected the majority of our clients to be host private events like birthdays and weddings, we were amazed by the overwhelming support we received from local and cooperate businesses. From Chick-Fil-A, to Truist Bank, to local clothing stores and real estate companies, hosting an event for customer/client appreciation has been our most sought-after request!

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: @sandandsoilflowers
• Facebook: @sandandsoilflowers

Image Credits
Monika Normand Jacque Manaugh