We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lexi Palumbo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lexi below.

Alright, Lexi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

All of these questions are amazing, and maybe one that focused more directly on my business would’ve been a better starting point. But everything I do comes from my parents celebrating everything growing up. We used to have huge cookouts in the backyard almost every other weekend in the summertime. That feeling is something I’ve been chasing throughout my adult life, and it’s one of the main drivers behind my work today.
There’s a story I don’t often share, but it’s one of my favorite memories.

When I was 16, I was driving my mom’s Lincoln Navigator, a massive third-row SUV. And as you can probably guess where this is going… I totaled it. Like most teenagers, I panicked. I was absolutely convinced my parents were going to kill me.
I’ll never forget: my dad came down in the middle of the night to where I was. I was a wreck, sobbing, black eyeliner running down my face, snot coming out of my nose. The whole nine yards. And then, my dad gently pushed me in front of the car and said, “Smile: Lexi’s first car accident.”

I didn’t get yelled at that night, or the next day. My dad just laughed and was grateful I was okay.
That moment left a lasting impression on me. No matter how stressful or overwhelming a situation may feel at the moment, I always try to bring that same light-heartedness my dad showed me.
And here’s the life spoiler alert: I’ve been through my fair share of ups and downs, but I’ve learned that things really do have a way of working out in the end.

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?

I love when people ask how I got started, they’re always surprised when I say I started selling cars. After I had just graduated from college, and like many kids fresh out of school, I didn’t have a clear plan. My dad, frustrated that I didn’t have a job, called a friend who owned a car dealership and basically said, “This girl doesn’t cook, doesn’t clean, and if she keeps taking naps at 3pm, I’m going to lose it.” What was supposed to be a summer job managing their social media turned into so much more.

After a few months of seeing how much money the young kids on the sales floor were making, I thought, “I could sell a car too.” Five years later, I had become the top salesperson, the youngest finance manager at the dealership, and was working 65-hour weeks. That’s where I really developed the drive and ambition I carry with me today.

Then… COVID hit. Like so many others, my life changed. My hours were cut to 40, and instead of taking the extra time to relax, regain a social life. I needed more. The dealership owners suggested I work with their family’s florist. I was always buying myself flowers and they knew I had a love for it. I started going in before work to learn the basics: how to process flowers, green vases, and do deliveries in the afternoon.

About a year later, a friend asked me to coordinate a for a low-key company event in the park for her company. I got my LLC, filmed myself arranging some flowers, and after posting it online, I got booked for a bridal shower. From that moment everything shifted. One job led to another, and the rest is history.

I truly believe flowers chose me. Over the past three years, I’ve built my business from the ground up, and it’s evolved naturally into what it is today. We now specialize in high-end luxury weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings across New England; from Maine to Rhode Island, and both Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

What I’m most proud of is the network I’ve built. “Your network is your net worth” has never felt more true. For the first three years, I didn’t spend a single dollar on marketing or advertising, every job came from referrals and repeat clients. That kind of trust and word-of-mouth support means everything to me.

Close friends and colleagues in this industry always say the same thing: “You give your all, whether it’s a $100 job or a $100,000, you pour your whole heart into everything you do.” – That is what I would want all my clients to know. When you work with me, you’re getting more than just flowers, you’re getting peace of mind. I don’t allow anything less than exceptional.

Many of my floral clients end up hiring me as their event coordinator as well, once they see how organized and detail-oriented I am. I don’t just want things to look beautiful, I want to create beautiful moments for people that will last them a lifetime.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I actually discovered my favorite book through my favorite podcast , A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek. The founder of the The Infinite Game, that also really shifted my mindset in a powerful way.

In the early months of my business, I was burning myself out. I was saying yes to every job, even the horrible ones, and putting an immense amount of pressure on myself to keep everything moving. I had this belief that if I didn’t do the work, nothing would move forward. I was constantly comparing myself to my first mentor, who had been in business for 25 years, which only made me feel like I was falling behind.

Hearing ” The Infinite Game helped me pause, take a deep breath, and really ask myself: what are my actual goals, and what will truly fill my cup? The idea that it didn’t matter if it took me one year or fifty to reach my vision, as long as I got there, completely changed the way I saw success. The timeline became irrelevant. That shift lifted a huge weight off my shoulders and gave me the freedom to grow at my own pace.

Through Simon’s podcast, I discovered Will Guidara and his book Unreasonable Hospitality. It tells the story of how he became a restaurateur and how his restaurant, Eleven Madison Park in New York, became the #1 restaurant in the world. One story from the book stuck with me and completely shaped how I run my business today.

There was a group of girls dining at Eleven Madison before heading to the airport, and they were reminiscing about all the amazing things they did in New York. The one thing they missed out on? A street hotdog. Will overheard this, and despite pushback from the chef, he sent a staff member out to buy one. They served it at the table, this one simple, thoughtful, totally unexpected gesture, created an electric reaction throughout the entire restaurant. That moment launched a culture of what he calls “unreasonable hospitality” that made dining there unforgettable.

That concept is now at the heart of my brand. I aim to give that same level of care and thoughtfulness to all of my clients. One small example: when I book a bride, I gift her a diamond ring cleaning kit, decorated in a floral box designed to match her wedding theme. It’s a little touch but it’s those little things that people remember.

To me, going above and beyond isn’t extra it’s the standard. That’s the kind of experience I want to create with every single client.

Have you ever had to pivot?

A major pivot in my career was going from selling cars to becoming my own boss. One thing I always try to share with others who are just getting started, especially those who feel like they’re starting later in life is that you’re not starting from zero, you’re starting from experience. Every job, every challenge, every lesson you’ve picked up along the way adds value. I brought so many transferable skills with me from sales, like communication, resilience, and how to handle pressure. They’ve been key to how I operate my business today.

The biggest pivot, though, has been within my business itself. When I first started, I thought I was going to be both an event planner and a florist. I envisioned planning corporate events and setting up a weekly flower bar out of my kitchen, just selling small arrangements. That idea came from the only florist I had ever worked for, who had a flower bar her clients loved, so that was my frame of reference. But trying to land corporate clients with no real planning experience? That was laughable in hindsight. And delivering $65 arrangements across the North Shore and into the city was exhausting and completely unprofitable.

Then, everything shifted after I went to a networking event and met someone who became my second mentor. She focused only on event flowers, and it just clicked. It made so much sense, when I go to the flower market, I have to buy in bulk anyway. So instead of spreading myself thin on small orders, I started building a business model around large-scale events.

That changed everything my pricing, my process, and most importantly, my target audience.
Today, my focus is fully on event florals: luxury weddings, corporate events, and private parties. I’ve been able to scale by getting clear on my strengths and partnering with the right people. And while the vision may have evolved, it’s more aligned with who I am and how I want to serve my clients than ever before.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lexipalumbo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexipalumbo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexi.palumbo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexi-palumbo

Image Credits

Lena Nugent Photography

Katherine Brackman

Mariah Gale Creative

Radomskiy Production

Kaylyn Leighton