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

Lindsy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?

To be honest, I believe that most of the educational system borders on useless for today’s world. There is too much focus on ‘classic subjects’ and not enough on the relevant and practical. I’m in favor of students acquiring actual skills that empower lives and set up the foundation for launching true interests and passions. The paradigm of memorizing and regurgitating information is soul sucking, and most of us are not inspired to learn that way. Plus we have the internet now, people! If I had a school these would be some classes that would be required at the Lindsy Richards Academy of Kicking A$$.

Business/Entrepreneurial studies: Quickbooks, marketing, business plans.
Personal Finance: taxes, staying out of debt, cryptocurrency, stock market.
Personal Organization: goal setting, google docs.
Website Design: Photoshop, Lightroom, analytics, photography.
Social Media and Internet Studies: algorithms, etiquette, privacy protection, searching
Stress Management and Meditation

Non Violent Communications
Organic Gardening: fermentation, canning, nutrition, cooking, foraging.
Home Skills: carpentry, electrical, sewing
US Constitution

Lindsy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My interest in the craft of flower crown making started many years ago with my kids being in a Waldorf school. Every Spring the beloved celebration of May Festival (Beltane) was held for the community with old fashion games, strawberry shortcake, and the ancient May pole dance. Every child would bring flowers to school that morning where mounds of brilliant colors and greenery waited for little hands to get busy making headpieces using thick braids of raffia as the base. Waldorf kids are experts at hand work and they all seemed to have no problem making floral masterpieces. But when it was time for the grown ups to make crowns for themselves there was some frustration for the un-crafty folks. Although I am crafty I always found it to be challenging to weave the flowers in-between the braids, but the result was always magical and whimsical. The sea of brightly adorned heads (moms, dads, teachers, boys, and girls) was truly a sight to behold. One that moved and inspired me deeply over the years.

I began making headpiece art from foraged flora whenever possible. I was constantly rigging and suspending materials with wire, tape, glue, staples.. you name it. Until one day a solution to my gravity issues dropped out of the sky. After many iterations I made a perfect sample of my invention and it worked. Like it really, really worked! I searched to see if this was a thing already but could not find it in existence. The feeling of creating something so original was thrilling, but next I had to figure out the business end, which didn’t come naturally to me. I would much prefer to be out in nature foraging than indoors on the laptop. And so it began… my humbling journey of becoming a business person.

In a nut shell Flora Aura is a flower crown base/tool. It’s the easiest method possible that lends itself to an infinite range of floral designs from minimal to maximal. All other ways of crown making require lots of patience and advanced craftiness because one must painstakingly wrap the flower stems onto a wire with floral tape. My system is ridiculously easier than that. Not to mention more comfortable and size adjustable. You just lift up the elastic straps on the leather base, slide the stems through and arrange as you go. You can keep adding or taking away from your design at any point. Lastly, trim stems. Flora Aura bases are reusable and so great to have on hand. You can whip up something spectacular in minutes using whatever you have in your garden (basic greenery even looks amazing). Or go all out with fancy varieties and create a floral masterpiece.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Flora Aura is totally unique in the flower crown field. It stands alone and speaks for itself with its performance. Professional florists and DIYers love it because they can create with ease and broad range.The value is self evident to buyers with the quality leather and reusability factor. I can count the returns on one hand.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I am the original maker of my creations which was a big benefit when transitioning to a manufactured a product. I know exactly what it takes to make them and so when I switched to a leather goods factory in Los Angeles I could be very detailed about my specs. More information means fewer sample trials. I can also catch mistakes because I understand the nuances of my product so well. Manufacturing errors can be disastrous and costly, so being present and watching over (if possible) is key. It’s amazing how something as simple as my product is actually not-so-simple, and many things can go wrong. You have to helicopter.

Contact Info:

• Website: floraauradesigns.com
• Instagram: flora_aura_designs