We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lisa Steinman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with what makes profitability in your industry a challenge – what would you say is the biggest challenge?

Profitability is always a challenge when you venture in small business territory, but I do feel this is a particular pain point for handmade items. Floral preservation itself is a very detailed and time consuming process as is, and the rising cost of quality materials makes it difficult to produce beautiful pieces at prices most people are willing to pay. In the age of Amazon, the general consumer is accustomed to convenience and quality at a low cost. Unfortunately, maintaining the integrity of your work and properly valuating your time spent doesn’t usually align with this standard.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a creative person by nature, and have always found inspiration in the arts. I am also an avid plant and flower lover – my home is practically a jungle! I’ve worked in many mediums throughout my life, but took a particular interest in epoxy resin for its preservation capabilities. When my father passed away last year, I found myself deep diving into the medium so I could preserve the flowers from his funeral, along with a few of his personal items. As I worked to preserve these delicate, beautiful, and deeply meaningful flowers, I felt fulfilled. I felt purpose. Immediately, I knew I wanted to be an active participant in others’ healing, but also a cheerleader for life’s special moments. I want to give others a unique work of art that brings them closer to their special moment, special person, or lost loved one. My love for art and design gets me excited about creating, but the meaning and healing behind each preservation give me the ultimate passion behind what I do. Every project that comes my way becomes my Passion Project, hence my chosen business name!

I primarily do floral preservation in many forms (block molds, serving trays, wall art, etc), however there are no limits to what is possible! I pride myself in remaining open to fully understanding the want of each client and doing my best to bring their vision to life. Flowers and plants are preserved many ways, but most are either pressed or dried in silica beads (silica preserves the natural shape of the flower). I am able to create beautiful works of art from fresh flowers, dried flowers, and even fake flowers!
Recently I added Bereavement Art to my list of services, which includes creating resin art with ashes of a loved one. This is a very special and delicate process that requires great care and trust, and is truly my favorite work to do. Most clients will request wearable art/jewelry for this service, but Bereavement Art is not limited to any particular form or size.

While the bulk of my custom work has been wedding bouquet preservation, a special event is not required to make art! Sometimes you just want beautiful, detailed wall art, or a fancy new set of coasters! I do take custom requests outside of events, and even create items specifically for my online store that can be purchased at any time.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Post, post, post! Social media is an incredible tool that helps you expand your reach, and its important to understand how their algorithms work. Reels are super popular right now, and will almost always reach more non-followers than a standard image. Promoting your posts will also help you gain traction in the beginning. The biggest advice I can give is this: When you start to reach success or gain more followers, do NOT slow down. Keep doing what you are doing – it’s working!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Art is connection. I’m humbled every day that another human is trusting me to create something beautiful with materials that hold emotional value to them. Creating the work I do gives me an opportunity to share an experience with someone, or aid in an important part of their lives in some way. Outside of this, creating and preservation gives me unlimited opportunities to express myself, work through emotions and ideas, and foster a deeper appreciation for nature.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.passionprojectcreations.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionprojectcreations/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/PassionProject/61551636399912/