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

Melissa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

This question brings back such an intense memory!
My process was definitely a bit crazy. I started with a list of everything I love: colors, books, places, food, street names—you name it. I had this huge list that took weeks to finalize. Then I spent hours mixing and matching words from it, trying to find *the* name… and nothing felt right. The pressure really started building because I had a meeting scheduled to approve my logo and finalize my LLC. I needed a name *fast*. After a few sleepless nights, I finally created a group chat with family and close friends, asking for their help (and I know they were so over me by then!). The next three days were full of Facetimes and texts, but somehow, we still didn’t have a name that clicked .On the day of my LLC meeting, my rep asked me, “Melissa, what’s the name?” I just looked at him, exhausted, and handed him my list of ideas with a few frontrunners. As I did, I actually started crying. My rep could see how much it meant to me, so he called his team, and they spent the next 20 minutes asking questions to get a feel for what I was going for. And that’s when they came up with *Blooming Sunflower*.I was so focused on finding the “perfect” name that I forgot to enjoy the process. But looking back, it was all worth it. The name feels right, and it reflects so much of what I want to build—growth, warmth, and a welcoming place for families and my community.

Melissa, 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?

Hi readers! Honestly, introducing myself always makes me overthink a bit, but here it goes! I’m Melissa, the oldest of four siblings, and I grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. I was born on January 19, 1989, to parents who immigrated from the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. Being the oldest, especially to a young mom in a new place, wasn’t always easy. My dad struggled with alcohol, and it created a challenging environment for us, leading to a lot of difficult moments. Eventually, my mom decided to end things with my dad after having my youngest brother, which meant I had to step up a lot for my siblings.
At 10, I found myself helping to care for my siblings—a kindergartner, a toddler, and a newborn—while my mom worked multiple jobs. She would often leave us with our babysitter, Margarita, who became a true lifeline for us. She wasn’t just our sitter; she became part of our family, loving us like her own. That’s when I first felt a pull toward working with children and supporting families. Margarita helped my mom in her hardest times, showing me firsthand how essential it is for parents to have support, especially when things get tough. Her impact stuck with me and planted the seed for what I’m building today.
With Blooming Sunflower, we’re here to do more than offer child care. We offer resources, mental health support, job assistance, and so much more because I genuinely believe it takes a village to raise a child and a village to support families. That’s what sets us apart from other child care services in NYC. In the last three years, I’ve worked with so many families, and the most rewarding thing is knowing they don’t just come to us for our services—they come because they know we genuinely care. I’m beyond proud of what we’ve built so far. There’s still more I want to accomplish, but knowing that families in our community trust us and feel at home with us means the world. I hope this gives you a glimpse into my journey and what Blooming Sunflower stands for.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Our best sources of new clients have actually been a combination of word of mouth and social media—specifically Facebook. Our families do an amazing job sharing our flyers and spreading the word to their friends, which has been incredibly helpful. Social media, though, has really made a difference. We have a Facebook page where I post updates and share our flyers in local groups every evening. Facebook groups have become a great community connector for us, and a lot of our new families actually found us there. It’s been rewarding to see both traditional and digital connections helping us grow!

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

Building an audience on social media is a journey—honestly, it feels like a full-time job in itself! I’ll admit, I’m still learning the ropes, but consistency and planning have been key for me. I juggle three platforms: TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, and each one has its own vibe and needs. I try to stay ahead by creating flyers, scheduling posts, and knowing which content works best where. Staying in the loop with local events, school news, and holidays helps me stay relevant and connected to our community. My advice? Prepare, be consistent, and don’t be afraid to experiment and be different. Remember we are all learning so its ok to not be perfect.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: blooming_sunflowerllc
• Facebook: BloomingSunflowerNYC
• Other: Facebook-BloomingSunflowerNYC

Image Credits

Melissa Alvarado
Blooming Sunflower