We were lucky to catch up with Nicole Woodson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Nicole thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
At The Floral Design Lab, our mission isn’t just words on a page; it’s the very heartbeat of our business, born from a truly special moment.
It all began in February 2023, when I set out to create the perfect “soft girl” birthday brunch for my daughter, Kylie – who is now my amazing co-founder. Like any mom, I wanted nothing more than to bring her vision to life and she deserved it. Kylie envisioned a chic, all-pink brunch, and the atmosphere was everything. That’s where the flowers came in. We thought, “Let’s make floral bouquet arranging an activity!” So, we gathered dozens of fresh blooms and a vase for each girl, expecting a simple, fun craft.
But what unfolded was nothing short of extraordinary. The room absolutely vibrated with excitement, empowerment, and genuine, massive support. The laughter was infectious, and it was incredibly moving to watch these girls encourage each other, celebrating every unique creation. We hadn’t anticipated the profound joy that would emerge from simply making flower bouquets—a spontaneous activity that led them to genuinely connect, uplift, and just love on one another.
In that beautiful, unscripted moment of shared joy and deep connection, The Floral Design Lab was born. And our mission became crystal clear right then: to acknowledge, hear, and see those around us. This isn’t just a sentiment; it’s our deeply held vision to create a world where every voice is heard, every story is celebrated, and every heart feels truly seen.
Our vision extends even further: we aim to bridge generational, racial, and socioeconomic gaps, uniting communities through the beauty and art of floral design. This commitment is why you’ll find us actively offering discounted, and even free, tickets to our events for women who would genuinely benefit from such an experience but might face financial barriers. We fundamentally believe that everyone deserves the chance to feel acknowledged, heard, and seen, and to experience the pure joy and connection that comes from creating something beautiful together. It’s about more than flowers; it’s about fostering belonging.
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.
My professional life for over 24 years has been deeply rooted in banking, currently as a Vice President (VP), Community Development Officer. This journey, especially having personally navigated government assistance programs to ultimately become a bank VP, profoundly fuels my passion for community empowerment. It’s incredibly meaningful work, centered on creating equitable opportunities to uplift low- and moderate-income communities.
Beyond banking, I wear several hats that keep me connected to my community. I’m honored to serve as the Board Chair for a charter school that primarily serves students receiving free and reduced lunches, and as a Board of Visitor member for a university’s 21st Century Scholar Program, which provides tuition scholarships to income-eligible students. You’ll also find me volunteering extensively with local non-profits, schools, and churches, leading initiatives focused on financial empowerment and workforce development.
You might wonder how someone with a banking background ended up in floral design! It’s truly a passion project. The turning point came when my co-founder and daughter, Kylie, and I discovered flowers as a powerful tool to acknowledge, hear, see, and uplift those around us. This beautiful realization, combined with my existing passion for empowering others, led to the creation of The Floral Design Lab. Upon this “marriage” of purpose and passion, we immersed ourselves in the floral industry, eager to make our mark.
At The Floral Design Lab, we offer a range of experiences designed to nurture connections and uplift spirits. You can call on us for hands-on floral arrangement workshops, dive into creativity with a vibrant rented flower bouquet bar, engage in powerful self-empowerment activations, or commission custom floral designs for various events. We also host our signature “The Floral Arrangement Experience” – a blend of a hands-on workshop and self-empowerment activities – open to the public so everyone can partake in this uplifting journey.
The core problem we address is a deeply human one. We’ve seen so many people carrying heavy daily burdens, often neglecting time for themselves. They might hold back their voice, feeling unheard, or struggle with belonging, feeling unseen. Carrying that weight alone can be incredibly heavy.
What truly sets us apart is our unwavering mission in action. We’re not just about flowers; we’re creating experiences that foster genuine human connection and personal growth. Every workshop and event is infused with intentional self-empowerment activities, designed to help people recognize their inherent worth and feel a profound sense of belonging.
I am most proud of the tangible impact we’ve had on so many women since our official launch in October 2023. To witness guests leave our workshops feeling genuinely acknowledged, truly heard, deeply seen, and wonderfully uplifted—that’s what fuels me every single day. It’s an absolute privilege to see that transformation unfold. The feedback and reviews received are the most rewarding.
If there’s one main thing I want potential clients, followers, and fans to know about The Floral Design Lab and our work, it’s this: You are not alone in this world! You are loved, you are valued, and you are deeply appreciated! We believe that through the beauty of flowers and the power of shared experiences, we can nurture the human spirit, one beautiful bouquet and one empowered connection at a time.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
When we first started The Floral Design Lab, it was truly a labor of love, fueled by our own personal commitment. We initially self-funded everything using personal credit, believing wholeheartedly in the vision we had. We began by hosting monthly “Floral Arrangement Experiences” open to the public. To be honest, the price for these early events was very nominal, especially considering that each experience included a delicious meal, all the fresh flowers and vases, and a meaningful self-empowerment activity. We wanted to make it accessible and share our passion.
As word spread, our audience grew, and so did the demand for what we offered. Our incomparable experiences brought a greater demand. This growth allowed us to gradually adjust our pricing to a level that truly reflected the value of the experience our guests received. Alongside this increasing public interest, we also saw a wonderful surge in private event requests and inquiries for our floral decoration services.
It was incredible to witness. Within our very first year, The Floral Design Lab not only became profitable but also allowed us to pay off our initial personal debt. Since then, we’ve been able to self-sustain, a testament to the community we’ve built and the joy we’ve been able to share through flowers and empowerment. It’s been an amazing journey, and we’re so grateful for every step of it.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
That’s a fantastic question, and it brings to mind a crucial lesson I had to genuinely unlearn: the idea that all money is good money.
Early on, during our first year with The Floral Design Lab, I found myself in a position many new entrepreneurs can relate to. We were just starting out, and honestly, I was a bit apprehensive about our skill and technique. Kylie and I aren’t long-time, seasoned florists with decades of experience under our belts. I questioned if we were truly fit to charge a “regular” fee for our services, and frankly, I lacked confidence in our floral designs. This led to instances where I allowed a few clients to essentially name their own price for our services. My thinking at the time was, “Any money is better than no money, right?”
But as we grew, as we invested in training, and as we gained invaluable insights from our incredible mentors, our confidence truly blossomed. I’ve always been a stickler for quality, consistency, and exceptional service. We started to deeply see the value in our unique approach and the undeniable quality of our designs. This was a pivotal turning point where I realized that not everyone is our audience, and that’s perfectly okay. We honed in on who our ideal target audience is and truly understood our worth and value in the market.
This lesson came full circle as we moved into our second year. I distinctly recall pricing a potentially very large contract for a client, and their immediate response was a request for a 50% decrease in costs. My initial instinct might have been to bend over backwards to secure such a big opportunity. However, knowing what I now know about our true worth, I tried to work with them. I offered to cater the services – though not quite what they initially requested – to fit their revised budget. But when the client remained unwilling to budge, even after our genuine efforts to meet them halfway, I declined the contract.
And let me tell you, I’ve never felt better about declining anything in my life. It was a profound moment of truly embracing our value and recognizing that taking on work that fundamentally undervalues our craft and our time isn’t beneficial for anyone in the long run. It was tough, yes, but it completely solidified that essential lesson: “good money” means money earned with mutual respect for value.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.floraldesignlab.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/floraldesignlabindy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Floral-Design-Lab-Indy/61552899370557/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Ffloraldesignlab%2Fabout%2F
- Other: [email protected]
317-426-8887
Image Credits
Personal Photo Credit – Andrea Rhymes/Indelible Images
Additional Photos (1st image) – Pride Photography
Additional Photos (other images) – Nicole Woodson