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

Stephanie , appreciate you joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you as a business owner?

Boundaries. Boundaries with my clients, business and expectations.

I learned this from previous employment in the opposite way. As I worked for this company, and a few prior to this one, no matter what the client asked for you said yes. Even if the week was already packed or you had to switch around your personal life on short notice to make them happy. In theory, this shows the client that you are always available and they’re the number one priority among all the other customers you are serving at the same time. In reality, it’s exhausting and not fair to you or the client.

From working and observing the chaos of being everything to everyone within the floral industry, I learned that this is not how I wanted to run my business. It takes time to find out what works for both you and your clients. To serve my clients best, I only have meetings Tuesday-Thursday during the day. This way I can work on my flower farm, be fully present for setting up a wedding and do my administrative tasks on the days I don’t offer meetings.

I’ve also limited what I offer in my community to be intentional and provide what I say I am going to provide. Which is intentional, attentive customer service, taking time to grow and source premium flowers and for all of us to have enjoyment in the team work of customer/client relationships.

Stephanie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m married with two sassy, independent young teenage girls. I love and adore Mother Nature and all she has to offer. I wear red lipstick at all times and my girls consider me a hippie – which I am at heart for sure.

I’ve been in the floristry world since I was a teenager planting flowers in our community. After that, I was going to graduate college with an engineering degree. I learned very quickly that even though I enjoy numbers, plant life was in my soul. I graduated with a Horticulturist degree from North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND.

I’ve worked on private golf courses and property managed the most beautiful homes in the Aspen, Colorado valley. Then I headed back home to Fargo as a Horticulturist on the Microsoft campus.

I’ve always been in the floristry industry in all type of aspects. I feel that what I learned through my employments set me up to create Botanica Floristry.

I grow my own flowers on a small flower farm for my wedding and floral subscription clients. I keep it simple in my offerings to keep my boundaries and have the energy and devotion I need for my clients.

I don’t grow all my flowers for my floral designs as I’m running my business solo. With help when needed from a few friends and family. That lead me to working with local, American flower farms and wholesalers that connect with my values in the industry. This has been a challenge to find the right people to work with me, as I am picky and want the best for my clients. I can say I’ve found my people after 2 years of struggle. I couldn’t do what I do without any of them and I tell them that as often as I can. They are as much the backbone to my company as I am.

Botanica Floristry’s mission in short “To connect to create. To create to connect”.

I’m most proud of creating a company that believes in and implements its value of sustainability and locally grown flowers for our designs. I’m also proud to be in a space of confidence in how I want to run the business and what success means to me and the company.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Keep going in your own lane. Shut out the noise of everyone else. No one, even businesses in your same community, can not do it like you.

I used to compare, contrast and beat myself up to other businesses. Scrolling through social media at all their pretty pictures and stories. Seeing them in magazine articles locally or nationally made me feel awful about myself and where my company was. This lead to me hiring so many mentors thinking they knew how to get me out of this rut. They knew better than me. They don’t. Yes they are great resources when you are in a good mindset. However when you’re weak or continually beating yourself up, you will do whatever they ask, even when you know deep down that it doesn’t align with you and your business. Or that it would be well received in your community. It’s like thinking by hiring someone you will fast track somehow. Sorry to say, that was not the case for me. It lead to wasted time and energy. And even more lack of self confidence.

My strategy is to keep moving forward in thought, research in innovative practices for design and business and keep my head in my lane.

Do not apologize for what you believe and value. It takes time, a lot of time if you are impatient like me, but when you release all the self judgement and stand up for your company as you want it. The clients that value the same will start showing up. And then they tell their people. It’s a domino effect.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

So many!

My current book that never leaves my side: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

Other books that have been so helpful so far in my journey:

The Big Leap: Conquer your hidden fear and take life to the next level by Gay Hendricks
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
I will teach you to be rich by Ramit Sethi
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
Mastering the Rockefeeller Habits by Verne Harnish
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use it for Live by Twyla Tharp

Podcasts:

The Marie Forleo Podcast
Huberman Lab
A Bit of Optimism
Botanical Brouhaha Podcast
Thrive Podcast
How I Built This with Guy Raz
The School of Greatness
The Teardown

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.botanicafloristry.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/botanicafloristry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/botanicafloristry/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-leininger-80b96216/
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/botanicafloristy/

Image Credits
Kara Lee Photography Carly Loves Amos Photography Rachel Tweggs Photography LibbyLu Photography Two Birds Photography