Ginger and Juice with Steele Orchid

In this episode, I chat with Sherrerd Steele, owner of Steele Orchid. She is a Philadelphia area floral designer who is disrupting the industry (in a good way) with her unique and innovative creations. From weddings to elaborate displays at The Kimmel Center, her work is simply amazing! Over a ginger and juice mocktail, she tells me all about her journey from engineer and geologist to floral design guru. She's owned two successful business over the years, so she knows a thing or two (or three or four) about entrepreneurship and the pursuit of one's passions!

Go follow Steele Orchid on Instagram at @steele_orchid and visit her website at www.steeleorchid.com

Thanks for listening! Follow us on Instagram @champagnestars1 and check out our site at www.champagneandstarsdecor.com

Transcript

[MUSIC]
Hey, I'm Anne, owner of Champagne and Stars Event Decor.
Welcome to And I Like Large Parties.
Join me as I chat with amazing women business owners in the events industry,
some that I've worked with, and some that I can't wait to work with.
We'll be sipping cocktails while discussing their passions, hurdles and accomplishments.
You're gonna love it.
Thanks for listening.
[MUSIC]
Okay, so today I am so happy to be sitting down with Sherrerd Steele.
She is the owner of Steele Orchid.
She is a floral design genius.
And I had the opportunity to work with her about a year ago on a style shoot.
And I am just so thrilled to see her again.
And yeah, thank you for deciding to accept my invitation and come on.
>> Of course, thank you, Anne Marie, for even considering having me.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay, so today we are having instead of gin and juice, we're having a mocktail.
It's a ginger and juice and it looks delicious.
I'm gonna take a sip in a moment.
All right, she's gonna take a sip, let's see.
[MUSIC]
>> It's delicious.
>> Delicious.
>> It's delicious.
Okay, so at the end of the podcast, I typically ask my guests to come up with the name of a signature drink.
Or it could be alcoholic, non-alcoholic, whatever you prefer.
But I want you to think about, with the name of the signature drink, how does it exemplify you or
some aspect of your business?
So I'll let you think about that and then we'll circle back at the end.
>> Perfect.
>> Okay, sounds good.
All right, so why don't you just start by telling us a little bit about yourself and
get into how you started this fabulous business?
>> So I am by training, by schooling, an engineer and geologist.
I had an environmental consulting company for 25 years,
which only employed women, geologists and engineers.
They were all super smart.
And what we used to do is do environmental assessments of commercial and
industrial properties.
>> Okay.
>> Main clients were banks, law firms, insurance companies and the like.
And how I evolved from that business, which I just sold two months ago to another engineering companies.
So I could devote myself full time, yay, just your kid.
So how I evolved is kind of a roundabout way in the regards that my mom was an award winning floral designer.
She was kick ass, she was great.
She would win the top awards in the Philadelphia flower show every year.
Growing up, I actually thought she was crazy.
She would go into her work room and play with flowers all day and I'd be like,
goodness.
And so, but fast forward, she died at a young age.
Fortunately, but her flower spirit literally came to me.
And I started dabbling with flowers, started dabbling with gardening.
And what I mean by dabble, I would make arrangements for
people's parties or prom bouquet flowers for local neighborhood girls.
So my son that approached me, my oldest son and asked me, can you do my wedding for our florals?
And I went, wedding, never done a wedding, okay.
And that actually came with a lot of challenges in the regards that it was in Pittsburgh.
Wasn't even local and it was 250 people.
So there was a lot of moving parts.
And you're the mother of the groom and mother.
So there's that.
So I had the time of my life and I literally turned to my husband and I said, this is what
I meant to do.
So that was in late 2019, 2020, COVID came, but COVID was perfect for me in the respect
that once I made the decision that I was going to go forward with doing flowers full
time that I could hone my craft, could figure out my business model, could figure out what
my plan was.
And so it was a great time to really pause and really work on a business plan.
And that's how it came to be.
And fortunately for me, I was able to find somebody to sell the other company too.
So now I'm full steam ahead.
That is fantastic.
Congratulations.
Yay!
I'm so happy for you.
Yay!
The bit about COVID hitting, just so many people I know that I've spoken to and that I've met
in the events industry and I'm sure the same is true for you.
They already had their businesses and so when COVID came, it really just, it affected everything
for them.
So like you, I feel like my story is a little similar and that I decided to start my business
in 2019, COVID gave me the opportunity to gather the inventory and just really get myself
together and then when things were lifted, I was ready to go.
So that's a like experience that we have in common.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Okay, so I want you to talk to me about your inspiration because obviously I follow you on Instagram
and some of the things that you are doing, it's wild and it's gorgeous.
It's different than anything that I'm seeing out there.
How do you get the inspiration for these arrangements that you make?
So whenever I undertake anything, I want to be totally different from everybody else.
So there's a lot of really good florists out there, truly in the Philadelphia area but I
needed something to set myself apart.
And so I'm always looking for things that will distinguish steel orchid from your neighborhood
right florist.
So I'm looking to do the things that nobody else is doing or nobody else is conceived of.
Okay, let's flower the side of a building.
Let's figure out how to get flowers on a model, you know, so she can model these tattoos.
Or big floating dance floors or this week we're going to be doing porches at the Kimmel Center.
We, a, Porsche is the, I should say Porsche, Porsche is the sponsor of the Best In Style
Party at the Kimmel Center.
And we were tasked with flowering the porches and not just, you know, putting some flowers
by the wheels.
Sure.
We're going to kick ass and make, you know, floating flowers, making it look like the porches
are going fast and so I can't wait to see it.
Yeah.
It's going to be great.
Yeah.
So talk to me about your team.
Who is helping you with all of this?
Is it you?
How many people do you have working for you with you?
So we have a wonderful designer who is working hand in hand with me, side by side.
Her name is Suki Park and she is classically trained.
She, not only in European style, but Asian style and American style.
Sure.
Whereas I'm more kind of not classically trained, I'm like more, all right, what are the rules?
Well, let's break them.
Right.
You know, type of thing.
Yeah.
And that has served me well for Suki.
She kind of grounds me because I am always thinking we could do this and this and
this and this and she's like, all right, all right.
But my engineering background really, really helps me to be able to put a flower anywhere
unlike my competitors who are more, they are a little bit more comfortable working in
a vase instead of on the top of a ceiling.
Sure.
Yeah.
Oh, but I'm so sorry.
But other parts of my team, we do have weekend warriors that help out with our events.
Okay.
And my weekend warrior, the best weekend warriors, my husband.
Yeah.
He is my wonderful friend.
I met him.
He's such a great guy.
Oh, my God.
He is my, he does what I say and allows me to be able to kick ass in this field.
I mean, he really is the best support.
And then we also have teams that go in on game day.
And when I say game day, I'm talking about the big events, such as the weddings and
the camel centers and parties and what have you.
Absolutely.
So I've met your husband and I have one as well, just always supportive.
What do you need?
Boots on the ground.
He's also my engineer.
I do not have an engineering background.
I was a teacher.
So I come up with a creative idea.
I go to my husband and say, I want to build this.
And he's the one that has to remind me of, you know, just physics and center of gravity
and those kinds of things.
So that's amazing that you have that engineering background.
So you've got the creativity and you've got the engineering background to actually, you know,
see things through with me.
Sometimes I need to be real, because I'm looking to do something that's just not physically
possible.
Amory, that's not gonna work.
Yeah, yeah, I definitely need that.
That's so true.
Where do you get your flowers?
So interestingly enough, because I didn't know anything about this business, I knew nothing
about the business.
I had to learn where to get flowers.
How to preserve them so that, you know, when the clients get their flowers, they're not,
how to, you know, arrange, like some stems need when they're cut, they need to be burnt
at the bottom so that their sap doesn't leak out and into the arrangement.
So there's care for each single stem.
I didn't really know the difference between Adalia and Adazee.
Again, I had to learn everything about the business.
And particularly I had to learn about the ins and outs of perishability, because, you
know, you can't make a flower arrangement, you know, a week ahead to plan for, you've got
to be making them two days the day of or one day before.
Right.
So anyway, what was the question?
I know I'm getting to it.
Where do you get your flowers?
Okay, where do I get my flowers?
So I have since learned that we get flowers via the wholesaler who has connections to a
lot of farms in Central America and in the United States.
But I have also since learned that there are so many wonderful flower farms right here in
Chester County.
And a lot of these flower farms are women owned and I love to support them.
And usually the flowers are much more delicate.
They don't have as long as shelf life as the stuff that's coming out of Central America
because obviously you've got the time from you, you've got them, packed them, shipped them,
going through customs.
No water for five days and then the client gets them.
But so the flowers grown in Chester County are a little bit more delicate and not as
hardy as what's grown internationally.
But I like to use as much local stuff as possible.
And I do a lot of foraging too.
And I think my designs are so different and definitely including elements that are not typically
included.
I'll go into my backyard.
I'll go into the neighbor's yard.
I will go into the other neighbors yard.
And forage for stuff that really would provide that a wow factor.
The day that we did this style shoot in your yard, I remember there were, and forgive my
ignorance because I know nothing about flowers.
There were these beautiful little brown, wispy, fall looking stems that I remember you and
Sukey picking a few of those and adding those to the vase of campus.
I thought, wow, that was so cool.
Yeah.
And it worked.
Improvised.
And always, it's always like, okay, that doesn't work.
Go, go, you know, just do.
Absolutely.
Don't ponder.
So I have had the pleasure of seeing the marvelous workspace that you have at your home.
Can you talk to me about how that came to be?
Yes.
Okay.
So we had originally thought we were going to be in a warehouse.
Okay.
That was free COVID.
And then COVID hit, obviously changed the business model, changed a lot of things.
And then I got this brilliant idea, well, let's convert our three car garage into a zero
car garage so that we can now really, really work in this studio.
And it's a beautiful studio.
We've completely pinched out my family.
I mean, my husband has a little teeny closet, but that's it.
And then, yeah, so the workspace is dying.
Yeah, it's so great.
It's gorgeous.
It was definitely one of the things when I came here that I was so, I was just in all of
and I remember taking a video and showing my husband because I work out of my home.
And so, you know, much like you, I've taken over the basement completely, except for the
gym, my son and my husband like to work out so I can't touch that little room.
But I've taken over all of the basement.
And the garage is where I do a lot of my refinishing.
So I'm so envious that you have this space, I have to pull the cars out or if the cars are
not in the driveway, you know, just by happenstance, it's amazing because I feel like I have a space.
So you have an enviable workspace in that garage area and it's stunning.
One of these days, I'm going to move my bed down there.
Yeah, I love it so much.
Yeah.
So you've already had a business before starting Steel Orchid, but different Steel Orchid is
definitely different.
What are some things about being in this floral design industry that maybe you weren't
anticipating when you started?
That's interesting.
I'd say the biggest challenge that I had starting this was I had to learn every thing.
One of the things that really helped me was during COVID, I found a master and I studied
under her for three months because I needed internal validation.
I knew I was good, but I wanted to make sure I was good.
And so that really, I knew that I had to educate myself.
You know, I was educated in the other business by schooling and of course 25, no, excuse me,
35 years of being in the environmental industry.
This one, I was such an infant and YouTube, you know, books, anything, a merciless, like,
merciless myself.
But I think owning a business previously really gave me the confidence to say, well, I did
then.
Why can't I do?
I don't know, a thing about flowers, but you know, a lot of the management principles, organization,
there were translatable.
But it's just been being a business one, my wasn't afraid to spend money.
And I wasn't afraid to take risks.
That's what helped me.
Okay.
So what are you enjoying most about this business?
Being in this business?
I wake up every morning and if it's a design day, I'm like, woohoo, and it truly brings me
100% joy.
Whereas the other business, you know, if a client's calling, I'm like, why are you calling?
I don't want to do biology and engineering anymore.
But so my passion, this right now, it's fun as hell.
And I'm meeting great people.
And industry leaders and meeting, you know, just just so fine.
You're having a good time.
I am totally and to be able to kind of use the other side of my brain, whatever side
left it is.
I don't know what it is.
It is just so, who wouldn't have fun creating every day?
And making money.
Yeah.
Right.
Doing something you love being creative and making money.
Yeah.
That's so true.
Perfect.
So, I'm really happy with that.
I'm really happy with that.
I'm really happy.
I'm really happy about that.
I've been working on this business for a long time.
I've been working on it for a long time.
So, it sounds like with this Kimmel Center event, this is going to be huge.
I can't wait to see what you do.
Talk to me about maybe another event that you've done.
You've just had to really knock it out of the park and you made some kind of floral display
that you're just really super proud of.
One of the things that I had just mentioned was a bride wanted an archway on the side of
a building.
I'm like, "Okay, you've come to the right person.
I'll figure it out."
And we ended up constructing with the use of chicken wires, zip ties, whatever to make
this archway and it was 22 feet wide and 11 feet tall on either side.
And it took over, I think it was 1500 stems of white flowers as well as many, many, many,
many trips to forage to get green.
And many boxes coming from Wild Smilax, which is a type of vine that we use in our beautiful,
provides wonderful wines, but greenery and it lasts outside of water.
So we did this display and I'm telling you, my mission is each and every bride who goes
into their event to go, "Oh, my God."
That's the reaction we want to have each and every time.
So when the guests came in to this archway on the side of the building and the exterior
and it was 95 degrees that day.
So three days to construct.
First day, the actual armature with the chicken wire, the second day, greening it up and then
the third day putting in the blooms.
We were nervous that the blooms would wilt.
So we had hoses out there spraying them right before the ceremony.
But when the bride walked down, the aisle she was like, "Oh my God, I've never, never,
success."
Yeah.
So that's one example of the stuff that we do.
That's wonderful.
Yeah.
So what are some of the core values that you think still work in as a business embodies?
I treat my brides and my customers the way I would want to be treated and I have no hesitation
to say, "Oh no, no, no, I don't think you want that.
Let's don't spend your money there."
So I think that I bring honesty.
The other values is, "I am hustler."
Hustle, hustle, hustle, and I'll do anything and everything to make that event just perfect.
We're not a dump and run florist.
We're there until everything is perfect.
Other core values.
Just hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle and work really hard to make sure that it's the vision
that we're presenting is the vision that we were tasked to do.
Absolutely.
So it sounds like in working with florals, there are some inherent challenges, what I'm
hearing you say.
So aside from those challenges that you're having just in the actual dealing with the
flowers, what are some challenges that you're facing in this business?
If there are any.
Yeah, there's, it's transportation and perishability is timing of when you're getting your flowers,
timing of when you're making your flowers, try not to get a divorce from your husband
when you're loading the trucks.
Trying not to get a divorce when you're unloading the trucks.
I tell you, that is, I cannot watch anymore.
I cannot watch when the flowers are going into the trucks.
It's just best for me not to be there.
And really transporting it from point A to point V, so if nothing is falling, nothing
is tipping, nothing is wilting, nothing that with a highly perishable thing that we're dealing
with, that is the biggest challenge I think.
Yeah, a lot of logistical challenges there.
So what is the process?
How does someone contact you and how do you go from that first initial contact to them
having that, oh my gosh, moment when they walk in?
So let's take, for example, a wedding.
Hopefully the brides get their venue, get their dress and then they come and get their
florist.
And we're talking about a year to a year and a half prior to the vet.
So I like to tell my brides that they've got their flower mom for a year and a half or
a year.
We are working through every little decision that the bride is making, the color of the
tablecloth to match the florals.
What about this?
What about that?
We are involved in a lot of their daily decisions, even though it's not floral related.
But we want to make our flowers shine as great as possible.
So if there is a teal tablecloth and the florals are teal, ooh, not going to look good.
So anything to elevate my flowers, of course, I'm going to provide that service.
We develop playbooks, which I was an athlete growing up.
So I understand the word playbook.
So let's just say the Eagles are playing.
They've got their game plan for that Sunday.
We have our game plans for each event that we do.
And that translates, every floral area we are touching, every moment.
I call an arrangement a moment.
Every moment that we are doing from the cake flowers, from each table scape to the candle
frequency to where we put the budvases and what they look like.
That is captured in our playbook.
And the visual for the bride, she knows what stems we're using, what color stems we're using,
how many in each floral moment.
So we have a recipe for each and every thing that we're making.
We can't make something without a recipe because how can you order?
Just like making cookies.
You need to know, I need a couple of flowers.
Just the same way that I need to know how many stems of roses do I need?
And so before we're even at game day, we need to know, put it in our flower order a month
in advance.
And I need to know what my recipes are for each thing that we touch.
And these playbooks are wonderful for the brides who are not visual brides.
To see their day.
I'm folding before it unfolds.
So that I hope was a security stroke to answer your question.
Yes.
So when you present them, so let me back up.
So someone comes to you, sometimes they have an idea of what they want.
It sounds like sometimes they need a little help.
And that I would imagine that's where you come in.
Hey, did you think about these colors?
Yes.
Or do you feel that your clients, I'm sure you enjoy it the most when you have that freedom?
But do you think that most of your clients come to you with the intent of giving you that
freedom to create their floral designs?
Or do they have very specific ideas about what they want?
And they're pretty rigid in that.
That is a great question because I get brides who know exactly what they want.
They've been dreaming of this day since they were 10 years old.
And they have a picture in their mind what the day is going to look like.
They know the flowers.
They have elaborate Pinterest boards.
Yes.
Always.
Yes.
And they know the palettes and they know what the girls' dresses are going to look like in
the suits.
And that's wonderful when the brides know what they want.
Sometimes with the flowers I have to make some suggestions and say, hey, let's swap out here
and here.
Let's introduce a little color here.
But then again, the other brides who have not visualized it in their mind come to me as
a blank slate and say, here's this space.
What would you do with it?
I love that.
I love both ways.
And I love the brides that actually trust me and say, okay, I've seen your work.
I know what you can do.
Create something for me.
Now, if there are budgets allowed, I'll do it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That was going to be my next question.
So when folks come to you and you work up whatever it is that they were looking for or
they've given you the autonomy to come up with a design, when you sit down to talk price,
do you find that?
Obviously, this is not for everyone.
But how do you handle those situations where there's an element of sticker shock?
Yeah.
Usually, prices that people have a very hard time dealing with that and don't want to
offend anybody.
You were like, I don't want to talk about money.
I don't.
You know what?
I've been in business.
I have to.
Haggle.
And so I have no troubles talking about price.
But where we have evolved is we now have a minimum because I cannot produce the look that
I want for that wow factor for less than I get this call all the time.
Hi shared.
Hi steel orchid.
We are having 300 in our wedding.
We have 10 in our bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen and I want an archway and I want this and I
want that and our budget is 1000.
Well, not going to work.
Nope.
Not going to work.
So our budgets are minimums now are 6000 but our average wedding is over 10 at this point
in time.
So the master that I studied under her floral budget started 50.
Wow.
Yeah.
I want to be in that early.
I want to be in the high end luxury.
While I'm getting my feet wet and learning and doing, I mean, we can produce a beautiful wedding
for 10.
So and it's flowers are a luxurious item.
And a lot of people can't afford that.
So steel orchid is not for everybody.
I'm not going to lessen my look because this is my report card.
Most of my clients for each event that we have, I will get two weddings from.
And so this is my, this is my, this is your portfolio.
It is my portfolio.
And I got to make it good because if I want two weddings from that one wedding, I want
to be good.
Yeah, absolutely.
I'm finding with my own business just the, the, I'm very transparent about the pricing
of items on my website.
I wasn't always like that, but just I've learned over the last few years that it's easier
to just this is the price and it saves time.
So someone knows, okay, this couch is $125 and they already know that that's not something
they want to spend.
It saves me time from them contacting me for a quote and then me having to tell them
it's $125 and then say, oh, it's not within my, so the, but the delivery piece is the challenge
that I'm having right now giving people the quote for delivery because it's not, I don't
think people understand like you were just talking about the logistics, which is far greater
of an issue for you with flowers.
I don't mean to make a direct comparison, but just the logistics of the, the, the truck
and your time and loading it.
It's, it's a lot.
So I know for me that, that's a difficult, that's a challenge I'm having in my businesses,
just the price conversation, the budget conversation and getting people to realize, like you said,
I mean, things, things cost money.
And you know, it just is what it is and sometimes we're just not the right fit.
Exactly.
I like the way that you put that.
We're not for everybody.
Yeah.
And we go into each conversation by saying our minimum is this.
And that usually weeds them absolutely weeds them out because you know, they know what
their budgets are.
Yeah.
A lot of people don't know what have a budget or it's an educational process.
People with that particular incident that I explained about the bride saying, I have 300
people with 10 and 10 and this $9 budget, $1,000, they have no idea.
Right.
One stem cost.
Whole sale, $5.
How am I going to do a wow factor by doing that whole wedding?
You can't.
No.
And not do it.
And I've actually said to people, you're, I think you're better off, don't do it because if
you're going to do it half-assed, it looks worse than nothing.
Sure.
So yeah.
Well, that's nice that you have those honest conversations and try to steer them in a direction
that works for them.
Yep, for sure.
Yep.
Talk to me about your favorite flowers.
So what are some of your favorite flowers?
I have my favorite spring flowers and I have my favorite fall flowers.
Okay.
So, pianes love them.
I in my yard, I have three generations of pianes.
I have my husband's grandmother's pianes, my grandmother's pianes, my mother's pianes
and pianes that I've planted.
Wow.
That's a lot of different generations.
I love, love, love, the smell.
Sometimes they're too heavy for people.
I bet they ultimate, ruffle and ultimate, love them.
I love tulips.
Ah!
It's so many unique varieties of tulips and I'm not just talking about the tulips that
we might find in everybody's yard.
These are really, really unique tulips.
Okay.
And I love to reflex my flowers.
If you, I wish I had a bloom here that I could show you, but I reflex my flowers and that
is physically manipulating the petals of flowers so that they're open.
So instead of, of tulip being like this with all their, I reflex them so you can see the
interesting innards and the, the petals themselves.
I do that a lot with roses as well.
So on game day, your flowers are at the peak of, of their shine.
So that's my spring flowers, my fall flowers, dalleus, no question about it.
Dahlias, so nice.
It's great when things go really well for, you know, at an event.
Talk to me about a time when something went wrong.
I mean, have you ever had a, a panic moment?
Flowers didn't come in or you didn't have enough.
How do you handle?
How do you pivot in those situations?
Great question as well.
A lot of the things, the planning that we do upfront really eliminate that.
The recipes that we have really will always order over order, but you don't want to
over order too much because that's your profit right there.
You obviously a disaster would be an under order.
But luckily there are enough sources locally that we can just run out and give me something
to do.
We have a contract with our brides that gives us creative license to substitute flowers
that might not, that they wanted a dalleus.
They wanted a white dalleus to be in their bouquet and if we couldn't get it or if they
looked like crap the day, I received them, then we are allowed to make substitutions.
So has there been a sh*t show?
Actually I think the playbook tells us everything that we have to do.
So we are not forgetting anything, gang they were not.
So luckily I can't tell you any of the major awfulness that we have.
Well that's okay.
What I'm hearing is that you are really well prepared.
Well, well, we have to be.
I feel like right there that's a really great piece of advice for entrepreneurs, not just
in your business but just in general to really just plan well and be efficient and then the
execution is easier that way.
Well this software that we have that generates the playbooks, it has been an invaluable tool
for me to keep organized.
Otherwise there is no way I could do it.
Because if we are dealing with thousands per event, thousands of different stems to keep
track of what I need, where I need it, there is no way.
And there is a lot of other moving parts.
Where are my containers?
Sure.
You know, the materials, that's all in the playbook.
Yeah.
And it's fabulous.
So if I died tomorrow, anybody could take that playbook and recreate it.
I don't know about that.
I don't know if I found that.
Sook is pretty good.
Yeah.
My husband, not so much.
Not so much.
Not so much.
Yeah.
As far as the basis and containers, do you have all of that?
Is that something you keep in house?
Depending on the event.
If we're doing an event, an art deco event in New Jersey coming up and I've had to procure
really art deco vases.
I wouldn't necessarily have that.
But we do keep standard vases.
Sure.
Gold, silver, real silver, silver plate, excuse me, white.
And those we, I recycle.
My environmental background in sustainability, I really don't like throwing away a lot of
stuff.
So I like reusing some of this stuff.
And COVID totally messed up the supply chain.
So it was really hard to get vases.
So it made it allowed me to learn, okay, we've got to reuse this and we rent a lot of our
stuff to our clients.
So when you're looking for something in particular, particular style vays, where do you go to find,
are you going to thrift, antique stores, where do you look?
That's great question too.
We have this place in Malvern.
You really need to know about this.
Okay.
Called Dish Functional.
Oh, I love the name.
Ah, it is the bomb.
If I need silver, or let's just say chrome oblong balls, balls, excuse me, that I am trying
to get a particular look.
This is the first place I look is Dish Functional.
And they have procured all of their stuff through estate stales.
So really nice stuff.
So I'll use revier bowls, which are $80, $90 online, $5 a piece.
That's awesome.
And it's a present within the present.
Yeah.
Once the arrangement is done, you've got this beautiful bowl.
That's right.
So Dish Functional in Malvern.
Great.
I'm going to have to check it out.
Yeah, thank you.
So you mentioned that for every event you're getting to potential bookings from that,
to referrals from that, how are people finding you?
Is it through referrals?
Do you think is that how you're getting most of your business?
Is it Google?
Is it Instagram?
Not Google.
We are, I am a fanatic about Instagram.
And I think that that is our, my target audience is 25 to 35.
My next group is the age group after that 35 to 45.
And then it really falls off.
So I need to target my marketing strategy to my audience Instagram.
I don't really do TikTok and I really have to start doing TikTok because a lot of the
brides are shopping through TikTok.
Okay.
Don't know how they're doing that.
But Instagram is a really great way to showcase what we're all about.
So what we're doing a lot of that.
Doing a lot of networking in events.
I am exploring right now having social influencers wearing our products, wearing our tattoos.
We have an upcoming event where we are outfitting not only the editor in chief in a floral tattoo
for the event where thousands of people will be, but also we will have models in the audience
wearing our florals.
So hopefully that's going to create a buzz and people say, where are those florals from?
Still organ, that's right.
Still organ.
I do a lot of self promotion.
I'm not afraid to ask for a follower.
And just this, you know, networking this way is valuable.
Definitely.
So how do you get your, a lot of Instagram.
Sometimes I'll get DMs and I'll say, well, you know, let's carry on the conversation email
because DMs are difficult.
They get lost.
Sometimes I don't see them.
But a lot of it is referrals and Google, since I've changed my website, I move to a different
platform.
I'm seeing when I look at the analytics, I'm seeing more hits, more people are finding me.
So that's, you know, that's always a help.
But a lot of it is word of mouth.
I find.
I mean, it's really important.
And like you said, networking.
I know someone who knows someone that does this.
So all of that is, you know, really helpful.
Speaking of exposure, I saw that you were on channel six.
Can you talk to us about that?
Sure.
It was really fun experience.
Channel six came to our work room.
They wanted to see a demonstration of how we actually use local flowers and how we put
these things together.
But also, they wanted to see what exactly was involved in floral tattoos.
And what floral tattoos are, they are actually fresh flowers applied to the skin via tape underneath.
So we apply on a very micro level, very small flowers to KT tape, which is kinesiology tape,
which the athletes.
Oh, right.
Right.
So we will, depending on if someone says I have an event at the Met, and I'm wearing a black
dress and I'd really like to accentuate my shoulders, we will design customally a free
form floral tattoo to go with the dress.
So let's just say she wanted her shoulders done.
We might do an applet here and here and then sneaking down the arm.
It's very labor intensive making these tattoos in the regards that we're dealing with micro.
If we just say hydrangea, you know that that's a big head, but we take it apart and we use
each petal.
And that's the micro that I'm looking for.
Anything that's unique when somebody is looking at your arm, that's a, look at that.
We see little balls in there.
Where are those balls from?
You know, and it could be pokeweed or a leaf from Pakistan or something like that.
Now what we're doing for the upcoming event, one of the models, she is an influencer.
She is wearing a tight dress, green, short with ruffles on the sides and it's green because
it's going, she has two events, one, this party, but also Eagles game.
Okay.
So she wants a green and white tattoo that not only matches her dress, but is also a nod
to the Eagles.
Okay.
So we're doing green and white for her.
Cool.
Yeah.
I saw at some point a while back, you had posted this stunning picture of it was a floral
bra, essentially.
And I guess the process is similar totally, totally, yeah, okay, yeah, yeah.
But all we're looking for is a medium for the flowers to stick on to.
We could stick it directly onto the fabric, but it works best if I put the KT tape on
where we're sticking it and put on the, put on the flowers.
I think what you're referring to.
It was strapless.
I think it was, it was just, it was a boosty.
Yes, it was.
Yes.
And it was amazing.
Yes.
It was gorgeous.
And trying to convince people to, to wear that, you know, it's, it's a little hard sell
because it's, that's more New York.
Yeah.
And we're trying to retrain the, the marketplace.
Yeah.
It was really, it was gorgeous.
I loved it.
Um, so what are some pieces of advice that you would give to particularly women getting
into the events industry?
Um, I mean, specifically, you know, you're a floral designer.
So if you want to make sure that your advice is pointed toward getting into that vein
of the events industry, that's fine.
But what are some, you just feel like invaluable pieces of information that you could pass on
as being, I mean, this, this is your second successful business.
So I feel like you would be a really great person to answer that question.
What are some pieces of advice for these women?
Yeah.
Don't be afraid.
I think, um, you see a lot of florists out there that are producing the same thing time
and time again.
And it's comfortable doing that.
You've got to not be afraid to take a risk and acclulate a risk because if your risk, uh,
to do a dance floor for wedding was totally, uh, you didn't try it out beforehand.
That would be a friggin disaster on game day.
Yeah.
Um, but take a risk, um, and, you know, never, never, never in.
Are you really?
If a bride wants this, um, yeah, let's do it.
Let's say yes.
And we'll figure it out as we go along.
Um, I, I, I think confidence is everything.
And if you are confident and carry your, your shoulders back and your tits up, I always say
to you, yeah, that is my motto.
I saw that on your website and I love it.
To you is, you know, if you're down and out, it shows if you're confident and your tits
are up.
Wow.
I want to work with her.
Yeah.
Um, and I think going into a crowded room when you don't know anybody and just exude yourself
with that confidence and say, hi, I'm sure it's still, you know, I'm from steel orchid.
I'd love for you to follow me and create a buzz.
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there.
Yeah.
And a lot of people are afraid of the no, you know what?
That just brings me closer to the yes.
Mm-hmm.
If I get your no, I'll get her yes.
Yeah.
I love that.
Yeah.
Oh.
So what's next for steel orchid?
Oh, you're just, I'm just starting.
Are you, I mean, the business is going so well.
So what, what is next for you?
I want people to, you know how there's iconic names in the industry.
And you know the names.
I want people to be able to say, all right, I've got my venue, I've got my dress.
I got a lock in steel orchid because before she's busy because we're only going to be
taking a limited amount of weddings per year.
And when I say limited, I'm talking about 25 to 30 weddings per year.
Okay.
Doesn't sound like a lot.
It is a lot, a lot, a lot because there was logistically so much to do.
And then of course we do events during the week.
Sure.
Obviously the corporate events during the week to fill in.
But I literally want steel orchid to be the premiere, go to florals for big events.
Yeah.
I really want to get into hotel art.
I can know how hotels have these spectacular, these high-end hotels have these spectacular
things as you walk in.
Oh, yeah, that's me.
Just, I'd love to do a lot more runway work outfitting, you know, models with huge head
dresses of florals or florals anywhere on the body.
I'd love to do more retail windows, you know, voids windows or want to make, you know, just,
you know, going by and seeing like, I want to go into that store.
That's what I want to do.
So I want big, big, big, big.
I love it.
Yeah.
Yeah, you're thinking big and I know what's going to happen for you.
I hope so.
Yeah, for sure.
I know.
All right.
So I am so glad that you sat down with me.
I want you to remind everyone how they can contact you.
Yes.
They can contact steeleorchid.com or mostly on Instagram, which is @steeleorchid
Do you have a contact form on your website that folks can use?
Yep.
Okay, perfect.
All right.
So I'm going to circle back to the question at the beginning about your signature
cocktail or mocktail.
Okay.
So this is the only question I came prepared.
Okay.
And my cocktail is called Badass Bitch Martini.
Oh my god.
I love it.
And it consists of three ounces of the top, top, top shelf vodka.
Like really, really, really expensive good vodka.
It has to be.
One ounce of, don't take no for an answer.
Okay.
All right.
You got to have that in there.
Got to have it.
One dash of bitters.
Mm-hmm.
One ounce of, don't take shit from anybody.
Okay.
One ounce is simple syrup to kind of take the edge of the bitterness all sweetness.
Yeah.
Sprinkle red pepper flakes for spiciness.
Okay.
Stir it up.
Get it all together.
And then you have a little little edible, little edible flowers.
Or, you know, whatever, you know, whatever you want to do.
On top and then you've got your bad ass bitch cocktail.
I love it.
Yeah.
Wow.
What a recipe.
You do love a recipe.
Woo-hoo.
All right.
So let's close things out with a toast.
What should we drink to?
Um, it's tremendous success in the future.
I love it.
Yep.
Cheers.
You're wonderful.
No, you're wonderful.
That was great.
I love it.
Woo-hoo.
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