Meet Lauren Hayes | Floral Design & Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Hayes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was inspired to start my own business after doing a couple of weddings for close friends and family. Everyone loved the outcome and I loved the process. You know something is what you are suppose to be doing when you are making money and genuinely enjoying the every step. Having those two things combined is what sparked the idea of starting my own business. This business is not my full time job, but by being my own boss I am able to control my schedule, and really just be able to go at my own pace. I have loved every minute of this process and will continue to work to grow this business into what I want it to be.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I look at being a florist as being an artist. Every florist has their own style when creating their arrangements. I think I got to where I am today by being consistent, being myself, and listening to what my customers want. The consistency part is hard. I do not pay for any type of advertisement so my business is strictly through social media and word of mouth. So to stay consistent with posting on social media and responding to potential customers quickly is key. The biggest lesson I have learned is to give yourself grace. I based all of my orders and designs on inspirational pictures from the customer. I have to remember that pictures are not the same as real life. My biggest fear is the customer being disappointed with what I create for them. I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure that never happens. The nerves never go away. Every install day is the same, but I always forget about the outcome, Once I have finished a product with a happy customer I am reminded of why I love doing what I do. Flowers are a work of art and you are allow to put your own spin on it and call it yours.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I was going to take my friends to a fun place for good drinks, food, and hang out I would take them to downtown McKinney. There are so many options to have a drink, sit down and eat, play games, shop, eat dessert. It has something for everyone and is always a fun area to be at.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a couple of people who have helped me get to where I am today with my business. Grounded.Tx would not exist without the help from a longtime friend Kate Woodward. She is who I went into the business with, came up with the name, started our Instagram, taught me lots about flowers and how to order, and so much more. I am forever thankful for the boost to really venture out and make us experiment on our own in the wedding industry. The other person I would not have been able to do this without is my husband/accountant. He is who keeps me on track and on budget while also being my cheerleader and supporting me in whatever vision I have next to continue to grow the company.

Website: www.grounded.tx.com

Instagram: Grounded.Tx

Facebook: Grounded.Tx

Image Credits
@sarahcompton.co @alyssaaskewphotography @cactusandcoastphotography @camera_shi