We had the good fortune of connecting with Jamey Howe and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jamey, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
As my mom always said, “You have to risk it to get the biscuit!”
Greatness will not come from staying inside of your comfort zone. You have to take risks if you want to create greatness in your life. I am certainly more of a calculated risk taker myself, but I will take the risk nonetheless.
Starting my own business was I think the first big risk I ever took on myself. I was betting on my own abilities and that was so tough for me, but I am SO glad I did, and so grateful it brought me here!
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 have always been a creative person, but falling into this profession was such a wild ride. I started working with Wood flowers in the beginning of 2021 as I prepared for our fall wedding later that year. I knew that I wanted a flower alternative and I had heard of wood flowers before, but I had never worked with them personally. I did a little bit of research and quickly decided this was definitely in my realm and I wanted to give it a try. About $500 later, I had all of the flowers done for my entire wedding! One bridal bouquet, 12 bridesmaids bouquets, 16 boutonnieres, five corsages, a flower crown, a giant floral, arch piece, and hundreds of extra flowers for decorating. I was so proud of that accomplishment and the compliments I received from all my guests was the push I needed to do this for real.
I ended up starting a TikTok page for my flowers and I VERY quickly went viral. I had hundreds of brides in my DMs asking if I could make their wedding florals. That paired with the support of my friends and family, it was just a no brainer.
I have learned so many valuable lessons along this journey, but I wouldn’t change one single second of it. I am so lucky to be able to help support my family doing something I truly love doing.
Something I want people to understand about my business is that every single set of florals I make is 100% custom. It takes me months to complete each wedding order because I do every single step by hand. I take so much pride in my work, and everything is made with love. I hope every single bride feels that when they receive their wedding flowers!
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?
I absolutely love living just outside of Orlando! There is so much to do and see, you will never get bored. You obviously have to visit the parks, Seaworld has always been my favorite. You also have to see the natural springs! We live five minutes from literal paradise. If you travel just 30ish minutes outside of Orlando you’ll find a ton of quaint little towns that are like stepping into a Time Machine. Mt. Dora is my favorite by far; amazing food, drinks, shopping, and an awesome farmers market every weekend. There’s definitely something for everyone here!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I first want to thank my Dad. He is as straight forward as it comes, and when I asked if he thought I could make a successful business out of my wood flowers, his response of “I don’t know why you haven’t already” was all the confidence I needed to take a risk on myself.
Secondly, I need to thank my incredibly supportive husband. He’s always supported my crazy dreams, but to take on full financial responsibility for our family while I got my business off the ground was so brave, and I wouldn’t be here without him!
Website: https://www.foreverfloralsfl.com
Instagram: @foreverfloralsfl
Facebook: @foreverfloralsfl
Other: TikTok: @foreverfloralsfl
Image Credits
MCNFilms
Mike Moon Studio
Brit and Bean Photography
K Black Photography
Ashley Palmer Photo
Dash for KJ Photography
Dovetail Photo
Lakin Nicole Photography