Meet Jessica Alfaro | Wood Floral Designer

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

Hi Jessica, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
Sometimes, times are difficult. I’m working, working, working and I don’t see the results immediately. I see building my business like raising my babies. I created it, I nurture it, stay up late, get up early and I’m starting to see it through some growing pains. I know I cant give up because it still sets my soul on fire. I’m very excited to see what my business will grow up and be. I suppose the uncertainty is what is the most difficult. I’m completely attached to Yellow City Dreams. I’m also not a quitter LOL! I honestly don’t know when it will be time to give up. I’ve been taught to maneuver and pivot my whole life. I was born to be different and push boundaries. In every failure I’ve experienced in my 34 yrs of life I’ve picked myself up and looked at my next adventure as “this time it will be different.” I’ve learned the best lessons come from failure and I know I’ll become stronger and wiser no matter what happens.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I’m a wood florist. A florist that specializes in WOOD flowers. I hand-paint them with different paints and mediums, arrange them in home decor, wedding arrangements and absolutely love utilizing them in photoshoots. The differentiator from others and what I’m known for is the attention to detail I put on my flowers, my uniqueness in bringing a vision to life, my drive and ability to think outside of the box and how soft and delicate my flowers look vs thick paint. I’m not a mass producer and don’t take on more than I can handle. I believe in quality over quantity and I make sure every order is one of a kind. This includes mixing paints and mediums to get a color that is unique to each clients order. I took a leap of faith leaving my retail career of 15 yrs. I Like many others, reserved my artistic outlet for the few quiet minutes in between my career and family. I suffered a tremendous loss. It was a pivotal point in my life and in order to fully heal I knew I had to make a change. It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. I researched, studied, experimented and tapped into my creative outlet. I found that it completely set my soul on fire. I discovered a new love and passion and knew this would be the next adventure I wanted to take. It was hard starting out and all the “no’s” are defeating at times. The financial security I had was the biggest adjustment for me. I still have obstacles I overcome but I’m in complete control over my happiness. I try to look at all the moving parts of my business in a positive light. All of the lessons and experiences I have gone through in life has made me who I am. It took me a long time to see this perspective but I believe you must bring your whole self to the table if you want to thrive in today’s society. That includes your unique set of gifts, your personality, your sense of humor, and most importantly your heart. So pulling from my earlier experiences, I decided to take the leap, start living life, enjoy quality time spent with my family and pouring my heart and soul into my own brand and vision I have for my business. I’m so unbelievably proud of how far I have came and I continue to look forward to not only the growth in my business but me as a person.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Austin is such a beautiful city! It is known for its incredible music, delicious restaurants, food trucks and scenery. The majority of our time would be spent outdoors. We would most definitely have our kiddos in tow so I would plan accordingly. Some of my favorite spots would be Emma Long lake, Volente beach, Zilker Park and Thinkery. We would go on scenic drives. In particular, City Park Road. You see the city on one side and glimpses of the Hill Country on the other. Mt. Bonnell at sunset is absolutely beautiful too! I would definitely make arrangements for our kids because I would love to take her to SOCO (South Congress). The boutiques, eateries, live music and galleries are a must see. Since tacos are life to us we would hit up one of my favorite food trucks called Tacoly-Moly to get some fish tacos. If we had room for dessert we would go to Gourdough’s Donuts. After enjoying each others company all week and sightseeing we would end our week by going downtown. Austin nightlife thrives on energy and diversity of its people. Rainey Street would be on my list. I love it because of the unique entertainment! The street is lined with historic houses converted into bars. Each house has different vibes. Don’t worry, there is more than bars, amazing food! Via 313 is my absolute favorite pizza. Banger’s is another favorite. Would you believe it if I told you they offer a tattoo on their menu? Yes! they will tattoo their logo anywhere on your body for FREE LOL! it’s a beer sausage cowboy boot. For the experience of Texas and Austin I’m absolutely positive my bestie would do it. Not to mention the story she would tell behind it.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I know its a little cliche for me to give a shoutout to my husband and kiddos but they deserve it. My high school sweetheart of 18 years has been my biggest supporter. He has breathed life into me when I didn’t even know I was lacking the air I needed to want more. Our kiddos, Ezra (9), Avaleigh (6) and little Ira (2) inspire me everyday to work hard and be creative. I absolutely love when they all join in to help me get small stuff done or when they pick up foliage, flowers and start creating their own pieces. All four of them encourage me to follow my dreams. I would also like to shoutout my friend Stacie Paris from Dallas, TX (www.stacieparis.com/with-love-from-paris-boudoir). Our businesses are completely opposite but her tenacity, artistry and her grit inspires me. Her personality is contagious and I absolutely love being around her. Not only is she my friend but she gives me great business advice when I need it. I want to thank all of the women that I have met through seasons in my life. All of these women have shown me they are warriors. They persevered through difficulties in their lives and emerged stronger each and every time. They have picked me up when I have fallen and have been my cheerleaders. Each woman has been brought into my life at the perfect time and right season. I feel that I have only scraped the surface of everything I am yet to achieve and experience personally and professionally. As I continue to grow, I’m looking forward to meeting more women that make the world a better place. Last but not least, I would like to thank all of my clients, creatives and vendors that I’ve had the the pleasure of working with. You have all profoundly changed my life and I wouldn’t be who I am without your support.

Website: www.yellowcitydreams.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yellowcitydreams

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yellowcitydreams

Other: TikTok @yellowcitydreams

Image Credits
www.stacieparis.com www.venturewithvirett.com www.gillianmenziephotography.com