Tips on Becoming a Freelance Florist

Why I Love Freelancing:

The value - you learn so many new skills. Every team is different, every venue is new, which means a whole new skill set you can be exposed to with every booked job.

Making yourself available globally opens up so many opportunities. I’ve been able to travel and work abroad doing what I love. It’s a pretty amazing gig. And they need more talented designers out there. 

3 Thing You Need:

• Flexibility - You’ll be working with so many new teams in new environments, be flexible! You have to be willing to start at the bottom if needed and work your way up. Things change quickly in freelance, by the end of the day, you could have a new role. The plan and team are always evolving.

• A Business Setup- Every state and country is different, but in California, as a freelancer, you are a business owner. That means setting aside your taxes accordingly and having business insurance and paying for your health insurance. 

• Creativity - There will be times when you need to make something out of nothing or work in the rain on 10-foot ladder. Creativity will help you make the most of any situation. 

Steps To Start:

Have some experience with flowers under your belt. You can start out freelancing without experience but it's going to be a slower process. I started in a shop and that gave me the foundation to build upon. I was able to enter freelancing at a higher rate (which makes the drawbacks of freelancing more doable)

Reach out to EVERYONE! Get that resume looking sharp, portfolio ready, and email it to as many designers as possible. Don’t be intimidated by someone’s work. They are just people like you and me. Anything is achievable.

Do a deep dive into social media. Find out who your dream team is. Check to see who they have tagged on their social media posts. You can find other freelancers this way and vendor that they work with. It’s a great way to get connected to the network.

Do not support someone who doesn’t support you. As a freelancer, you are providing a valuable asset to a brand. Don’t sell yourself short. If you start working with a team that puts you down, has a toxic work environment, or doesn’t align with your value, leave. I have seen too many of my designer friends get sucked into a toxic work environment, and get stuck there. Get out early. Don’t let your skills lead to their success. 

Be willing to work hard. Cleaning buckets and flowers is the name of the game. Long hours and early mornings. And you have to hustle, time is not our friend in events. But the payoff is getting to create something that you love and that brings others so much joy.

Make connections. Connect with the vendors, and teams at every company you work with. This will keep your calendar full and make work worthwhile!

Taxes. Making the switch to being self-employed is a big one. Seek out professional advice and set aside your taxes.

If you want to travel:

• Start by looking at luxury designers around the world. Luxury brands can afford to hire you pretty much right away because they need huge teams to execute their events. You can branch out after getting those initial gigs and connections.

• Look into your visa options. If you’re going to be working in a foreign country, you will need a working permit, unless the company that hires you is in the same country you are based. Visas can be affordable and a pretty straight forward process. Don’t be intimidated. But plan on spending at least several months in the country if you’re going to invest the time and money into a visa.

• Stay in touch with all of the companies and teams you work with. You never know when one day they will need a helping hand.  

If you have any questions or need some more advice, comment below or email me directly at Kayla.m@gatheredthebrand.com ! I wish you all success in your journey!

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A Floral Company’s Rebrand During a Pandemic ( Aka Time to Pivot - Again)

Welcome to the new brand! This launch is a true labor of love. So many hours poured into this. Helping hands from freelancers, friends and family. Built on a shoestring budget because you know, economic collapse and all. But let's rewind a bit, and start at the beginning.

GATHERED

EVENTS| STYLING| RETREATS |CURATED COLLECTIONS

“A big thank you to my inspiring friends all over the globe who are handling this pandemic with grace and continue to check on me. And a bigger thank you to my family, who has been patient with me through my wine, cake and crying phase. You helped shape this brand, and told me when to put the laptop down. You put a roof over my head and have given me unlimited support. Words are not enough to thank you.”

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Kayla Montalvo. I am the owner and the designer behind House of Magnolias (now Gathered). I started my floral business 9 years ago. While my business has taken many forms, I’ve spent the last few years freelancing as a luxury floral designer. It’s been the most rewarding & challenging work of my life. 

The work eventually brought me to Australia. California and Sydney have opposite design seasons, and I was able to secure freelance work while my business has some down time. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. 

Australia felt like home. The people were kind and warm. The sights were incredible. The botanical elements were unreal. 

And then a passion project (wellness retreats) turned into a second brand in 2019. After a trip to Bali, I met Holly Sloof and we started the Glow Retreat House - Bali. With plans to have our first retreat June 2020. 

Well we know that 2020 has turned out to be a dumpster fire of a year thus far (stolen quote from colleague haha).The retreats were cancelled. And  all of my freelance work for the year lost.  My business in California, all the weddings and events, cancelled or postponed. I left Australia, and returned to the states empty handed. Both companies at a stand still.  Luckily I had my health and family to be grateful for. Luxuries that many haven’t had during these trying times.

I spent some time grieving, I ate too much cake and red wine. And then, after giving myself just enough time to let go of old expectations of my future, I decided it was time to pivot- yet again. 

Our dreams are bigger than ourselves and our purpose remains. Even in times such as these, I think that there is still a need for beauty. I have a women owned business and employees, mostly women, from all over the world - that needed work just as much as I do. When it felt almost pointless to try to resume business as normal, I just looked outside of myself for inspiration. Other women in my insutstry out there, doing what they could, to keep their shops open, employees paid, and their families fed.  My purpose was clear, bring some beauty back into the world, bring people together, and empower others to do the same.  

We may not be able to physically gather yet. And that’s okay because the safety and wellbeing of our loved ones is paramount. But we can still find ways to connect, celebrate and be inspired.  So we went digital! 

Gathered sells a variety of items guaranteed to bring you joy, all available online. We also have virtual services that you can now book directly through our site.  Check out our virtual plantscaping design services or our monthly succulent subscription. 

I’m looking forward to connecting with you all, vrtually and someday in person. I can’t wait to be inspired by what you all bring to the table, and what I, in return, can give back to you. I hope you love the new brand, inspired by my time spent in Australia and the Mediterranean. 

A big thank you to my inspiring friends all over the globe who are handling this pandemic with grace and continue to check on me. And a bigger thank you to my family, who has been patient with me through my wine, cake and crying phase. You helped shape this brand, and told me when to put the laptop down. You put a roof over my head and have given me unlimited support. Words are not enough to thank you.

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Stuck In Self Doubt, From A Creative's Point of View

Any other florists or creatives wondering how they are going to get through the rest of this season? September has always seemed to be a draining month for myself and my floral design colleagues. In Sydney Australia, we’re gearing up for spring and many of my freelance designer buddies are anxious and doubtful. They are wondering if their work will be good enough this year to compete with all the new talent or be hired back another season. The past two Septembers, back in California, we were drained from a busy summer wedding season. We still had a full fall schedule to jump into. However, team confidence was low. It was unnerving to watch the most talented people in the industry walk into the studio looking defeated. Negative feedback from clients, bosses, or other designers had gotten to the best of us. It had left even the most senior of designers, hesitating to jump back into designs. I had several chats, in person and over social media, with designers who felt stuck in their self doubt. Pulling from my personal struggles and experiences, I tried to offer any counsel that I could.

Going back, when I was in my mid twenties, I had a major life shift that graciously gave me the inner strength I have today. My boyfriend and I had been together since right after highschool. We’d been living together for about 5 years. One day he shared he was unhappy and felt he was holding me back. He wasn’t. However, I was aligning myself with a life that kept me limited and I was holding myself back. I couldn’t admit that then. After we ended our relationship, I had to figure out who I was. He was a cornerstone that I felt lost without. I had to reflect on all the paths that had lead me to this point of feeling small in the world and lost without him.

I could clearly see key moments in my life where I had doubted and limited myself. When I was 19 I knew I wanted to be in the floral industry. But I told myself, “I will never be the best floral designer, so I won’t even try. I could maybe run a business and employ a better designer”. And then I held myself back again in college. My mentors pushed me to ask for more design work at my job in a floral boutique. But I felt so uncomfortable calling myself a designer, so I waited until I was asked. In 2013 we moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles. I sent my resume to my dream event designers. But I never pursued it with my full heart. I didn’t even follow up. So I stayed where I was comfortable, in a small environment, for too long. An offer to be a creative director for a floral and event design company landed in my lap. But uprooting my life and taking that risk, seemed too bold. So I turned it down. I limited myself in my career and that was seeping into other areas of my life.

I looked at all those moments, and many others, where I had chosen to stay small in the world and listened to my self doubt. All those self defining moments were a product of my fears. I was terrified of failing and my creative expressions being rejected. I was terrified I wouldn’t be enough, and in more areas than just my career. I didn’t know what I was meant to do, but I didn’t want to not do things because I was afraid.

I had a lot less to lose and needed to find out what was on the other side of my fear. This meant making big changes. I moved out of my comfort zone to San Diego. This was a better environment for me with a great support system. I let go of my self limiting belief that I wasn’t good enough. I tried to identify any fear based choices and coached myself on being brave. Quickly, I was working for dream companies with the beautifully talented designers. They became my family. I moved into an apartment that I loved and paid for myself. This was something I doubted I’d be able to do after splitting costs with a partner all my adult life.

For the next year, I tried to carry that courage and boldness with me into the world even further. It’s lead me to a life beyond my dreams. I’m designing in Sydney, Australia with more creatives than I’ve ever worked with before. I’m more confident and passionate about design than ever. I’m blessed to be surrounded by loving, supportive creatives all over the world. We lift each other up when our reserves of confidence are low. One brave choice, that came from a place of self belief, led to other brave choices, and resulted in beautiful bold results.

As creatives we have many tools in our tool box. But we often don’t have to tools to identify or communicate when our fears are being triggered. Self doubt can be paralyzing. It ultimately keeps us from our calling. These are the tools I’ve gathered and try to share with anyone who is plagued with self doubt.

When you feel limited by your self doubt, identify where that comes from. For me, it all comes from a place of fear. Recognize that fear of failure, judgement, or rejection will keep us from fulfilling our calling. When you can identify it correctly, you can address it properly.

Then surround yourself with people who believe in you. Communicate with them when you are feeling most vulnerable. I tell our team often when I’m not feeling confident in any area of my life. They quickly put things in perspective for me. These positive affirmations and sense of community will cultivate the courage you need.

Take any feedback as an opportunity for growth. It’s going to be uncomfortable, because its creating change. But as creatives, we need to check the ego at the door to create honest work. At some point, a client may be unhappy. Art is subjective after all! If that happens, take a step back, and communicate with understanding, compassion, and confidence. More often than not, an unhappy client has something else going on in their personal situation. Don’t take their projections on into your self confidence.

Lastly, chose courage. Write it down as a reminder if needed. Beauty seekers want to see art and expression through your eyes. Accept your gifts, reject fear based decisions, and remember you have an obligation to share your talents with those of us that love your work. Let that calling give you strength.

Luckily, September is coming to an end. I’m sure if you look around your design space, you’ll see a friend, colleague, or employee who is struggling. They could use a reminder that you believe in their work and you see their talents. Those words just may be the ones they need to hear right now. Hopefully it will shine a light upon the blessings that are on the other side of their fears.