Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Kaufman.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I had worked in Corporate Finance for almost ten years and my heart knew I was not in the right place. After some soul searching and a lot of prayers, I decided to walk away from the career I had worked so hard for. I had always loved flowers and loved even more the joy they brought people. I took a number of classes and read many books and decided to give it a shot, to pursue my true dream of working for myself and spreading love and joy through the beauty of flowers.
I started small, doing daily arrangements for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. through word of mouth and in Year 2, I did my first couple of weddings and really found my niche. I am now in Year 5 of my business and do only wedding flowers, but continue to be in awe of how much I have grown in 5 years and how much love and joy I have been able to help create and spread.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I have been extremely lucky. Friends and family thought I was crazy starting something from nothing, but I worked hard and put customer satisfaction first. I added multiple personal touches and really tried to go above and beyond to give customers an experience they would not get elsewhere. I do feel I was able to fill an underserved area of the market – providing smaller, lower-cost florals to people who had less money in their budgets but still wanted something beautiful and special. The best part of the job is the many stories that I have collected – people tell you almost everything when ordering flowers. I could almost write a book telling stories of the love, apologies, secret admirers, and random stories. Trying to capture the message/love being sent was always the biggest challenge, but also the biggest joy!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Love Bug’s Flower Shop – what should we know?
Love Bug’s Flower Shop is a small boutique florist specializing in weddings and special events. Our goals are to take the stress out of planning by being a trusted resource, remain mindful of our clients’ budgets, and create a personalized and welcoming experience that makes our clients feel as though we have been friends for years. I am most proud of the personal connections that I create. It is just me and my husband (and a few other amazing women who help from time to time), but the couples meet me and work with me through the whole process. I pride myself on learning who they are, their love stories, what they want their perfect day to be. Truly getting to know each and every client makes every wedding day special and creates friendships that last long after the one special day. I also believe really getting to know the couples and listening/learning what they desire for their special day allows for the most beautiful, personalized florals.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My husband is the most amazing human. He supported me in walking away from my Finance career and he did not know what he was in for! He is there every weekend with me setting up these amazing flowers. He is there with his ladders and staple guns and zip-ties. I could not do this without him and he is the muscle behind this business! I also cannot thank enough the so many people that have supported me and my dream. The wedding industry is such a special group of creatives. Never have I met so many talented, driven, and extremely supportive women (and men, but mostly women). I am inspired at every wedding, every event by the amazing individuals behind the big day. And even more, I have built so many friendships and mentorships. I have never seen so many people lift one another up and get so much joy from supporting one another!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lovebugsflowershop.com
- Phone: 720-432-5486
- Email: lovebugsflowershop@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovebugsflowershop/
Image Credit:
Janelle Rose Photography, SASs Photography, Wander Often Photography, Elizabeth Ann Photography, Miss Millers Photography, Grace Gatto Photography
Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
