Hidden Gems: Meet Elizabeth Kay-Sherrard of Elizabeth Rose Florals

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Kay-Sherrard.

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

I took a nonlinear, less traditional path to get where I am today. My interest in florals spawned from childhood memories in my mom’s garden and my love of gardening. Flowers and nature have always brought me absolute joy. But, I never envisioned a creative outlet becoming a large part of my career path.

My first job out of college was in corporate high tech and then I transitioned to academia. I held an analytics position in corporate high-tech and a managerial position in academia. While working full-time, I was always doing something creative as a hobby. I started by freelancing for established florists and I immediately fell in love with the people, process, and industry. I am forever grateful to the supportive floral community, especially the florists who took a chance on me!

After dipping my toes in the floral industry, I decided it was time to jump in, take a risk, and start my own business. I launched my business and have not looked back since. I guess my parents were on to something when they decided my middle name should be after my Great Aunt Rose!

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

As with any new journey, there have certainly been struggles throughout the process but the values and lessons learned have far outweighed the struggles themselves. I’ve had an eclectic career path. I graduated with my Bachelor of Science degree and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my career right away. I’m grateful for every path I’ve taken because it’s led me to where I am now.

While the business end of the floral industry was admittedly a steep learning curve, my vast knowledge of flowers from years of gardening has been invaluable. My passion lies in creating unique combinations of color, texture, and form that embody the couple’s vision. That passion is what buoys me forward no matter what obstacles arise. It is fun to look back on when I first started my business to see what challenges presented themselves and how I overcame these hurdles. I am so grateful for my family and friends who have supported me through this journey and it means the world when someone trusts me to design for them.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

Elizabeth Rose Florals brings people’s visions to life with unique, handcrafted designs for weddings and events. Floristry is art and I feel deeply fulfilled when couples trust me to design their wedding florals for a day that they will remember forever. Wedding florals enhance the ambiance of the celebration itself and they are also captured in photos and memories forever.

I take my role very seriously because florals are featured so prominently, for example, on arbors. It’s extra special when brides send me photos of their bridal bouquet after the wedding once they have had it dried and framed. To me, that means the flowers were such a special part of their day that they want to cherish their flowers for as long as possible. It makes all my behind-the-scenes work of washing buckets and heavy lifting worth it!

I am most proud of the sustainable aspect of my business. I use locally grown, seasonal flowers as much as possible. Seasonal flowers have the added bonus of annually reminding the couple of their special day when those flowers are in bloom. Also, I avoid floral foam which is not good for the environment. In my opinion, big change takes baby steps and happens over time. It feels good to be working towards a better future for Mother Nature. I look forward to continuing to incorporate newer and more sustainable practices and approaches into my business.

I want readers to know that I love meeting clients wherever they are. I provide free consultation calls and if someone knows exactly what they want, that is a perfect time for me to learn more about their ideas and vision. If someone has no idea what they want, I partner with him or her to offer input and help the client decide on a vision that makes them happy. We can talk through so many different possibilities and I offer my expertise to help them reach their goals.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?

I have a Master of Arts in Counseling which has helped me fine-tune my listening skills. Deep listening and empathy skills come in so handy when collaborating with clients about what they genuinely envision and want for their event.

Going from a career in corporate high tech to academia and then owning my own business in floristry is certainly a unique path and experience. The diverse set of skills that I’ve learned through my various careers have complimented the set of skills I have acquired as a florist. I am excited to continuously share my skills and knowledge of floristry to create truly remarkable events for all of my clients.

Contact Info:

• Email: elizabeth@elizabethroseflorals.com
• Website: www.elizabethroseflorals.com
• Instagram: @elizabethroseflorals

Image Credits
Shannon Strong Photography, Makeup: Sana Hasan, Matlai Photography, Primrose Glam Bridal, Perla Bridal Las Vegas, Perla Bridal Denver, Model: Madison Pickrel, Mad Merry Photo, Paige Weber Photography, and Moriah Lynn Photo