Meet Trailblazer Kim Zimmerman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Zimmerman.

Kim, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in the Southeast and my gardening life started with my grandmother Gaga’s (yes, the OG Gaga) vegetable plot and prized African violets. Throughout the years, my love and curiosity about plants continued to grow – I harvested wild lilies by the creek and tried (again and again) to grow the wrong plants in the wrong places. I found joy in taking hikes full of (possibly annoying but definitely necessary) stops to look at the details of the plants. This love continued with me all through college and early adulthood but after years of some successes and many more failures, I decided more formal training was in order.

A giant move from Atlanta to Colorado meant starting from scratch as far as understanding the climate, growing conditions, and plant selections, so it was the perfect time to dive back into school. I took in many Native Plant Master classes and completed the Colorado Master Gardener training. In addition, I enrolled in floral design courses, flower farmer training, and began volunteering with the horticulture staff at Denver Botanic Gardens.

My original formal education focused on studio art and psychology. Over the years, though, my career led farther and farther from these roots and left me feeling disconnected from living a purposeful life. With some solid therapy, incredible friends, and encouragement by way of Brené Brown and Jen Sincero, I decided it was time to reconnect with my passions. Thus Rowdy Poppy was born. This is my way of diving back into design, swirling in my love of plant cultivation, and leading a sustainable and eco-friendly path for the future of floristry

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I just posted about this recently: My path has so far been fairly smooth and I chalk the majority of that up to my privileged status (white, financially stable, etc). I was able to save enough seed money to start my business without having to apply for a loan; I have been able to pay for trainings and education outright; I have a “regular” job that is extremely flexible with scheduling and a boss who is supportive of my dreams.

That being said, it is a tremendous amount of work to build this business and keep it growing. I am up well before dawn tending to the plants, I work late into the night preparing for events, and I use every free moment to maintain the rest of the business. The list of things to do is truly never-ending.

My advice for anyone starting their journey is to find a balance between research and action. This has sometimes been a struggle for me. I’ve gotten so deep into preparation and research so I can “do it right” that I ended up not doing “it” at all. At some point, you just need to take the leap and launch. It will never be perfect and you will most certainly make mistakes, but that is the most valuable training ground. Trust that every twist and turn you encounter is really a friend helping you refine your path and vision.

We’d love to hear more about Rowdy Poppy.
Rowdy Poppy’s mission is to provide unique, sustainable floral design that reminds us of our connection to the earth around us. I see the inherent beauty in the cycles of the season, the seedheads forming after the flowers, the movement of sidewalk “weeds” and I try to share all of it with my clients by bringing in unexpected materials, seasonal elements, and as much local flora as possible. Our focus on sustainable and local materials means your flowers will last longer, smell better, honor this sense of place, and have minimal impact on the environment.

Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
As I mentioned earlier, I see my privileged childhood as being a huge reason I am successful now as an adult. I come from an upper-middle-class white family who never wanted for anything. I received an excellent education and financial stepping stones that allowed me to take full advantage of financial institutions who did not discriminate against me. I have had myriad opportunities offered to me and the freedom to try on many hats over the years. I am fully supported by resources such as time, location, community, finances, transportation, etc. Yes, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished – I work very, very hard – and I also know folks with less privilege would have it 100 times harder.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rowdypoppy.com
• Phone: 303.862.0407
• Email: kimzim@rowdypoppy.com
• Instagram: @rowdypoppy
• Facebook: @rowdypoppy

 

Image Credit:
Cassie Rosch Photography, Erin Witt 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.