Lancaster Flower Co.
Lancaster Flower Co. is located in the beautiful town of Lititz, Pennsylvania.
The business was started by Nadine Clay in January of 2016 and has continued to grow exponentially! Nadine has had a passion for flowers since she was young and has been cultured a unique style through self-teaching! By the lessons she has learned and the skills God has blessed her with, the business has grown to what it is today!
What is your business, and what is the mission behind your brand?
My Business is called Lancaster Flower Company and also has two divisions: Lancaster Flower Shop and Lancaster Balloon Company. Our mission is to create a loving and accepting environment for everyone where they can be their true selves while working with a creative team that cares about them.
What inspired you to start this business?
I never intended to start a flower company! I was a college drop-out due to losing interest in my selected field. I received comments left and right from people telling me that I would be a failure without a college degree. When I was 19, I was asked by a family friend to do the flowers for her wedding since I had always been very creative. I told her that I had never been to a wedding before, nor had I done flowers. She told me she had faith in me to make it beautiful and so I did my first wedding florals! More people started to ask me to do their florals. I enjoyed the creative outlet it gave me and I was learning so much with every event I did. I eventually decided to take it a step further and give it a name and official legal standing. We grew exponentially every year and continue to serve over 150 weddings and corporate events each year as well as a thriving balloon division and a full service flower shop that is open 7 days a week.
Could you offer one piece of advice that has been instrumental in propelling your business forward?
I could write a book about business advice! One piece that really comes in handy is the fact that you need to be committed beyond any shadow of a doubt to building your company. Especially in this economy, your entire heart needs to be committed. Your life will not look normal to others. You will work more than you've ever worked. You will lose friendships and gain others. But your passion needs to be at 100% for the majority of the time, or you will decline.
Is there something you wish you had known when you first started?
Something I wish I had known when I first started my company is charging my worth. Flowers especially are classified as a luxury item and my job is not to lower my prices to fit with everyone's budget. You need to find your client and continue in that path. If someone will buy a gold plated paperclip for hundreds of dollars from a luxury website, then I will find a client that is happy to pay the prices I NEED to charge in order to keep the lights on.
Do you have a mantra, quote, or verse that guides you through challenging times?
I couldn't say I have one mantra, quote, or verse that specifically guides me through challenging times. I believe it's an overall outlook. Nothing stays the same. Everything always changes. So I keep my head up and continue to be loving towards my people and my business and you'll eventually pull through.
How do you integrate your faith into your business practices?
I believe showing faith should be through actions. I strive to love on everyone and anyone that comes into my shop, or my email inbox. Love and acceptance is a rare little gem in this world today, so showing it to people can make such a beautiful difference.