Meet Florist Designer Melanie Rauscher, Founder Of Bella Blooms

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MEET FLORIST DESIGNER MELANIE RAUSCHER, FOUNDER OF BELLA BLOOMS

 

Hey Lovely, tell the world who you are and your inspiration behind creating the florist shop Bella Bloom? P.S. Is Bella Blooms your full-time gig? 

A: Who am I? I am a wife, a mom, and lover of dogs and Peloton and I do flowers on the side. I kid I kid! Bella Blooms is my full time gig and has been for the last 6 years. We started Bella Blooms in 2004 but I always had a part time – full time job to fall back on.  Then my business partner of 10 years moved on. I had the option of falling flat on my face or making this career a success. I chose success, so, I quit my security blanket and dove head first all in! My inspiration in starting Bella Blooms has changed over the last 17 years. It started as simply wanting to get out of a Subprime mortgage. It then changed to the desire of succeeding, as I mentioned above. And now it is to grow as a person, and teach newbies tips and tricks of the trade, and have fun with my talent. 

Have you always loved floral design or did you want to do something else; and how did you come up with the name Bella Blooms? 

A: I grew up wanting to be a Fashion Designer. I have always loved fashion. I won Best dressed in highschool, off of thrift store shopping and a good pair of Dr. Marten’s. (the 90’s were the best) I can put an outfit together on a dime. 

Bella Blooms came to life after asking my Great Aunt Mary some pretty words in Italian (she was fluent and Scicilian) She mentioned “Bella” and the rest just rolled off the tongue. 

What were/are your biggest challenges for being an entrepreneur and what did you do to overcome them? 

A: I think fear has always been a challenge for entrepreneurs in general. There is some kind of adrenaline mixed in with fear and risk that keeps me coming back for more.  One fear is Networking. I am the worst. I am lucky if I can find 2 business cards at the bottom of my purse or the floor of my car to pass out. I hide in a corner until someone makes the first move.  I use humor and sarcasm as a mask to hide my Imposter Syndrome which I am sure is off putting.  

Since I am self taught I have always thought I am not a “real” florist. I realize now that that could not be further from the truth. To overcome this I listen to Mindset podcasts, journal, pray/meditate, and manifest my dreams and watch them come into fruition! I also have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which is an autoimmune disease affecting nerve function. S

ince our entire body is made up with nerves this can propose an issue when it’s affecting my cognitive abilities. It is called the “drunk disease” because we can slur speech, stutter, walk wonky, forget things, and have trouble finding the simplest words. Also heat and stress are no good for MS patients. My limbs are greatly affected by this. I have overcome this by not worrying about the future. Taking it day by day and not giving any energy to it by complaining about something I don’t have control over anyway. I just eat as healthy as I can without totally depriving myself of the good stuff and working out. I like to keep a balanced lifestyle and hold my boundaries as a life line. 

Your flower designs are beautiful and just by looking at the pictures your passion for florals screams from the images: is there a particular event you prefer doing over another (i.e., weddings, romantic, etc.)? 

A: I love doing charity events. One of my favorites is Illumination Foundation aka Chef’s Table which is in support of the charity If Homeless. Another is Ducks in Tux which donates funds to Orangewood and Choc, put on by The Anaheim Ducks Foundation. Last but not least OCSA (Orange County School of Arts) holds Galas and dinners all year round to support their students and their art form.  I am given a theme, budget and creative freedom. It’s so much fun to see the designs come to life. It feels good to be trusted, and it feels even better being a small albeit important part of raising money for good causes. 

What systems/programs do you use to help with time management and organization to better your business success? 

A: I use Quickbooks and hired a bookkeeper to keep me out of the IRS clutches! I am a firm believer in hiring professionals to do the jobs that I am not good at. It helps me focus on making money and doing what I do best. I also have a friend that runs his own Planning Business (unoaked Events), that is not as busy at the beginning of the week. He keeps me organized- he has a gift as I do not LOL. 

What is a typical day like for you? How many hours do you spend on your business? Please breakdown by hours (7:00 am, 8:00 am etc.) 

A: Tuesday – Friday I wake up between 5am-6:30am.  I workout for 40 min – an hour, journal and read for 10 min. Then I answer emails, check in with staff, follow up with my suppliers on flower deliveries / pickups. At 9:30 I take Billie (my red nose staffie) to the dog park then head into the shop to start working on flowers or prep work at about 10:15. On a normal day I am back home at about 3pm. I’ll check emails to see if anything important popped up, but I try not to work past 5:00pm.  On Saturdays and Sundays I maintain my morning routine of waking up between 5am-6:30am workout for 40 min – an hour, journal and read for 10 min. The rest of the day will depend on what events / weddings I have going on. Monday is my “day off”. I put that in quotes because I maintain the same morning routine and usually spend the rest of the day catching up on the weekend’s emails and placing orders for upcoming weeks. No rest for the wicked! 

Related link: Our Engagement Story, Plus Expecting

Bella Bloom is based out of California where the weather is gorgeous,  but is there an off-season and how do you handle it? 

A: I don’t really have much of an off season because of the events business. Weddings are sprinkled in the winter but we are mostly doing corporate holiday parties. 

What qualities does a person need to open their own florist shop? 

A: If I can do it then anyone can do it. I am not well educated. I did not take business courses. I have never taken a flower class in my life. I don’t even watch Youtube “how to” videos. I am not recommending that you take my approach, but it can be done. I think it’s best to be an optimist and not a worrywort. Being a self starter, and believing in yourself is definitely a bonus. As I mentioned above, you can hire people to do the things you are not capable of doing, or simply don’t want to do. 

How did you grow your customer base and following? 

A: Luck. I will give myself credit for maintaining the relationship once it comes my way. For example,  I have been a vendor for The Honda Center since 2004. We were in business for a few months and had 1 wedding under our belt. My old business partner knew someone that worked there that needed free flowers for the 2004 Pre Trial Olympics. They need bouquets for the winners that would be featured on NBC. In return they would give us marketing all over the arena. Our name was plastered everywhere right next to Budweiser. It was so cool. The point is, 17 years later I am still their florist but in the departments with budgets. I make my client’s a priority and go above and beyond for them. When a client moves on to a new venue, they take me with them, thus building my client base. 

How do you balance social media marketing and the day to day administrative tasks of running a business? 

A: This is a huge challenge for me because I am old. Ha ha! I am trying my best, but it is hard to keep up. I love IG stories because they are quick and easy. I am getting tips from my younger freelancers that have it down to a science. As for Administrative tasks, I have my daughter Madison fielding all of the inquiries, sending out a questionnaire and building me a skeleton estimate that I complete. I have Adam (the friend I mentioned above) putting together our clipboards with the checklists for each order that is coming up within a 2 week period. He will make a list of supplies I need to order and keep the calendar updated. 

What books would you recommend for entrepreneurs to read; any books that inspire you? 

A: I am currently reading Becoming by Michelle Obama. I love her! She has so much umf for life and success. It’s an easy read and it’s inspiring to read about her humble beginnings and her outlook on being a black girl, teen, then woman in this society. Her drive to be the best she could be in school and in her careers is very inspiring. She and Barrack just became parents, so I am on the edge of my seat to read what happens next 😉

I liked Miracle Mornings by Hal Elrod. It’s sort of a step by step on how to be your best self and thus becoming the best entrepreneur you can be. It’s basically about being disciplined and watching your life change before your eyes. 

How do you inspire other women (or what advice would you give to them) to follow their passion and open a business? 

A: I firmly believe if I could create a successful business out of nowhere and nothing, anyone can! Every person that I come in contact with, that mentions starting a business or their current struggles in business, or hating their 9-5 and wanting to make their hobby their career, you cannot get me to shut up about it. I love to support small businesses especially female owned ones and encourage others to do the same. In my field there is enough business to go around, with that said I have helped 2 past employees start their own businesses and I am very proud of that. 

How do you protect your peace with clients; what boundaries do you set? 

A: Learning the word no is not an easy task, but I am getting better at it. When potential clients do not want to complete my questionnaire then I pass on their event/wedding. They are more likely to be serious about their inquiry if they have to put a little effort in themselves. If the client wants to meet on a weekend, the answer is circled back to the dates and times I am available during the week. I usually have events on the weekends but even if I don’t I will not budge on this. This girl needs a Saturday off every once in a while! 

Related link: Questions to Ask yourself When Choosing your Target Market

What does the future hold for florist shop Bella Blooms? 

A: I have a 5 year goal to buy a building (it is a converted house) at the end of my street. I intend to hold workshops for new floral designers that are interested in starting their own business. I will walk them through my routines, teach them the organization skills, share my curriculum with them and have them help me build an event or wedding and then set it up. I will teach them tips and tricks they would not have learned in school and how to manage their time while on the job. I am excited! 

Any last minute tips for us “flower killers” that will help keep roses alive longer {chuckles}? 

A: If you are given an arrangement and there is greenery / leaves in the water, remove the leaves immediately. If you don’t it will cause bacteria to grow in the water and kill the flowers much much faster. Also change the water every couple days.

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5  Spotlight Questions! 

 

What is your daily self-care routine?

Work out, journal, read, meditate every morning

Best advice you received…

Favorite thing to do when you have alone time… 

Listen to true crime podcasts if I am in my shop working on flowers alone. If I am at home alone, I like to do laundry and listen to true crime podcasts LOL

What would you tell your eighteen-year-old self? 

You are in charge of your own happiness, nobody else is to blame if you are unhappy.

What would be your natural talent if you weren’t doing this? 

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Connect with Melanie Rauscher: 

Website | Email | Instagram

Phone: 714-721-3976