Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Garcia.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started working at Feather Acres in December 2005 while completing my senior year of classes at UC San Diego. The holiday season is by far our busiest time of year and I started at the shop driving deliveries, processing cut flowers, watering the nursery plants and raking. I learned all of my design skills on the job from my mentor Victoria Van Arsdale. As the years went on, I took over and grew the wedding side of our business while continuing to work with our walk-in clients and standing weekly home services. 2015 brought some changes to Feather Acres as we downsized the property and I took over full-time management of the shop. And then as 2017 came to a close, Ted and Vicky Van Arsdale were ready to head towards retirement and offered me the opportunity to take over the ownership of Feather Acres. I learned everything I know about running a business from Vicky and Ted. They are the hardest working, most honorable and generous people I have been blessed to know in this life. Feather Acres is known for our unique style and personalized service, and I am honored to continue this tradition of excellence for many years to come.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We have a really wonderful base of clients who support our shop, however, as a small business, we have found we have to frequently make adjustments to continue to bring in new customers as our location is off the beaten path. Our largest struggle in recent years was to make sure people knew we were still open for business when we downsized in 2015. We find we meet the best people through word of mouth referrals but we did branch into the world of social media to aid in spreading the word!
Running a small business with perishable products is not for the weak! We hustle every single day to fill orders, purchase plants and flowers, meet with clients, complete installs, design wedding plans, etc. My best advice is to surround yourself with a team that supports the overall vision of your business and is willing to work alongside you to achieve the goals set out.
And in continuing with the theme of being flexible and evolving over time we recently transformed a portion of our property to accommodate group classes and we are excited about growing this side of the business.
Please tell us about Feather Acres Farm & Nursery.
Feather Acres is a small flower shop and nursery. We specialize in interior plant design, specifically orchids and blooming plants, as well as succulent arranging and wedding design. We enjoy helping clients put the “finishing touches” on their homes by bringing in living plants to make it feel a touch more homey. We are known for our English Country Garden style and our personalized service. We have provided wedding florals for multiple generations of families, a testament to the relationships we form with our clients. We are proud to have our designs be recognized in the community as “Feather Acres” creations, and we are grateful to be trusted to design for many major events from weddings, to baby showers, to milestone birthdays and celebrations of life.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
I was lucky to find a mentor so early in my career and I have met many wonderful people along this journey; from vendors to other florists, to wedding coordinators and more. Working hard and being honest and kind is what I’ve found to work best in growing our network.
Contact Info:
- Address: 980 Avocado Pl
Del Mar, Ca 92014 - Website: www.featheracresnursery.com
- Phone: 858-755-3093
- Email: featheracresnursery@gmail.com
- Instagram: @feather.acres
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Feather-Acres-164500513568485/
Image Credit:
Ella Verhees
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