Today we’d like to introduce you to Alise Davis.
Alise, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In 2011 I started volunteering for a local specialty florist in Oceanside, CA. I loved every aspect of my work and decided once paid; I would save a portion of earnings for five years to go towards starting my own venture or becoming a partner with the company. It wasn’t long before my boss decided to relocate Back East and my plans for starting a floral design company went from a five year goal to my next step. In 2013 I officially launched Sweet Marie Designs, which later became Olive Willow Designs in 2016 as a part of a rebrand for luxury special event floral designs.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t believe any path of entrepreneurship to be smooth. This is a blessing, as the journey would not be exciting without a few bumps along the way. The obstacles I have overcome in my business have been:
– Starting my business from scratch with only $500 in the bank and no formal schooling in business, marketing, finance, or floral design.
– Realizing the brand I had created as Sweet Marie Designs was not my ultimate goal and then making the switch to the luxury market space with Olive Willow Designs.
– Overcoming business debt (Something I am extremely proud of) and remaining a debt free company.
– Taking on my most challenging clients/year of work, while also having my first child.
– Learning how to support my team after burnout and restructuring the business towards future success with new systems and workflows.
– Moving into a completely different market (from Orange County to San Diego).
– Maintaining creative integrity and originality in an industry filled with clients who want to recreate images from Pinterest.
Please tell us about your business.
I am a special event floral designer who creates personalized arrangements with high quality blooms adding beauty to spaces and shared experiences. The bulk of my business comes from weddings and corporate dinner parties. In 2021 I will be launching quarterly pop-up design days which will allow a limited number of local customers to purchase and pick-up arrangements showcasing intriguing seasonal bloom varieties not often found in local markets. I will also be hosting educational workshops as well as a holiday table-scape workshops and/or a wreath workshop.
Due to the amount of attention and personalized care I give each perspective client, I limit the amount of full design special events to five to seven a year. For special events, I work with budgets ranging anywhere from $3,500 to $30,000. Home base is Southern California but I love to travel and have had the wonderful opportunity to work all over the US, including Northern California, Utah, and Hawaii.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Launching my rebrand and becoming Olive Willow Designs, a stronger representation of my work, goals, inspiration, and clientele. Also, becoming and staying debt free as a company has been a really big accomplishment for me.
Pricing:
- I have worked with budgets for special events ranging from $350 to $28,000.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.olivewillowdesigns.com/
- Phone: (949) 242-0230
- Email: alise@olivewillowdesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivewillowdesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OliveWillowDesigns/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/olivewillowdes/
Image Credit:
Lauren Natalie Photography, Todd James, Ashley Kelemen, Ashley Kelemen, The McCunes, Lorely Meza, Lauren Natalie Photography, Lauren Natalie Photography, Hello Blue Photography
Suggest a story: SDVoyager 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.
