Today we’d like to introduce you to Beth Barrett.
Beth, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
About four years ago, my job was eliminated. I felt a bit down and unproductive and was having a hard time not working; however, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. I found a volunteer opportunity with a local hospice putting together flower arrangements, and since I have always wanted my own flower shop, I immediately reached out. For about a year, I made bouquets for hospice patients.
One day when I arrived for work, I was told the program was canceled, as the person who started that program was no longer with the company. I drove home sad and disappointed, however, I kept thinking about the flowers that would probably still be sitting outside the market. I gathered my courage and drove over to the store and told them about the cancellation, and asked if I could take over the program.
They agreed to let me take the flowers home that day-so I bought 45 mason jars, and arranged “Jars of Love”, and delivered them to a Skilled Nursing home the next day. About a month later, “Seaside Market” called me to pick up their donation flowers, and then offered flower donations every other week. From that day on, Dare to Bloom Flower Therapy “Jars of Love” was born. I now deliver to Hospice and Skilled Nursing Facilities.
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?
Finding the right home for my “jars of Love” has not been easy. As you can imagine Skilled Nursing homes, Hospice and Memory Centers are incredibly busy places with a lot of moving parts. Some facilities were open to my deliveries, however, when I would come by to collect my jars, they never knew were they were-so I kept buying more jars and knew I couldn’t continue to do so every week.
Someone suggested placing an announcement about my charity on Nextdoor and request for empty jars, and the response was incredible. So many kind and generous neighbors left out jars for me to collect. Some bought a dozen jars, while others collected from friends and families. I felt very blessed.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Dare to Bloom Flower Therapy – what should we know?
I make and deliver “jars of Love’ flower bouquets to Memory Centers, Skilled nursing homes and Hospice. I love seeing patients’ eyes light up when I bring flowers to their dining tables or hear about the Hospice families that appreciate flowers for their loved ones. I am happy to make someone smile and bring some Love into their day.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Success to me is smiles and thank yous. I do Dare to Bloom flower therapy out of love and believe in Kindness.
Contact Info:
- Email: daretobloom2@gmail.com
- Instagram: @daretobloomflowertherapy
Image Credit:
Beth Barrett
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