Where did the idea for Postal Petals come from?
“Two months into quarantine this past spring I was super stressed and desperately in need of a floral fix to ease my nerves as the walls in my home began to close in on me. I needed fresh flowers but the LA Flower Market was closed due to the lockdowns. After looking around online for other ways to get my hands on some flowers, I came across a flower wholesaler who shipped flowers to large clients like florists, event & wedding planners, etc. I just cold-called him hoping to convince him to reduce his minimums and ship me a small order of flowers that I could arrange at home.”
“Through that conversation, I learned about the obstacles that prevented him from accommodating my request, but by the end of our 2-hour call, my mind was spinning. I realized that what I wanted didn’t exist but that could be an opportunity for me to possibly fill a hole in the marketplace. I immediately went to work putting together a wireframe for what the business could look like. That was in May. By late July we launched in beta with nearly 20 domestic farm partners signed up to ship for us. Today, we’re shipping flowers all across the country.”
How difficult was it to build the business once the idea was conceptualized?
“It wasn’t as difficult as it was time-consuming…and still is! I had the idea in May and launched in September. I knew this business would be successful so I put any free moment I had – which isn’t much – into making sure every aspect of Postal Petals is perfect.”
Have you always been passionate about flowers?
“I was first introduced to arranging flowers a few years ago. It began with me wanting fresh flowers in the house and being curious about what kind of arrangements I could create on my own. Almost immediately, I fell in love with it. It was so calming and relaxing that I started to look forward to the hour or two that I would get to arrange flowers and just decompress and quiet my mind. It became my go-to form of self-care and a way to relieve stress.”
How are you able to balance Postal Petals with your full-time job at INTER:SECT?
“Truthfully, I don’t sleep much. I work full-time at INTER:SECT, spend almost as much time on Postal Petals, and also am continuing with my social activism.”
What is your advice for other women and entrepreneurs who have no idea where to begin in starting their business?
“Believe in yourself and put all your thoughts onto paper. It will help you prioritize all the steps you need to get started and continue to grow your business. I live by my “to-do” list and though it is such a simple thing, every time I mark through a task I find myself less stressed.”
Where do you see Postal Petals in five years?
“In five years, I hope to not even recognize this company. By that, I mean that I see it grow so large and thriving across so many verticals that I forget that it all started with farm-direct flower boxes for DIY arrangements. Similar to the way many people forget that Netflix started with DVD rental by mail service. I mean, maybe they still do it but I have no idea because everything is so massive I can’t even recall the origin anymore. I see highly popular workshop experientials, cross-industry collaborations, specialty products for retail distribution, and kid-friendly content.”
“We’re already disrupting the flower industry five months in. Can you even imagine what we can do in five years? We’re surely going to see it because Postal Petals will be around for a long time to come and I’m excited about the ride.”
To learn more about Postal Petals, check out its official website.
