Supplier Focus: Blooms by Charlotte

Here at Whitewed, we love seeing businesses grow, and we are lucky to have so many talented and ambitious business owners on our directory. 

This month we asked top new Cotswold florist, the fabulous Charlotte Jarman of Blooms by Charlotte more about how she has grown her business from a true light bulb moment, to the creation of the inspiring brand that it is today. 

Charlotte is a true example of a self taught talent, and she has worked super hard to make her fledgling business extremely successful from day one, and here she shares how and why she launched her business, why reputation and brand is so important, what she has loved so far and what challenges she has faced - and why 'you can't pour from an empty cup.' is the best advice she's ever been given ...

Tell us about Blooms by Charlotte, the florist behind it and what you offer

Blooms by Charlotte is an independent, studio based florist based just outside the Cotswolds. The lady behind it all is me, Charlotte (how did you guess!?) and I'm a self taught flower enthusiast. I love any floral challenge and offer a broad range of services from weddings and large installations to occasional bouquets, flowers by post and anything in between.

Why did you start your business?

I've always had an ambition to run my own business but was never sure which area to go into. My professional background is the corporate world where I worked in London as an Event Manager for companies like ITV and Event agencies so I'm used to long working hours in a high paced, stressful environment. I wanted to take those marketing and organisational skills but use them for something more rewarding, a job where I could create things that make people happy, but also have the challenge of building my own brand from scratch. I've always had an interest in flowers and love nature so started playing around with flowers and the rest is history!

What was your light bulb moment when you decided to start up?

I still remember it clearly! A group of friends came over for lunch and we were discussing an upcoming wedding. We were chatting about suppliers and my friend mentioned that her wedding florist worked from home and she'd found her via Instagram. Prior to that point I didn't really realise that was an option and thought you could only be a florist if you had a shop! I looked at the wedding proposal documents my friend had received from her supplier and told them there and then 'I'm going to be a wedding florist'. At the time they had a chuckle and I'm not sure they took me that seriously but look where we are today! 

What have you loved so far?

The sense of reward has been incredible. Yes it's a rollercoaster at times, and there are definitely highs and lows, but I honestly wouldn't change a thing. I've built such an amazing support network of loyal customers and am surrounded by such a positive social media community. Knowing that your work has had a direct impact on someone and has made their day brighter is a really wonderful feeling. 

What challenges have you faced that you weren’t expecting? How have you overcome them?

I'm a self confessed control freak and so struggle with things that are outside my control that could have a negative impact on the brand. When you work so hard to build a business and reputation it's really unnerving to know that things like supplier delays, or delays with the postal service can reflect badly on you, even when the situation is totally out of your control! The best way I've learnt to deal with it, is to communicate openly and honestly with my customers. 99% of the time they are wonderful and totally understanding. As long as I'm doing everything that's in my control to give an amazing experience, that's the most I can do. Sadly I can't control everything!

Has there been anything that you were expecting to find tough but it’s not been that bad?

I'm completely self taught and so don't have any formal floristry qualifications to my name. At first I wondered whether that would hold me back but I was quite passionate about creating my own style and learning my own way. I found the more formal floristry qualifications teach quite a traditional structured style, and whilst that's great for some people, it didn't really resonate with my personal taste or the way I wanted the brand to be. Over the years, I've attended some short workshops at Flower Schools around the UK which has been a real treat and helps learn tricks of the trade but I've never found a lack of qualification to hold me back and have 'learnt on the job' over the years. People choose to work with their wedding florists because of their work and personality, not because of a piece of paper!

How have you expanded from your original floristry offering?

Originally I tested the water by offering occasional bouquets in my local town, then over the months built my confidence to offer larger services like weddings and events. Earlier this year I started creating IGTV videos for people to learn simple floral crafts at home during the Covid lockdown which proved really popular and quickly grew my Instagram community. I've also recently launched the Blooms by Charlotte website along with a webshop and postal bouquet service to expand the company's reach nationwide. 

Who cheers you on?

My Fiance Jack makes a lot of sacrifices so that I can focus on the business which is a huge support, he also has the wonderful job of tidying up after me once I've made a huge floral mess! I've got a great group of girl friends that cheer me on, spreading the word and sharing my work alongside a wonderful social media following who are the ultimate cheerleaders! I also shouldn't forget my Mumma who pitches in during busy times like Mothers Day and lends a pair of helping hands when things get overwhelming.

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

My ultimate dream was to become a West End Performer - I was just never brave enough to go for it!!

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

'You can't pour from an empty cup.' I'm massively guilty of never switching off, taking too much on and running myself into the ground. Because I love my job it's easy to forget to take a break when you're constantly striving for continued growth and more bookings. I love this phrase as it's so true and really resonated with me, it's hard to give your all to other people when you're barely there yourself. I try to remember this although I'm sure my friends and family would agree, I still haven't perfected the art of switching off. Life is short and I want to live every moment of it to the fullest!!

In your day to day role, what can’t you live without?

Social Media. I only recently launched a website and before then, the entire business was built through social media and word of mouth. It's a great platform to showcase your work and act as a 'virtual shop window'. I've also made some amazing industry connections and friends through the platform so I would struggle without it! It's quite ironic as in my personal life I don't tend to engage with social media and would prefer to be outside enjoying the world, but for the business I've found it to be transformational.

What’s next for Blooms by Charlotte?

Good question! It's so tricky to plan with everything going on in the world at the moment but I'm just loving what's happening so will be doing more of the same. As soon as we're able to I'll be attending some more wedding shows and also have an exciting new project launching in 2021 around my workshops. I can't share any more for the minute but watch this space!

We are full of admiration for you Charlotte, yours is a true story of vision, hard work and success and we're delighted that you're now Whitewed Approved and we love showcasing your excellent service to our engaged couples!

We can't wait to see what's next for Charlotte!

From the Team at Whitewed