Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Llorente.
Hi Erika, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Born and raised in Mexico City, I used to work in HR. However, I have always been artistic and am constantly searching for creative outlets. It’s probably why I love to knit and cross-stitch in my spare time. You can find me on the dance floor at any party or singing along to music in my free time (I was even in a girl band as a young girl)!
My exploration for creativity led me to a college floral design class I took with a friend for fun. During that class, my love for flowers was sparked! I decided it was what I was meant to do. After working at a flower shop and gaining experience, I set a goal and worked hard to open my own flower shop in 2019. I have been taking workshops and joining different learning sources to offer the latest tendencies on design and floral selection.
I recently rebranded the business, I used to do retail and weddings, but I found out that my passion was weddings because they provide more room for creativity and give me the opportunity of being part of the couples story. I relaunched a new website at the end of 2021, I redesigned my on boarding and off boarding process and I just integrated a CRM that is going to help me to provide the outstanding customer service that my couples deserve.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It hasn’t been the easiest, but I cannot complain. It is hard to start a business, especially when you are coming from the corporate world and from another country. However, I have a degree in Business and a postgraduate degree in marketing that have provided a strong foundation. The timing probably was not the perfect one to open a business. I opened my doors in September 2019 and I was just starting to take off when the pandemic hit in March. I had to close the business from April to August, losing my employees. I reopened in August 2020 by myself, after a couple of months struggling with the demand. Short staff and shortages, I decided to focus just on weddings.
That was the best decision that I could’ve been taken. All my resources (time, money, marketing, etc.) were focused just on that channel and it is paying off.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As I described on my previous answers, I used to be part of the corporate world. I had a strong career in HR and a specialization in organizational development. Those skills have been helping me to manage all the administrative work of the business and consolidating a strong team.
I have always enjoyed handcrafts and creativity, even in my days in the corporate world, I didn’t like routine, I always try to find new ways to improve or just to create.
I believe that my background is helping me to accelerate my growth. It is letting me consolidate both parts of any business, the administrative and the operational. According to my customer reviews, they are very satisfied with the quality of the product, the outstanding customer service and the connection that I establish with them. I am also very organized, so that helps me in offering a very structured process that creates trust and guarantees quality and accuracy on the final product.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Sure!! Since I started my career change has been a constant; however, this massive change challenged my creativity beyond my imagination. So, creativity and flexibility are the most important lesson. I have learned to deal with uncertainty, shortages are forcing us to work with we have available and be able to serve our customers with the same high standards. One of the ways to do that is adapting my planning process and my sales strategies.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@fineflowersrr.com
- Website: www.fineflowersofroundrock.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fineflowersrr/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fineflowersrr
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/FineFlowersRR/_created/
Image Credits
Befierce Photography Light Visual Co Davis Photo Nicole Clarey Photo Carhart Photography Two Fish Weddings Reign and Honey Co
