Today we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Olson
Hi Pamela, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
A lifelong nature lover, I was always drawn to flowers, but took a rambling path to becoming a floral designer and owning a business. As a child, I helped my father with his nursery and landscaping business, and spent hours exploring the streams, trees and plants on our farm. When I was in high school, I landed my first job at a floral shop—as a delivery driver. When I attended USU enrolled in the journalism department, I paid my way by working at flower shops, coffee shops and a restaurant. After graduation, it was only natural that I get a shop in SLC in a flower shop, while seeking my “dream” job as an investigative reporter. While working as a magazine editor for JES Publishing/Salt Lake Magazine as assistant editor, and later at Utah Homes & Garden magazine as editor, all the while I was designing weddings for friends, and practicing floral design in my home, but mostly as a hobby.
In 2005, the local publishing industry and opportunities had changed, and I was figuring out my next move. An associate suggested we open a floral business. I agreed, but would only commit to one year. That one year is now 20 years. After a great start, a partnership dissolution, a rebrand, growth, Covid, more growth, opening a second location, Native Flower Company is flourishing and entering an entirely new phase.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road was most definitely not smooth. Fluctuations in the economy, a failed business partnership, the Covid pandemic, and in general, a lack of knowledge of basic business practices, were challenges I had to overcome. But I always found a way! A big breakthrough came when I was able to enroll on the 10K Small Businesses Course through Goldman Sachs. Through this program, I learned to be a better manager, to more effectively reach customers, to create improved systems and processes.
Aside from the challenges of being a small business owner, which all small business owners have in common, the floral industry has it’s own unique set of undertakings. It’s hard work, entails lots of physical labor. Flowers are considered a luxury good, and they are perishable. There’s a lot of waste. It’s a wonderful business to be in, but it’s not just dancing around with beautiful flowers all day, an assumption many people have. It takes a grit, ingenuity and passion to survive.
One goal of small business owners is to plan and execute an exit strategy. As of February, I accomplished that and passed on my business, my “baby” to a new owner. I am offering consulting services through mid-2025, supporting Morgan Simkins as the new leader of Native Flower Company.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Being a florist is a job like no other. You are asked to be creative, but make something highly custom for each client and event. Your medium is flowers, which are variable, perishable, reliant on weather, shipping, quality, etc. Working as a professional florist has given me the opportunity to be a part of cherished moments in people’s lives, and it is work that I have taken seriously. And yet, unfortunately, florists are often not taken seriously. This has changed over the 30 years since I first began. Florists as an industry are demanding more respect, asking for fair pricing, educating about the difference between floral art and Trader Joe’s…but it’s still seen as a frivolous career to some, even though funerals, weddings, parties are dull and empty without flowers.
While every gift and event has been important, I’m most proud of building a community of flower lovers, people who have come to know our shops as destinations of unusual flowers, and a source for locally grown flowers as well. I’m honored to have created a welcoming, inclusive workplace. I’ve designed flowers for past American presidents, Hollywood icons, authors, judges, and the Dalai Lama. Every experience was a challenge and a joy.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
One aspect I most enjoy about my work is teaching, through private workshops, and through community education and courses at the University of Utah. Students enter not knowing anything about design, and are actually quite skeptical that they can do it, and after one class, I give them some fundamental skills to have the confidence to shop for, buy, care for and design pleasing arrangements at home. Each student’s style and personality emerges, and it is so fun for me to witness. A major annual event is Dahlia Day Camp, a two-day floral workshop on a flower farm.
This June, Native Flower Company will be opening a new second location in the newly developed Milk Block, on Harvey Milk Blvd. in central Salt Lake City. (Our downtown store is moving). It is an exciting area of community-oriented businesses and we’re featuring more retail, workshops and exciting events that people will want to follow.
Follow @pamelamo for more about my personal ongoing workshops.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamelamo/
