Meet Jenna Griffin: Owner and Lead Designer at Gold & Bloom

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenna Griffin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenna, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
My natural instinct is to run away from taking risks, and it wasn’t until I was desperate for change that I chose to face risk head on. Giving up my career as an educator in pursuit of owning my own creative business is the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. It’s also the best decision I’ve ever made for myself and for my family. I was an elementary school teacher for four years before deciding I wanted to explore event florals. At the time, it didn’t make sense. I knew very little about floral design or starting a business, but I couldn’t ignore the pull I felt in that direction. Leaving a career with benefits and stability for one that is much less predictable was scary. I had no idea if I would be successful, and there was a lot on the line. For two years, I poured all of my extra time (after work and on weekends) into the pursuit of learning everything I could about floral design, the wedding industry, and starting a business. I was exhausted, but excited for this business I was building. By starting Gold & Bloom, I would have an abundance of freedom that would allow me to be my own boss, work from home and tend to my future children, while making money! It’s a literal dream job. Finally, I became pregnant with our first child and I knew it was time to step away from teaching and make this floral design business my full time job. It has been 4 years since I took that risk, and I’m so happy I did! Gold & Bloom is thriving, and I absolutely love what I do. I’m a work-from-home-mama, business owner, and floral designer. Had I not taken that risk, I’d never know the goodness of truly loving my job.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Gold & Bloom was started while I was still a full-time teacher, and I wasn’t certain if it would ever be successful enough for me to pursue it full time. I wanted so badly to have a career with freedom and beauty. For two years, I was absorbing a great deal of information about floral design and running a business, and it was very overwhelming. During this time of exploration and learning, I was also still a full time teacher. I spent nearly every weeknight and weekend for two years working on Gold & Bloom by reading, attending webinars, and taking on wedding clients. The clients who trusted me that early in my career are so special to me, because they allowed me to design for them when I had such little experience. I learned a lot in those two “growing” years. After two years, it was time to go full time with Gold & Bloom, and I’ve never looked back! Seven years later, Gold & Bloom stands on a solid foundation and continues to grow. I attribute our success to those two years at the very beginning where I put all of my extra energy into learning and growing this business. A few of the most important lessons I’ve learned are: hire a lawyer to build a strong contract, it’s okay to say “let me think that over” before responding to a client’s request, and scheduling time for rest throughout the year.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Let’s go! MONDAY: Start the day at Sessions Stand in Marietta for coffee and breakfast, then take the Mountain to River trail up to the Marietta Square. Explore! Grab a late lunch at Good Kitchen + Market on Margaret Avenue. The avocado bacon burrito is amazing! TUESDAY: Coffee and Breakfast at Canvas Bakery in Marietta, then spend the afternoon at The Battery where the kids can run around on the turf and we can people-watch. Grab an early dinner at Superica–one of my favorites! WEDNESDAY: Head over to Ponce City Market mid-morning for shopping, brunch, and a candle-making class at Candlefish, then walk over to New Realm for some brews. THURSDAY: Spend the morning exploring Smith-Gilbert gardens in Kennesaw. There’s a butterfly house that is so much fun in the warmer months, and the rose garden are so beautiful. We can slowly move through the gardens sipping coffee and catching up. We’ll for pizza at Antico or Felini’s for dinner. FRIDAY: Have a quiet, restful morning at Read Shop in Vinings. Pick out a book, some new notecards, and the lavender latte is a must. That night, we will go to Ormsbys for a drink and games before heading over to Marcel for the best meal ever. Seriously, I dream about their cacio e pepe. SATURDAY: Visit the High Museum first thing first thing in the morning to beat the crowd, then venture over to little five points for Fox Brother’s BBQ. There will probably be a wait, but it’ll be worth it! SUNDAY: After church, we will go for a walk at Kennesaw Mountain. On our way to Fernbank, we will grab lunch at Sun in My Belly. The rest of the day is for rest and good conversation at home. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wouldn’t be where I am without my husband, Lamar. When I was thinking about leaving my teaching career in pursuit of my dream, he may have been freaking out on the inside, but he only showed love and support. His opinion matters deeply, so having him as my biggest cheerleader during such an uncertain time really propelled me forward. I began my business seven years ago, and he is still just as supportive today. Not only does he encourage me, but he’s also an active team member at Gold & Bloom. He has his own career, but he still comes along to help with event setup and even some design on wedding days. He’s pretty amazing.

Website: www.goldandbloom.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/goldandbloom
Facebook: www.facebook.com/goldandbloom

Image Credits
Megan Wallach Photography