Meet Steph Hendrickson | Creative Director in Floristry + Balloons

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

Hi Steph, how do you think about risk?
I remember I was wanting to move into my dream apartment, and I called my friend and said “I can’t do this, I financially can not do this”. She responded with “If I didn’t say yes to the things that scared me, would you think id be as successful as I am?” That was a HUGE ah-ha moment for me. From that point forward I have said YES to the things that scared the crap out of me. If I get an inquiry and I doubt myself, I ALWAYS SAY YES. It’s in those moments when I face challenges that build new skills, character and confidence to be able to tackle an even bigger project. I feel like if I wasn’t paralyzed at the thought of something, and went in confidently, I would produce mediocre work. When Im afraid, it pushes me to go bigger and do better. The honest truth is, I doubt myself every single time, and I always shock myself.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have a music business degree and worked in the music industry for some time. From there I went on to do visual design, and when I was laid off, I decided to teach myself how to work with flowers. I didn’t know what I was doing but knew I wanted to do something creative, and I loved flowers. I read flower books, watched videos, asked questions and I booked 10 weddings on my first year alone. I come from a family with both parents being business owners, I always knew I wanted to own my own business. I had some knowledge on how to run a business, from watching my parents, but I definitely had a lot of hurdles to overcome. Having to figure out recipes, invoices, how to get a business license, taxes, etc. I wanted to quit multiple times, but I knew nothing came easy, and I kept going. When the pandemic hit, everyone postponed their weddings, and I decided to teach myself how to do balloons. I used Tik Tok to teach myself, from there started doing my friends balloons, and went on to do big events. A moment I recently had in my career that I was extremely proud of was when I did balloons for Kylie Jenners daughter, Stormi. I never thought I’d be where I am, and although I still have a lot to learn, I know this is what I want to do, and have a true passion for it. If there is one thing I want anyone to know, is ask questions. Something my pastor said that has stuck with me is, “there are no dumb questions, only dumb assumptions” I asked questions, and had people say I was “too nosey” or “you shouldn’t ask another florist those questions” It really killed the spark in my heart, but then you meet people that really want to share their craft with you, and inspire you to do your own thing. I will ALWAYS help someone, and hope that they one day become successful in balloons or florals, because THERE IS ALWAYS A SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR EVERYONE.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Orange County, and I truly believe we have some of the best places to eat, drink and experience! I would firstly take them to Fermentation Farm in Costa Mesa, and have a delicious breakfast. I would then head down to Lido in Newport walk around, visit some of the most stunning shops, grab a pastry from Rye Goods and then head down to the beach. I would finish the night off at Arc Butcher & Baker for some AMAZING dinner and drinks. The following morning, I would grab breakfast at my all time favorite spot, Coffee Dose Cafe. They have the best chilaquiles with a side of steak *drool* with their delicious hand crafted beverages. The branding is on point and they have some of the most cheeky sayings. I would follow that by heading down south to San Juan and visit the Ecology Center to grab some of the freshest produce from their farm stand. We’d head home and finish off the night with dinner and wine at my favorite wine spot, Semi Tropic Wines. The following day, I would do a Duffy boat ride at the marina and head down to Long Beach, visit some of the thrift shops, enjoy lunch and end the night with my favorite the driving range, not that I’m any good at it, but always so much fun!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
One of my very close friends that is near and dear to my heart Jeni Castro. She is a successful business owner, owning 4 coffee shops, and 1 tanning/sugaring salon with 2 franchises. This woman, doesn’t sugar coat anything and will tell you how it is. She is the friend that you come crying to because things didn’t turn out the way you planned, and she doesn’t let you sit in that. She will do everything to turn the situation around. She shows up, she’s present, she’s supportive, all while being an amazing mama, wife and business owner. She is the one that said “If I didn’t say yes to the things that scared me, do you think id be as successful as I am?” Talk about telling you how it is. She has been a pillar of unfailing support, believing in me from the very beginning. She would tell everyone about me, and never doubted my abilities once.

Instagram: willowandlaceco

Image Credits
Jordan Orion (all Coffee Dose Pictures, Plus Disco Picture) Brett Loie Photo (B+R Wedding Photos)