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

Hi Chantal, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve always loved flowers. They brought me a lot of joy and peacefulness. There is something magical about flowers. They make people happy, sometimes at the worst time, and that’s a beautiful gift.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Being a florist is one of the hardest jobs physically and mentally.

I started when I was 24 years old. My first shop was in Hollywood, back in the day when you didn’t have flowers in grocery stores. Yes I’m dating myself, but it’s the truth. I’m 55 years old and I have been a florist for over 31 years.

None of it has been easy.
You constantly have to be in your toes.

I think one of the things that people don’t realize about the Floral industry is that it’s constantly changing. Just like flowers are a living entity, so is the flower world. Everything from styles, trends, the way that we buy and where we buy. All of this is changing week by week. The seasons change, and you’re doing this with a perishable product. That’s tough. And if you don’t run your Flower Shop or your design studio with a business mind, you can lose everything in just a few months.

You have to stay consistent.
In your product for your customers. That’s one of the biggest challenges over the holidays.
An example, if your Clients know what $100 arrangement gets them when they order it for delivery, you have to produce that same arrangement when they order it for Valentine’s Day, when the distributors charge us, double or sometimes triple our cost.

And the physical aspect to being a Florist, the reality is, you’re always on your feet, wet, you’re dumping buckets, cleaning flowers, and not to mention what’s involved in setting up an event or wedding, come rain or shine!
It’s not a cute job, you have to LOVE it and I do!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Well of course my husband Claude. He’s been extremely supportive through the years.

And I know this sounds cheesy, but honestly, Martha Stewart was very inspirational to my generation of florists.

Website: https://Gardenfloristevents.com

Instagram: @garden_florist

Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/garden-florist-westlake-village-2

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