Meet Kimberly Tran | Weddings & Events Florist

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

Hi Kimberly, what role has risk played in your life or career?
The first thing that used to come to my mind when thinking about taking any kind of risk are all the possibilities and scenarios that could go wrong. Growing up, I didn’t have many opportunities to choose what I wanted for myself. Family always came first. And every decision needed approval. It fostered the unhealthy idea that I should stay on the safe and beaten path. For years I was terrified of taking risks. It was scary and I had a lot of negative thoughts and what ifs. There was a lot of internal growth that had to happen to get to where I am now. Having a healthier mindset and a good support system allowed me to welcome and even embrace the uncertainties.

I started my floral business knowing that the risk of failure was very real. But I decided that wasn’t going to stop me. Instead, I would focus on the positive and potential for success. I didn’t want to always wonder what could’ve been. With barely anything saved and absolutely no knowledge of how to run a business, I took the chance. And it was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Taking risks is frightening because of how much is usually on the line. But you don’t gain anything from holding back. I realize now that even if my business had failed, I still would’ve gotten something out of it – I got the chance to try, knowing what could be, and all the lessons that came along with it. I’ve never been happier and more proud of myself.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I believe that I was one of the lucky ones – instead of searching far and wide for my passion, it found me. I was introduced to the wedding and floral industry almost by random chance. At the time, I was just a college student who wanted a part-time job for some extra spending money. I was hired as an assistant at a weddings and events venue that also does in-house florals. I started off doing the standard clerical things like organizing files, answering phone calls, and greeting clients. Eventually, I grew in the company and went from a part-time assistant to a full-time Creative Designer. I would book, lead, and do all the florals for the weddings and events at the venue. What started off as a random job ended up becoming the foundation of my future career. After three years and more growth at the company, I decided to leave to finish school. But nearly a year away from weddings and flowers, I realized that I had missed it so much. This is when I decided to start my own weddings and events floral design business. That was the birth of Chloe Rose.

With every career there are always challenges and everyone goes through them differently. Every day I am learning new things and there is always room to improve, which I think is what I like most. Every floral piece I create is different and unique and I learn from each one, and I continuously fall in love with my job over and over again. I truly believe that to be happy and successful in any career, it has to start with passion. As a creative, passion plays an extremely large part in the success of my work because it takes my work beyond just a business and transactions. Being able to bring others joy through flowers makes my work worthwhile and getting to build lifelong friendships with my clients and other vendors in the industry is like the cherry on top. I am constantly amazed that this is my career and I am so thankful to be able to do what I love daily. Chloe Rose is more than just a floral business, it’s proof that you can follow your passion and be successful.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Orange County (OC) has been my home for many years and I love it here.

If my best friend was visiting for the week, the first place I would take her to is definitely the beach. We have so many great beaches in OC – we can have a fun drive along the Pacific Coast Highway and spend the day hanging out at the world-famous Huntington Beach or to my personal favorite, Crystal Cove. For dinner we could stop at Mama D’s for some delicious Italian food and amazing service.

The next day we can go hiking as there are a lot of great hiking trails in OC, some with great views of the Pacific Ocean. We can also go shopping in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, or even at the popular South Coast Plaza mall and Ding Tai Fung for some delicious Taiwanese dim sum.

For a relaxing day, we can go to my flower wholesalers, Mayesh and OC Wholesale Flowers (which is open to the public), to get some pretty flowers and maybe spend the day making arrangements.

We could also spend a day in Little Saigon in Westminster, where we can gorge ourselves with yummy and authentic Vietnamese food. And of course boba! And finally, what trip to the OC would be complete without visiting the happiest place on earth, Disneyland. These are just some of the few places that come to mind but there is so much more to see and do!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Juan Carlos Catalan. Thank you for your faith in me and for your never ending support. You believed in me through all of my self-doubts and insecurities. You saw so much more in me and all the potentials I had that I didn’t know I had. I’m always thankful for you. Thank you for being you and always wanting the best for me.

Website: www.chloerosedesign.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloerose.design/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chloeroseco/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chloe-rose-westminster

Image Credits
Caitlin Alohilani Photo Ella Hovsepian Photography by Paulina Inner Song Pauline Conway Kwon Photo