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

Hi Nicole, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
After finishing my bachelor’s and graduating from college I struggled with finding a fulfilling career. I graduated from UCSB and made the decision to continue living in Santa Barbara because I loved it so much here- there wasn’t any other town or city where I wanted to live. Since Santa Barbara is a small town, there is not many diverse jobs available as there is in a bigger city.

One of my colleagues told me, “you can either live somewhere you love and work in a job that you don’t love, or you can live somewhere you don’t like to work for a job that you love.” It sounds like a silly statement, although I know it may be true for certain fields of work. Her statement really stuck with me and haunted me. I was determined that I could make something work for me in Santa Barbara. I took many part time and freelance jobs so I wasn’t tied down to one office for a 9-5 and because I think I was afraid of committing to a career.
I finally ended up in a full time office job for an IT consulting company. It was an amazing company and a great experience, but I was lacking a creative outlet and deep down knew that I could thrive working for something that I built myself. I’ve always had a keen eye for design and aesthetics, and loved the art of gathering. I wanted to be part of creating beautiful experiences for others to enjoy. My favorite pastime in Santa Barbara was exploring the mountains and beaches, and picnicking with friends. A light bulb went off for me when I realized I could combine my love for design, events, and the outdoors into a quintessential Santa Barbara activity- picnics. When I couldn’t find that fulfilling career to apply for as a job, I made it for myself and it has brought me so much joy and purpose. Although it wasn’t a quick or easy process, I didn’t let that statement from my colleague come true for me. I am so grateful that I get to live in a town that I love and work for a job that I am so passionate about.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I seek to provide a unique and elevated picnic experience. I am a lover of many different design styles, from bold, colorful and bohemian to neutral minimalist, and I like to give clients the flexibility to select their preferred colors and styling preferences for a completely custom picnic. Every picnic we create has been different from each other, and I love that we are able to continue pushing ourselves creatively while curating each client’s special occasion and specific preferences.

There are a lot of moving parts to organizing a picnic and building a rental inventory. A picnic business needs custom tables, pillows, blankets, rugs, linens, umbrellas, tableware, etc. I did not have everything in the beginning. I started off with using crates as tabletops until I was able to invest in custom made tables. I am dedicated to finding high quality and unique pieces and I am always looking to improve and expand our inventory. I have learned a lot over the years and although some of it hasn’t been easy, it’s made me into a better business owner and experienced picnic designer. Despite the minor challenges we have experienced, it is always so rewarding to see the client’s excitement for their picnic and that makes us continue to do what we love. I am really proud of starting Santa Barbara Picnic Co. from the ground up and growing it organically. I had no idea where it would take me and I did not have a clear plan for it. It has really evolved over time and I hope to be able to continue to expand it to greatness.

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 would revolve the itinerary around sunset, because sunset’s are so beautiful in Santa Barbara and there are so many great spots to watch it! For a late brunch, I recommend Lilac Pâtisserie, a French bakery with a completely gluten-free menu. They have amazing breakfast sandwiches and toasts, and decadent pastries. Their vegan carrot cake and red velvet cupcakes are my favorite- I may buy an extra to eat later in the day since they close in the afternoon. The ambiance is very cute and makes you feel like you could be in Paris. My favorite places to go for wine and cocktails are Satellite (best for their natural wines), Lama Dog (kombucha on tap in a fun industrial space), and The Good Lion (small swanky bar with delicious cocktails) to name a few. I recommend booking a private charter with Santa Barbara Sailing for sunset. Pick up a pizza from Bettina (highly recommend their honey drizzled pepperoni) or order a grazing platter through Goodland Graze to bring on your sail! I would also pick up a bottle of rosé from Muni Wine or Margerum to bring along. Another spot I love to watch sunsets are at Lizards Mouth- not really a hike, but a fun and easy boulder climbing area. There are other hikes around there. I recommend driving up E. Camino Cielo- there are many spots to stop and admire the views way up in the mountains. Of course, I have to recommend booking a picnic experience with Santa Barbara Picnic Co. That’s another great option for watching the sunset either at the beach or the Mission Rose Garden. Lastly, if you enjoy wine tasting, then spending some time in the Funk Zone is a must. There are many wine bars to try, along with local and artisanal boutiques for shopping. After you’ve had your fair share of the Funk Zone, you can walk to the beach or Stearns Wharf for another glass of wine at Deep Sea Tasting Room above the water. It’s a magical experience there during the evening! 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 definitely don’t think I would be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for the encouragement and support from my family and closest friends. They have all been my number 1 fans since the beginning. However, it was through the encouragement of my friend, Barbara, that really supported my action in pursuing this business. She helped me put together my picnic launch by making it a community gathering for other local creatives to meet and gather, and it was after that my business really kicked off. https://www.instagram.com/barbara.goes.wear/

Website: https://santabarbarapicnicco.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/santabarbarapicnicco/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleza/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santabarbarapicnicco
Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/santabarbarapicnicco/_created/

Image Credits
Ali Beck, Carly Mask, Pinnel Photography, Burgundy Blue, Olivia Markle.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.