Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi Klecker.
Hi Jodi, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been in the floral industry working for a corporate flower shop for almost 25 years, and learned hands on and also attended classes and schooling for floral design. After that, I did open my own flower shop in downtown Owatonna, MN. I have been here for almost 7 years. I also did pick up Tuxedo and Men’s Suit rentals, which have turned out to be a nice addition to what I specialize as a Wedding and Event Floral Specialist. We have a building, which has three separate rooms. One for the normal flower shop, which has plant, flowers, giftware and crafts and antiques. The next one is a wedding consultation room which I can sit down with brides and go over every detail for their wedding flowers, and go over picking out Tuxedos to coordinate their wedding. Our consultations are very thorough and detailed. the next and last room is our fitting room and has 4 stalls for fitting and measurements. I am very blessed to be able to continue doing what I love and make a living at it. We have enough staff to be able to do up to 3 weddings every week.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was pretty good when I first started because I had gotten my customer counts from my old job to bring into my own shop. However, getting the word out, and to build up new customers can be hard, people are used to going someplace they feel they know and feel comfortable with, so it took about 3 years to build up my name and the work that I can do for new people to see my designs. My employees followed me over, so I had enough help, and good help
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
If you ever ask my parents, they would say she would rearrange furniture and redo the hanging on the walls at like 7 years old. My parents did real estate and I loved going to the parade of homes when I was really young, seeing new and creative ways of these mansions. I had it in me to see things and how to make them “pretty” I love sitting down with brides and going over every detail and questions, letting them know how to adjust prices to keep them in their budget. I have a board that I create for them and show them pictures of flowers, colors and styles for their wedding. I feel like I really excel at putting my vision into a bouquet for them with colors accents and style of bouquet, like I can see it in my head. What sets me apart I don’t know if you ask my customers it’s me, like they always ask for me, even if other people answer the phone, they feel or know that I always make every bride or order as if they are spending a 1k or $1.00 everyone is important to me, and I truly appreciate it
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My God..he did closed doors and opened them up to me. I had people that called me before I was going to go into business for myself, called me and said I should open my own business, people called me with a location building that was ideal for me. An old Tuxedo business that went out of business some other business owners called me to say I needed to pick up the tuxedo account. God works in my life tremendously, I never met some of these people and yet they felt the need to call me because I was in between jobs. When you own a business, and a small business either you get mad or as I do believe that every day God is going to supply me financially. Every day to keep me going, Sometimes when we are super busy the girls/designers will say “did you ask God and Pray to be busy?” and most of the time…yes, yes I did.
Pricing:
- Smaller designer arrangements $35.00
- Wedding Flowers are built per bride per individual
- Tuxedo Rentals start at $160 for a complete set
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kleckerskreations.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kleckerskreations/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KleckersKreations
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KleckersKreate
