Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Nett.
Sara, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I, my husband, and our five-year-old daughter Alice purchased a 2,700-square-foot building on St. Peter’s main drag in mid-2017. With 27 years of experience in theatrical construction and design, freelance artistry, and bespoke tailoring, I was eager to branch out (pun intended) into a new artistic medium. Thanks to a 21-year friendship with third-generation florist James Lowe of Lowe’s Floral and Garden Center in Minot, ND, I had the mentorship I needed to start a shop of my own. Pulling from my decades of experience in design, customer service, management, and retail shop ownership, I settled on a vision and got to work building Sweet Alice.
Sweet Alice is my way of communicating and sharing my values, and spreading joy and connection in the community. I focus on sustainable products and practices, by using as many Minnesota grown blooms as possible, using Fibre Floral (a product made from natural stone) instead of floral foam (made from plastics), and composting or recycling more than 90% of the waste produced. I also use techniques and methods that allow me to reuse most of our hard goods. I think it’s important, as a business owner, to walk your talk, and I make every effort to ensure my business is sustainable for myself and future generations.
Through hard work, dedication, and crazy long hours, I’ve built Sweet Alice from a vision into a viable business. It’s not been easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I hope to spend the next few decades of my life delivering beautiful flowers to brighten days, provide comfort during times of grief, and help people celebrate life’s milestones in a blooming beautiful way.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think there’s ever a smooth road to business ownership. I’ve had plenty of bumps and bruises along the way. I lost my mentor 20 days after I opened my doors, and had to build new relationships to get the guidance I needed.
When I ordered holiday greens for my first winter holiday season, I had no idea what I was doing, and no guidance. I ended up swimming in more evergreens than you can possibly imagine– that was the first major perishable product loss lesson I learned. Needless to say, I’m much more aware of what I’ll need 4 years in, though there are no definites in this industry.
Contrary to popular belief, being a florist isn’t just about making pretty flowers, and the not so fun things are important in keeping perishable inventory fresh. Scrubbing buckets, processing flowers and cleaning coolers isn’t fun– it can be downright icky sometimes– but it is essential to producing high quality, long lasting arrangements.
19 months after I opened the Covid-19 pandemic struck. I furloughed the staff and locked the doors for three months, doing only no-contact delivery to help keep the community safe. I lost a lot of revenue due to the postponements and cancellations of weddings, and there were moments I wasn’t sure the shop was going to make it. But with those negatives came a positive– people sent more flowers during the pandemic, because they couldn’t gather with loved ones, so the shop made up for some of those losses, despite not being open to the public.
Supply and flower shortages continue to plague the floral industry, rising wholesale costs have created a whole new set of obstacles to contend with, and supply chain issues are real and ongoing. The key, I’ve discovered, is to be resilient, determine what I can control and what I can’t, accept the things I can’t control and manage the things I can control as best as I can.
I’m learning every day how to do this work better, and I’m grateful for the community support that’s gotten me this far.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
While I own this business, I love this work because it is creative. While the majority of the business is the every day arrangements every shop does, my specialty is wedding and event flowers. I love meeting with couples, getting to know them, and designing flowers that capture their stories and personalities. I’m known for my wedding flowers, as no two couples ever get the same flowers, and my arrangements, many of which are outside the realm of traditional floral design.
I’m incredibly proud of the fact that I’ve built a profitable business in under 5 years, while putting people and sustainability before profits. My focus on helping people create and maintain connections, and my passion for sustainability are what set my work apart from other florists in our area.
Any big plans?
Plans for the future– I have. so many, but I can’t talk about them all yet!
One big change is that by August 1, 2022, I’ll be taking over the apartment on the second floor of the building as a consultation space and a workspace for myself. The shop that seemed so huge when I opened is quickly running of out space. I’ll be able to start teaching classes in that space as well, so I’m really excited about that.
The other big changes, well, you’ll just have to wait and see. It’s super hard to keep the lid on them, because I want to share them with everyone, but I know it’s not quite time.
Pricing:
- $24.99–minimum arrangement price for delivery
- $64.99– the most common price for a designer’s choice arrangement
- $124.99– the price of one dozen signature Sweet Alice roses outside of Valentine’s Day– there’s a heck of a lot more than roses in that vase!
- $53.99–the median price of a prom boutonniere and corsage set
- $1379– the median price for wedding party and family flowers for your big day! (This doesn’t include any arrangement, just flowers to carry and wear.)
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sweetalicefloral.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetalicefloral/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetalicefloral/
- Other: sweetaliceweddings.com
Image Credits
Sweet Alice Floral
