#FlowersforTherapy

#FlowersforTherapy

Did you know that 1 in every 5 adults experienced mental illness in 2020? Mental Health and Wellness have been a topic of discussion, especially in this pandemic era and while still adjusting to our new way of living. Many suffer from anxiety, high stress, and depression.  Now, more than ever, it is important to continue to educate people on expanded ways to practice self-care and protect their well being.

Flowers have been used for centuries in different ways, forms and have been proving on numerous occasions to provide mental, emotional and physical benefits. In a 10-month study at Rutgers, participants' behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers were documented; researchers concluded that flowers have an immediate impact on happiness, a long-term positive effect on moods (feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated), and flowers make intimate connections between people. Just as much as flowers are able to have a positive impact on mental and emotional well being in their physical state, they are also proving to have physical benefits through aromatherapy, in which flower essential oils (flower extracts) are used as complementary medicine through smell to improve your health or applied topically to the skin. Essential oils have been proving to boost mood, reduce anxiety and pain, while also having properties that have healed redness and inflammation. The enormous amount of benefits flowers are known for and my personal journey with flowers are the reasons I decided to launch The Petal Effect. 

The Petal Effect is a lifestyle brand centered around the multi-dimensional healing powers of flowers. Our mission is to provide natural floral remedies that are beneficial to your well being. We believe that flowers, in physical form or as an essential oil, can encourage mind, body and soul balance through an ancestral tradition that we call Floral Therapy. We offer products & services that cater to our customers' use of flowers. From subscriptions, intimate events, to our first floral essential oil line coming in 2022.

Since launching in July of 2020, we have received an immense amount of love from our clients and community. We've worked with brands like Banana Republic, Shea Moisture and have been published by Elle.com and The Zoe Report. We have worked with influencers that have shaped the culture and we are now looking to grow and expand our space and team for all we have planned in the New Year. 

MY STORY:

One lesson I've learned as an undocumented black woman and business owner is that although the odds may be stacked against my success, there is always a community willing to support!  I became an entrepreneur from what at a time in my life seemed like a major loss! When I was 15, I graduated high school and was hopeful for a bachelor's degree in interior design. I quickly realized that I wouldn’t be going to college as I wasn't able to receive financial aid or any government assistance due to my status. As an avid dreamer, I was determined to make a living for myself! I researched other forms of design that didn’t require school. It was then I discovered floral design and ventured into the industry. Not too long after that, I was able to connect with my immigrant community and they became such a resource and platform to share my story.  Since that moment almost a decade ago,  I have launched my business and have raised $5,000 in business grant opportunities through Immigrant Risings, a non-profit which empowers undocumented young people to achieve educational and career goals.

Being a solopreneur has its highs and lows. There are so many hats to wear and not enough hours in the day!! This turning point in raising capital will empower me to not just think about expanding my space & team, but to actually do it. If you understand the importance of mental health, want simple natural ways to improve the well being of yourself and the people you love, or you simply want to support a small black business, please spread the word and help us reach our goal!!

What We Need & What We Get:

Essential Goal: $5,000

This will allow us to put a downpayment on a work space ($2,000) and purchase a cooler system ($2,500). This amount gets our foot in the door with some of the resources needed for an intern. We estimate $500 would go toward perk fulfillment.

Dream Goal: $10,000

This amount is our sweet spot. It allows for a downpayment on a work space ($2,000)  and a cooler system ($2,500) and the production of our first product + part-time employee ($5,000). We estimate $500 would go toward perk fulfillment.

What We'll Have:

Products:

• Vases & Dried Florals (Home Decor)
• Flower Essential Oils & Blends

Services:

• Floral Subscriptions (personal and businesses)
• Gifting
• Intimate Events
• Workshops (In-Person & Online) 

The Impact:

Expand our Reach: 

With a bigger location, we can start serving our community at a 3X higher rate per week with our products and customized service plans both locally and nationally. Having more space to pack products and store fresh flowers, we will be able to offer pick-up in a more central location while also delivering twice as much due to location change

Mind, Body & Soul Experience:

Whether you love the smell of flowers, the joy they bring, or their ability to heal us on a physical and emotional level, our evolving products/services offer a vast range of natural ways to connect with the world around us and to ourselves.

Supporting Black Businesses:

Your support will help create more work opportunities within our business for our bipoc community and opportunities to trade with other black businesses.