We welcome Leaf & Blossom, Co., 707 N. Magnolia, as our newest small business member! Leaf & Blossom, Co., formerly known as Mel Johnson’s Flower Shoppe, is a dynamic mother-daughter duo owned flower shop specializing in everyday occasion florals, weddings, corporate events, funerals, and many more. Kitty bought Mel Johnson’s in 1994 after moving from Canada. Both Kitty and her daughter Ajeeta Khanna teamed up in 2018 where Ajeeta was under Kitty’s wing and decided to rebrand Mel Johnson’s Flower Shoppe to Leaf & Blossom, Co. in 2021.
What do you love most about having a small business in new House District 42?
As a first-generation, South-Asian female immigrant from Toronto, Orlando is still home to me after residing here for over 28 years. The sense of community is what makes House District 42 a true gem. It would not be where it is today if it weren’t for small businesses and their respective owners. They are the backbone of the community. The beauty is that many of these small business owners all have diverse backgrounds, whether that is in regards to their experiences, ethnicities, cultures, races, sexualities, etc. They all have a unique story to share and pour their hearts and souls into their businesses and customers. It is why I make it a goal to network with different owners in order to better serve our community. And that is exactly what I love about HD42, and I couldn’t be prouder of how much this city has grown and continues to progress over time. It is exciting to be a part of this community. But it is even more exciting to share and execute our ideas within the area to show what we have to offer!
What inspired you to begin when you did and what keeps you going now?
Growing up, my parents told me two things that always stuck:
- ”There is no way you can work for someone else.”
- “You need to be your own boss.”
I’d feel offended by those statements every time. It made me believe as if I were unemployable or unmarketable. While I did work for large-scale corporations, I found little to no satisfaction working for them in terms of growth. One of my best friends also said to me, “I just can’t see you working for anyone; I can only see you running your own company.” I had my blinders on the entire time, and it dawned upon me that I need to have my own agenda, not follow someone else’s journey. After some deep introspection, I knew my family and close friends wanted me to manifest my own destiny versus someone else controlling my path and career.
The perfect example is I watched my father build Universal Animal Clinic and cultivated his veterinary journey from the ground up where virtually all of his clients adored him. Most of his employees stayed loyal to him, the clinic, and vice versa. Some of his employees even stood by his side for more than 20 years. It was hard watching him sell his clinic as his employees had mixed emotions and the majority of his clients cried. Everyone felt like a family.
That’s when I realized the culture and vibe he created within his practice is the same kind I want to replicate at our flower shop.
Back in 2018, my mother asked me, “Can you do social media marketing for the shop?” I told her, “Sure, I can, but under one condition: I will do all the marketing, however, you must let me change the name to a more marketable name.” She didn’t budge. Rightfully so. It took my mom 3 years to find the confidence in taking this risk.
Either way, having full autonomy without someone exerting his/her/their authority is what truly inspired me to turn a new leaf for our shop.
We finally went through a full-throttle rebrand with our name from “Mel Johnson’s Flower Shoppe” to “Leaf & Blossom, Co” in June 2021. Ever since we have been reaping the benefits. I care so much about customizing our services on a per-person basis by means of educating our clientele versus “selling to sell.” I feel motivated to do more when my mother admits, “You really have changed this place for the better.” Hearing her feedback is what keeps me going. You can read more about our journey into the business right here! https://leafandblossomco.com/
What advice would you give to someone else wanting to open a small business?
Owning a business is like raising a child. You don’t know what curveballs to expect. Over time it will mature. You won’t know when. There is no instruction manual.” Wise words from my father. Learning to own and operate a small business isn’t impossible, but in the beginning, it’s a fairly dramatic lifestyle change, and at times it can be tedious.
Some things to keep in mind? Don’t expect owning a business to be a typical 9-5 job, five days a week. It is beyond that. You may find yourself working after hours, you may be taking your work home, and you may even work the weekend, too. You may also perform tasks that your employees are doing. It’s all perfectly normal. I know a few small business owners who admitted struggling to juggle a work-life balance. It is very important to implement a self-care routine to minimize burnout, which I have experienced in the past. You do not have to be the best at everything, though! Focus and showcase what you do best, instead.
You are also more than the face of your brand, but you also must learn to be a team player. Avoid the aggressive “head honcho” mentality as you will alienate yourself as a leader.
Become flexible and open-minded to new ideas! Your business, as my Pops would say, is like a child, and therefore, constantly evolving. Never compare your business to your competitors, but instead learn what they are doing that works well for them. I lucked out and have my own parents as my mentors. Never feel scared to speak to someone in your respective industry. And always be courageous to implement unique ideas that YOU believe in that the market has not touched. You are your own competition after all! You are the fate of your own business.
On a lighter note, having your own business means you can be yourself and you SHOULD be yourself. Let your personality shine through and your clientele will immediately look forward to experiencing that with you. Show you care for them; they will reciprocate. Interact with them and most importantly, enjoy the process. It is so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of ownership, however, it is vital to humanize every aspect.
What are some of your customer’s favorite items from your business?
We always recommend our customers to stick to the designer’s choice along with adhering to a color scheme. That is our NUMBER ONE seller and best suggestion as it lowers expectations but allows more leeway for creative freedom. The designer’s choice is basically at the designer’s discretion in creating an arrangement to the value purchased. But according to our website, our hot-selling arrangements are the “XOXO Gossip Girl”, “All Gold, Everything”, “Electric Feel”, “Lady Marmalade” and our newer “crescent-shaped” arrangement that has made rounds on social media. We plan to name that one “Too Chic” as a nod to a neighboring small business in Thornton Park called “Two Chic Beautique” since they were the first recipients of our newly minted design.
For specific requests, we always encourage our customers to call us. We may not carry every flower on hand, but we can always order them from our wholesalers to retail.
How can readers stay up to date with your business or show support in 2022?
Our clients and subscribers can keep up with us through many platforms. With our name change, we left our name as “Leaf & Blossom, Co. (formerly Mel Johnson’s Flower Shoppe)” on Google, as not everyone may have seen our email blast letter denoting the rebrand. We are very active on social media such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and My Google Business, and we will even interact with them through DMs.
Our website: www.leafandblossomco.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/