Meet Nelmary Rodriguez-Lipinski | Floral Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nelmary Rodriguez-Lipinski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nelmary, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had recently become a mom when I decided to start my own business and while I loved my corporate NYC job, I had a long commute and very little time to spend with my daughter when I got home from work. I have always been creative and I love designing so I decided to use those talents and start at Floral business. My thought process was if I started my own business I could create a schedule that works for me and my family while continuing to offer financial support.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a floral designer, I am most proud of how much my business has grown over the years. I am the first to own a business in my family, therefore, I had a lot to learn and research on my own. I believe my unique designs set me apart from others. I don’t create cookie cutter designs, I try to find unique florals and arrange them in a way that will bring the room or location to life. My goal is for my designs to be more than just decorations; I want them to be a statement or conversation piece. I got to where I am today professionally by persistence and hard work. There was no easy shortcut. People think being a florist is just “playing with flowers,” but it is so much more than that. It takes a lot of planning, coordinating, physical labor, creativity, engineering and organization to accomplish the vision for each event. Some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way are to hire an amazing team and surround myself with people that love the job as much as I do, charge what my services and products are worth, give myself extra time to get the job done even when I think I will get it done fast because sometimes delays happen and network and build connections with other vendors as much as possible. I want the world to know that being a floral designer and business owner is a lot of work but is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and I’m extremely thankful to be where I am today.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting the area today I’d have them stay at an airbnb in the Hudson Valley with mountain views. The first place we’d go to is Long Lot Brewery for a nice cold beer and wood fire pizza, the next day we’d go on a hike and end the day at Mohonk Mountain Spa for a nice massage and jacuzzi. We would also visit different farms and do some fruit picking and maybe even try to get reservations and Blue Hill Restaurant. We would also take a day trip to NYC since it isn’t too far. We’d definitely visit central park, Natural History Museum and The Met museum. We would try new foods and snack wherever we see something interesting but definitely end our night having dinner at Le Coucou, my favorite NYC restaurant. In my view the most fun, interesting, exciting people, places or things to check out are EVERYWHERE. You just have to be open to making connections, be kind, be genuine and be yourself. You will naturally attract all great things.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are many people that I would like to shout out but the ones that really stand out are my husband and kids. My husband Mack for supporting me in such a risky decision and being my number 1 fan and my kids for being patient and inspiring me to do better every day. Another big shout out to my mom, Maria for being my first co-worker. I turned her into a florist without her asking and she has been by my side since the very first day. My mom plays many important roles in my business and family, she goes from florist to babysitter on any given day. I’d also like to give a shout out my sister Annmarie for being my right hand woman and for always being there for me. Jenn Berger also deserves a shout. When I first started, Jenn owned a wedding dress business and did many beautiful photo shoots to promote them. She took me under her wing and helped me promote my work in magazines and websites.

Website: www.earthyeleganceflorals.com

Instagram: @EARTHYELEGANCEFLORALS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/earthyeleganceflorals

Image Credits
Jackie Pfef Instagram @Jacpfef