Today we’d like to introduce you to Maribel Ortiz.
Hi Maribel, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Jalisco, Mexico, and migrated to the US when I was 13 yo. After graduating from West Orange High School, I was not able to attend college due to the status of my visa. I found a job doing cold calls and only lasted for about 2 weeks because I didn’t speak English well. Fortunately, West Side Tech accepted me and I was able to study a Floral Design program. Upon completion of the program, I started working at a floral event company, in Orlando, as a Designer Assistant. Soon my immigration status changed and I was able to attend college and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Marketing from UCF. I worked in the floral industry and went to college full time, which allowed me to pay for tuition. Soon after graduating from UCF, I left the floral industry. A year later I ended up going back to flowers and have never left the industry ever since. I was fortunate to work with very talented designers throughout my floral career, from whom I have learned a lot. Fast forward 18 years later, we (husband, myself, son, and two four-legged children) decided to open Emerald Gardenia.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of my favorite phrases is “I don’t lose, I learn”. I’ve fallen and gotten stronger. All the obstacles that I have encountered have shaped the person that I am today. Life happens, I have had personal and professional losses. I started high school and did not speak English at all and was constantly ridiculed because of it. However, I was driven and had my mind set on going to college and owning a business. As an immigrant, I have had to say goodbye to loved ones, while being thousands of miles away. I had a miscarriage, which was the worst pain that I have ever experienced. I lost a business after the pandemic. I was depressed, sick, and so on… My point here is not to gain sympathy, but hopefully to inspire others. Yes, life is hard, but if we push through the cycle will end and we will be stronger in the end.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Emerald Gardenia?
We love mother nature and its healing powers. Our fresh-cut floral and plant designs are an expression of our clients’ emotions and we aspire to convey such feelings through what we call, Floral Poetry. We perceive our designs as hugs, kisses, or a pat on the back that someone is sending and we are the vehicle. It is an honor to be a part of so many celebrations of love and life, the beginning and end of cycles and we would not do it any other way. Another major component of our business is to move into more ecological practices by improving certain floral industry standards that harm our planet.
We specialize in retail, intimate celebrations, weddings, corporate events, commercial and residential floral styling.
On the retail side, we design unique fresh floral arrangements, planters, premium gift boxes, and offer delivery service.
When it comes to intimate celebrations, weddings, and corporate events we offer fresh floral décor, guest favors, premium gift boxes, plant staging, and other customized services.
With floral styling, we bring Mother Nature into residential and commercial spaces to assist in creating a natural ambiance using natural and/or artificial flowers and plants. These can be temporary or permanent and include moss wall décor, suspended gardens, photo opportunity spaces, window displays, and more.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Our goal is to create, educate, and inspire.
We love to create together by guiding our clients from vision to reality. It is very rewarding to see a client’s face when they see their vision come to life.
Education has an important role in how an industry is perceived. We believe that there are many misconceptions about the Floral Industry and our goal is to shed light on the different parts of the supply chain from seed to bouquet and how we operate as an industry.
We hope to inspire future artists to pursue a career in the Floral Industry. We believe in the power that flowers and plants have and know that it is important to continue the craft and to be able to pass it along to future generations.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emeraldgardenia.us/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emeraldgardenia.us
Image Credits
Erika Grace Photography
Corner House Photography
