Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurie Bolach.
Laurie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The corporate world was all I knew for many years. Yet, my dream of working creatively with flowers, botanicals and a boutique retail continued to grow until I could no longer wait to make it a reality.
I looked for a small building in my area because I wanted to be close to friends and neighbors, and I set up shop with gusto. My world shifted from board meetings and spreadsheets to designing with beautiful blooms. Of course, there was much to learn about building and running a small business. Along the way, I have relied on the talents, expertise and support of so many incredible people to help keep the dream alive.
The name Olive’s Bloombox was inspired by my grandma, Olive, whose outlook on life continues to influence everything we do today. Her motto was, “it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.” She found joy in life’s simple pleasures, being surrounded by nature, beautiful flowers and fabulous gardens. In many ways, Olive’s Bloombox is a tribute to her spirit, a celebration of beauty, creativity and the simple moments that bring people Joy.
It has been an amazing journey watching our team grow as we navigate new challenges and opportunities together.
Our community has been a true joy to serve and grow alongside. We are incredibly grateful for the support, friendships, and trust we have received over the years.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have been many challenges and surprises along the way. Most surprising has been the amount of time required to thoroughly examine all aspects of the business, in order to ensure it is running efficiently, carefully, and with integrity. These priorities keep me and my team functioning optimally, so it is critical we keep close watch.
Building improvements, inventory, taxes, payroll, and countless ongoing expenses are all part of running a business. Finding the right balance between delivering quality and managing these costs is an ongoing challenge. Balance is what keeps everything moving in the right direction—without it, the whole endeavor can easily go off course. When you have poured so much hard work, passion, and emotion into something like I have and are fortunate enough to have a team that gives the same level of dedication—obstacles become building blocks rather than roadblocks. You learn from mistakes, adapt to miscalculations, and move forward with greater knowledge and determination.
Growth rarely comes from getting everything right the first time; it comes from the willingness to keep learning, improving, and moving ahead together.”
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Our work is primarily to bring joy into people’s lives through the beauty of flowers. From big events, to your dining room table, we create floral arrangements to compliment any occasion.
“Think outside the box” is our design motto. Through unexpected color palettes, unique textures, and distinctive bloom selection, our designers strive to create designs that inspire to leave a lasting impression. Our color and texture combinations aim to inspire. Many customers are surprised by our unique bloom choices and artistic design. There are many wonderful florists out there, we believe our distinctive style, attention to detail, and passion for creativity is what keeps people coming back and is what we are most proud of.
At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to creating beautiful, thoughtful floral designs that brings our clients vision to life . Whether celebrating life’s milestones, enhancing a special event, or simply brightening someone’s day, we believe flowers have the power to create meaningful connections and lasting memories.
Over the years, what began as a neighborhood floral studio and garden center has grown into 2 locations featuring an expansive floral design studio and thoughtfully curated retail spaces. Today we offer a full range of services, including custom floral design, event florals, lush seasonal garden center offerings, porch pot installations, floral cart rentals, educational workshops, and a carefully curated boutique shopping experience .
We are thrilled to play a small part in our clients celebrations, homes, businesses, and everyday moments, and we remain grateful for the community and all the talented vendors that we work with that has allowed Olive’s Bloombox to grow and flourish alongside of them.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
No two small businesses, or business owners, are exactly the same. Find a mentor who can guide you along the way as you and your business evolve. Formulas have their place, but there has to be room for personalization too. I have found that this is the only way my individuality and passion have been able to shine through. Definitely keep mutually beneficial relationships strong. We love our flower community and vendors we work with- they keep us motivated, understand our struggles and keep our creativity and designs growing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.olivesbloombox.com
- Instagram: @olivesbloombox
- Facebook: @olivesbloombox
