Rising Stars: Meet Carly Williams

I started a wedding planning company in 2010 (Carly Rae Weddings)  in Los Angeles, from there I purchased a floral company (Primary Petals) which did wedding and event florals. It wasn’t until 2018 that I wanted to target a new market and attempt to ship bouquets across the country. A pretty big feat, but it proved to be a pretty amazing experience with learning how the postal system works and how to send live products. Since the launch in 2019, we have shipped bouquets to every US state and it’s been so amazing how well the flowers travel and our customer base!

I’ve learned so many lessons that it’s difficult to reduce in a short interview. But what I’ll say is, I did a ton of research before I launched. I calculated risk as best I could before spending any money on start up costs. This particular venture has been easier because I’ve done a couple businesses before this. Do as much research as you can in a product based business. Learn your audience, run the figures, make a list of what could go wrong and have a plan for each scenario. That helped me to mitigate issues as they arose.

I love helping other business owners. It can be a very isolating and confusing place to operate in. I really value learning from each other and giving back wherever I can.

I have learned that happiness is a cooking a new recipe in my kitchen, swimming laps in the pool, and reading a good book with the windows open and a light breeze coming through. Happiness to me is being at peace with yourself, others, and life.

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