Rising Stars: Meet Melissa Clegg

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Clegg.

Hi Melissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always grown up around flowers and knew there was creativity in my blood, but I never really connected the dots until recently. My dad started his own Landscaping Business, so I always remember helping him plant flowers in the yard as a child. Trips to flower nurseries where we would pick out our favorite flowers were some of my fondest memories growing up. He would have endless flower encyclopedias that he would read and study almost every day. Anytime we went on walks, he could point out each flower or tree and tell you exactly what kind of variety it was. Even when he was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, he could still recall and name almost every flower he saw.

Once I lost my dad to Dementia two years ago, I didn’t give much thought to pursuing a career in flowers. I was sort of a lost soul, tried several different career routes and never quite felt like I was ever in the right place. Once COVID hit and lockdown in LA begun, I was furloughed from my job as an Interior Design Consultant and had no idea what my next move was. I tried out several new hobbies, mostly just to keep myself occupied during quarantine. During one of my grocery store trips, I picked up some simple flowers and had a sudden urge to arrange them in a different way than I usually do. And when I did, something inside of me just sparked. It was the first time I wasn’t worrying about the future, I didn’t have an ounce of anxiety, and I was completely present in the moment with what I was doing. It was the first realization that I loved creating with flowers.

Without any past experience or knowledge in floral design, I dove deep into endless YouTube tutorials, floral books, and Instagram live workshops from floral designers to learn as much as I possibly could. I was hooked to say the least. I found myself reading and studying flower books just like my dad used to and it was all coming full circle. I then graduated from grocery store flowers and started going to wholesale flower markets to really experiment and play with the good stuff. I will never, ever forget that feeling of walking into the Downtown Los Angeles flower market for the first time. It’s something I will never be able to explain, but my heart was at ease, I felt like I completely belonged there, and I knew my dad was with me at that very moment. A feeling that I haven’t felt in a long time. As months went by and I was still furloughed, I took this as an opportunity to create. I got my hands on as many flowers as I could and designed arrangements for friends and family. The more I created, the more they encouraged me to offer my designs to everyone, thus Blooms By Melly was born.

I was absolutely terrified and not really ready to put myself out there, but with a little nudge from the most supportive fiancé, family & friends, I started my dream business. I slowly started offering custom floral arrangements across Los Angeles & OC and flowered for a few small events, including my first backyard wedding a few months ago. I’m so humbled to have the most incredible clients who not only trust me to bring their floral visions to life but who are constant cheerleaders with all of their support. I still have so much room to learn and grow but have been loving every second of this new journey with Blooms By Melly. I always say that while this year has been the most challenging, I’m forever thankful that it gave me this opportunity. It forced me to stop and think about what I really want in life and what makes my heart the absolute happiest. If I never got furloughed in the first place, I definitely wouldn’t be here designing flower arrangements today. Everything absolutely happened for a reason.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would be lying if I said it was completely easy! While starting a business has been rewarding, it is also the most difficult thing I have ever done. I’m a HUGE critic on myself and a complete perfectionist. To put my work out there was (and still is) quite terrifying. I wasn’t really ready to put myself out there and I have to talk myself out of self-doubt daily, but I knew if I never took that leap of faith I would be stuck in the same place. Change and growth is uncomfortable, but I’m learning to embrace it.

Blooms by Melly is also my side hustle and I have a full-time job outside of this. There are endless 4am wake up calls to the flower market, following a full 8-hour day at work, and then an all-nighter making flower arrangements when I get home. I’m very tired, but boy am I happy. And that’s what keeps me going! My goal is to eventually make Blooms By Melly my full-time gig. For now, I’m just fueled by lots of coffee and my perseverance to keep growing.

The endless uncertainties of COVID have also a been a big challenge. There are so many workshops, events, one-on-ones that I would love to do but can’t because of safety reasons. I’ve considered doing pop ups as well, but want to wait until the cases stop spiking because frankly, it’s pretty bad here in LA. I have high hopes for plenty of workshops and pop ups in 2021 though! Fingers crossed 🙂

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a huge believer that flowers have the power to transform one’s complete mood and state of mind. They can evoke feelings and emotions and can completely brighten someone’s day instantaneously. The mission behind Blooms By Melly is to create bespoke floral designs that transport clients to this very feeling. All arrangements and bouquets are made with premium blooms that clients can send or gift to someone special. Each arrangement is made completely custom for the client and is a one-of-a-kind design. My main goal is to provide clients with a unique approach to flowers where they are gifted an art piece in floral form. Whether it’s “just because” flowers or all the way to the other side of the spectrum to weddings and formal events, I can create floral designs for any occasion.

I would say the one thing I’m most proud of about my business is the ability to connect and touch a stranger in a way without any past history or knowledge of this person. I’ve had the honor to create blooms to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, cheer up someone’s day, remember and honor someone’s life, and for all of life’s significant moments. It is an incredible feeling to be a part of that special occasion and it’s what makes me love this job more than anything. To see the recipient’s face glow and completely light up when they receive their flower arrangements is the most rewarding part of Blooms By Melly. I will never be able to express the feeling it gives me!

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Don’t be afraid to reach out to who inspires you! In the beginning, it was super intimidating for me to see the success of other designers, but once I started reaching out, asking questions and advice, I found people are more than willing to talk to you and help. The flower community especially is so kind and welcoming. I’ve met incredible designers over Instagram who I absolutely admire and who have been more than willing to help. From my own experience, I’ve found that people in this industry do not put themselves on a pedestal and are not in competition with one another. Instead, they encourage supporting each other because they love what they do and they love seeing others pursue their passion in floral design too. I’ve said it before, but the flower community really is special and is such a huge support group.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @bloomsbymelly