Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Encinas.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
My name is Patricia Encinas; I’m 26 years old and your local florist. My shops name is Floreria La Patrona. We opened our doors in May of 2023 with hopes of becoming your one-stop shop for flowers. As a small Latina business owner, the most challenging part was getting started. The support from my family and partner has been enormous, and I am so thankful for them. Our shop was small, but with the help of this beautiful community, we quickly grew beyond expectations. What started as 1 walk-in per day turned to multiple. When this all started, I had to do it independently because there was no budget to hire anyone. And although my family would offer to help, they needed to gain more knowledge as to how they could help. Slowly but surely, we were able to hire a team, and we hope to continue growing as we have so far. We are very grateful for all the support we continuously receive from the community, and we are incredibly thankful for our clients who continue to choose us for their special moments. None of this would be possible without our wonderful clients.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a challenging road. Building a business from the ground up has been very difficult. When this all started, our biggest struggle was getting our name out there. Our product has always spoken for its own, but getting the community to give us a chance was the most challenging bump. We needed to stand out with so many other flower shops and individual florists working from home. We needed the community to hear our name and be the topic of discussion. To do that, we utilized the most extensive FREE resource: social media. We started recording TikTok, posting reels on Instagram, and becoming as active as possible on all social platforms. Little by little, our shop was getting more and more recognition. This allowed us to turn those viewers into customers. Customers would then recommend us to their friends and family. Customers would interact with us on social media by liking and sharing with customers who continue to think of us for their floral needs. Weddings, birthdays, funerals, you name it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your business.
Here’s a fun fact about our shop’s name: Patrona, which means girl boss in Spanish. Growing up, my mom always called me Patrona because I’ve always been bossy. She would say “si Patrona” when I would request something. It was always an inside joke, and when choosing what to name our shop, it was obvious that it had to be “La Patrona.” Since our logo is in cursive, it seems as if it’s my name, Patricia, since the first four letters are the same. It’s a small coincidence that I personally love it. Here at Florería La Patrona, we specialize in “Ramos Buchones,” a minimum of 100 roses nicely organized and wrapped with Korean wrapping paper. Our clients specifically love how we personalize all their orders. They get to choose their rose color or colors, if they want to add other flowers, their wrapping paper, and any add-on such as crowns, butterflies, or a custom ribbon. This makes their arrangement more personal and unique to them. That’s what sets us apart from the rest. We personalize arrangements to fit the desired outcome created by our clients. We make our client’s vision! Our brand is inclusive, and although we are mainly known for our huge Ramos, that’s not all we have to offer. We cater to weddings, funerals, and any flower need. Once again, we create your vision in the floral world.
What’s next?
Our plans for the future are to continue growing and expanding. Maybe another Florería La Patrona somewhere else in the valley or another state. Only time will tell. But we are always trying to improve and perfect our brand and product.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.Florerialapatrona.com
- Instagram: Florerialapatrona
Image Credits
Fernando Aviles
