Inspiring Conversations with Sydney Crimmins of Garden Party Girls

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Crimmins.

Hi Sydney, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For the last 6 years, I have been a stay-at-home mom. At the end of 2021, I started assisting in managing a retail clothing store where I was mostly responsible for merchandising and training the other employees. Around Christmas, I was tasked with helping throw the company Christmas party for the Arizona location, so my co-manager, good friend, and I planned it on a very modest budget and in a short timeframe. After planning the Christmas party, we realized we had gifting for that work, and we joked a lot about being event planners. And those jokes quickly turned into a conversation about seriously starting our own event planning business where we would throw small, intimate parties in people’s homes/backyards. Hence the name Garden Party Girls. As we started getting serious about forming the LLC, my partner decided it was not a good time for her to start owning a business but encouraged me to do it anyways. I ended up loving the name and kept it. I formed my LLC in January of this year and spent 3 months forming my business before I officially started taking clients beginning of April. I started getting clients immediately and was throwing birthday parties, anniversaries, baby showers, etc. My husband and I decided to design a portable picture booth and rent it out with my event planning services. The PicPod (as we called it) made its debut at our daughters’ birthday party, decorated for a funky high tea party. It was pink with hanging yellow bananas. I posted an ad on Instagram where the owner of the bar 50 Shades of Rose found my ad and wanted help installing flowers throughout the bar. I was making flower arrangements at most of my parties but wasn’t fully into florals yet. As I started the floral install at the bar, I quickly realized I loved the commercial installs and designing way more than the event planning, so my business swiftly took a turn and has gotten me where I am today. Garden Party Girls is quickly becoming the business to hire when you need floral, and art installs. We help businesses increase their foot traffic by giving their guests Instagram-able moments.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think starting a business is ever easy. It has not been a smooth road by any means. There have been many hiccups, learning curves, and stressful moments. Building something from the ground up that you have never been a part of before is challenging. You’re just rolling with punches and making things work as you go. Garden Party Girls has been very blessed to have taken off the way it has in such a short time. Business is not what you know but who you know. All it took was for one or two people to find me; they were key to making my business successful. I hope to be that person for someone else someday!

As you know, we’re big fans of Garden Party Girls. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
I own and run a silk floral design and installation business. Most of my work thus far has been event planning and design, but I just needed time to figure out that my bread and butter is commercial floral and art installations. Garden Party Girls is known for huge floral installations of thousands of floral stems. We are set apart by the quality of our product sourcing and installation methods. Our work is solid and meticulously done. The installs we do aren’t quick by any means. We take our time to get it right. We want all our silk flowers to look realistic, and we want them to endure the test of time and touching. Our work is awe-inspiring and leaves a lasting impression. I love what I do and what I’ve created with my business. I want the readers to know that we are more than just beautiful flowers. We connect with our clients, and they become family to us. We are in the business of connecting and making memories through our designs and installs. I’m so proud of how easy it is to work with us. We don’t make it hard and take care of our people.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Put yourself out there in Facebook groups and networking events in your area. You may have to try all the different means of networking before you find something and someone that works for you. Don’t say no to anything right away. Try it all. The worst that can happen is finding something that doesn’t work for you, which makes you one step closer to something that does. In any industry, it is so important to be a kind person, easy to get along with, and selfless. People are willing to stick their neck out for your business and personal when they know that you will also look out for them. Building your network is getting you to choose your family. You don’t go far in any industry when you are only out for yourself. You will attract the same energy you are putting forth. I was blessed enough to have come across some amazing people, and we really take care of each other, and we are both succeeding because of it. Be gracious, kind, patient, and compassionate, and you will find the right people.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.gardenpartygirls.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/gardenpartygirls
• Facebook: Facebook.com/gardenpartygirls

Image Credits
Headshot and tablescape shot by Shannon Liebrock Instagram; @liebrockphotography1