With over 300,000 Instagram followers, Ashlee Jane has turned what started as a hobby into a successful business, and it's showing no signs of slowing down.
Ashlee grew up with a sense of determination and drive. Following university she built a successful career in sales, got married, renovated a house and had two children. However one year, following a wreath-making class with friends, Ashlee "caught the bug" for floristry. Given her nature, Ashlee wanted to find out everything she could about flowers and floristry. Although it initially started as making wreaths for family and friends, it soon turned into a side hustle designing bouquets and arrangements for weddings.
Ashlee managed her bookings alongside her full-time job. She also began to share her creations on her home renovation Instagram account, The Suffolk Nest, and gained a lot of interest from people who looked to her for inspiration when styling their own homes.
Her online community grew and grew - to over 300,000 followers in fact! Although giving up her secure job felt incredibly risky, Ashlee's husband convinced her to take a leap of faith and she founded the business in January 2021. The Suffolk Nest now sells artificial flowers, arrangements and home decor. It's also a resource for people to learn how to make the best of the flowers they might from supermarkets or florists.
In this episode, Ashlee shares her journey to becoming an accidental entrepreneur and her plans for the future. She talks about her book launch, strategies to manage incredible demand and her desire to go global.
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