June 26, 2025 • 12 mins
When motherhood and career ambitions clash, something has to give—but what if it didn't have to? This eye-opening conversation introduces us to Ashley Bunn and Christine Davies, two mothers who rejected the false choice between professional fulfillment and family life by creating Little Pumpkin Decorators, a seasonal porch styling business in Charlotte's Waxhaw area.
After years in demanding corporate environments where pregnancy announcements were met with questions about return dates and children's events created workplace tension, both women made bold exits. Ashley left a decade-long medical sales career when juggling work and three children became unsustainable. Christine departed corporate banking searching for something more compatible with motherhood. Their chance encounter at their daughters' dance studio—where the simple mention of pumpkin decorating sparked immediate recognition of a shared vision—launched an entrepreneurial adventure that transformed both their lives.
What makes their business truly revolutionary isn't just their stunning seasonal displays, but how they've structured everything around family life. They've created a marketplace where other mothers can work as freelance designers on their own schedules, bringing their children along or working during school hours. Even their business meetings happen at playgrounds where their children can be present. Through their four different styling packages—from vibrant fall colors to classic seasonal arrangements—they're not just decorating porches; they're modeling a new kind of work-life integration where mothers don't have to choose between their creative ambitions and their children. As Ashley poignantly shares, the business has "brought a lot of peace and joy, which I was missing." Check out their work on Instagram @littlepumpkindecorators or visit littlepumpkindecorators.com to learn more about how they're redefining entrepreneurship one pumpkin-adorned porch at a time.
Little Pumpkin Decorators
Christine Davies & Ashley Bunn
Charlotte, NC
(704) 840-3017
decorators@littlepumpkindecorators.com
littlepumpkindecorators.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi everyone and welcome to the show.
I'm Regina Leak, your host, andtoday we are excited to
introduce you to an amazinglocal business right here in the
community.
I'm here in Charlotte and thisis all about their journey,
their brand and what sets themapart.
Today I'm talking with theowners of Little Pumpkin
(00:20):
Decorators, based in SouthCharlotte Waxhaw area, and this
is we're speaking to Ashley Bunnand Christine Davies, the
co-owners.
Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Thank you, we're excited to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Yeah, when I first heard the name Little Pumpkin
Decorators I'm like what is this?
Can one of you share a littlebit about an overall scope of
what you do?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
share a little bit about an overall scope of what
you do.
Ashley, you want to take thatSure.
So we currently are porchstyling homes, businesses,
events in Charlotte withpumpkins, pumpkins and lots of
pumpkins, and our kids help withus as well, so they're part of
(01:06):
the process.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
That's cool.
I noticed on your website yourtwo local moms that left
corporate world to start this.
So let's start with tell us alittle bit about each of y'all
and what.
How did you get together tocome up with this idea?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
What inspired you?
Okay, I'll jump in.
So I left corporate banking inOctober of last year and Ashley
and I have come in and out ofeach other's lives since our
little our oldest girls werelittle and they were at a
Montessori together.
So we were sitting at dance andher daughter had mentioned that
(01:52):
she was decorating porches withpumpkins and I had been
researching business ideas forcause I'm just like a busybody
and love to have something to doand be outside and I had been
researching a businessopportunity with decorating
porches with pumpkins.
And when her daughter said thatwe were sitting outside the
(02:15):
dance studio, I just like lit upand was like, oh my gosh, we've
got to do this together.
That's it.
Yes, it was like, oh my God.
I listened to this entrepreneurpodcast and he talked about a
lady doing this in Dallas and itjust like I was like this is it
, this is.
I love being outside, I lovemaking things look great and
(02:37):
fall is like my favorite time ofyear.
And it just kind of all cametogether for me.
And when she, when her daughterElle, mentioned that, I just
lit up and then Little PumpkinDecorators was born.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Ashley, how old is your daughter when this all
happened?
Nine, oh, wow, yeah, she.
She probably wants a commission, right?
So tell us about yourbackground, ashley.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
My background is medical sales, so I've been in
sales for about 20 years and theprevious role I was at I was in
for 10 years and it was inaesthetics and it was a great
job and I was very thankful andblessed.
But I just couldn't balanceworking and having three kids.
(03:30):
It just got to the point where,um, it just it wasn't working.
So I decided to just quit, um,until my youngest starts
kindergarten and then you knowjust kind of see what happens
and, um, you know, having timeon my hands and I've always
decorated our house with anunbelievable amount of pumpkins
(03:52):
for like a decade.
I take my kids to like Simpsonspumpkins and they just we take
out wheelbarrows and they justload them, and I don't stop them
and they just keep going andthen our car is packed with
pumpkins and we get home and weall decorate them, decorate the
(04:12):
porch with the pumpkins, andthey absolutely love it and it's
just something that we'vealways done.
So I had a couple friends askme to do their porch because
they know, you know, I had sometime on my hands, so then I
started there and then mydaughter mentioned to christine
hey, my mom is like all we do isgo to the pumpkin patch now and
get pumpkins and my kids loveit, they love it.
(04:35):
So it's like fun and, just likeChristine, I love being outside
and I love.
I've always had a love fordecorating.
I've always decorated reallybig for every season, every
event.
My, my mom had a home decorstore and so I grew up working
there, um, so I've just kind ofbeen a part of my life.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
What's the biggest pumpkin y'all have ever used in
a decoration?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
I mean, those things can be ginormous yeah, I think
the last one was like 75 pounds,did you have?
Speaker 1 (05:08):
to bring the men in or how did y'all handle?
That.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Well, I'm the muscle, she's the muscle.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah, she's very strong and I'm not, so I'm like
Christine.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Your client must have a very large porch A client
must have a very large porch.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that one was particularly large,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Where did you get your inspiration from for design
?
Does it just pop?
You know when you're speakingwith clients.
Ashley, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yeah, so it does.
It kind of just goes with their, their home.
They they all have differenthomes, they all have different
design um interests, and thenthey all kind of have a
different story someone a porchfor thanksgiving, someone a
porch for their kids.
So just kind of listening totheir needs and putting it all
(06:04):
together.
That's why they all look sodifferent.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yeah, what's the time of year the earliest you guys
are ready to set porches up,because it's fall, halloween and
Thanksgiving technically.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Yeah, so we're starting deliveries on the first
day of fall, so that'sSeptember 22nd.
We'll be starting to make youknow pumpkin porches happen.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
That's awesome.
So tell us a little bit aboutthe process.
I'm listening to this.
Ooh, I'm really interested.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
So, we have four packages available, so they
range in different sizes andthen, based on kind of what
Ashley was mentioning, like howour clients we've seen them have
, like different, you know,desire for color palettes,
things like that We've got likethe vibrant fall which is all
(07:10):
the colors like, ranging fromyellows and greens and oranges,
and you know, it really putstogether the gourds and the
pumpkins and makes a reallytraditional fall display.
And then we've got our classicpackage, that is, the red, the
white and the green.
So, depending on your porchsize, your budget and your
(07:33):
artistic preference, we've kindof got everything available for
you to choose from.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
That's a lot of fun.
So I think there's somethingthat sets you guys, makes you
very unique, is that you guysuse other mops to help you.
Talk to us a little bit aboutthat, Ashley.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
So something that Christine and I both really
struggled with when we worked isit was like oh, that's great,
you're a mom, you have kids.
Like, oh, you're pregnant, whenare you coming back to work.
Or oh, you're going onmaternity leave when are you
going back to work.
Or oh, your daughter has adance competition.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Like did you get that report in today?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
It's like oh my gosh.
So, it was.
It was just kind of, you knowthat was a challenge.
So with this, like the kids canbe a part of it.
So if you're a mom and you wantto do this on the side and you
want to do it, um, you know,it's a short season, it's not a
big commitment.
It's a huge creative outletthat we found, like it's, it's
(08:36):
so much fun, like the kids loveit, and it's not a big
commitment.
You can still be a mom and anddo this.
You don't have to necessarilypick.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah and I think, too , right like the side hustle is
such a big thing right now andwe've got a lot of friends and
like met a lot of ladies thatare looking for a little way to
contribute.
You know it's the perfect timeto save up for, like, a special
Christmas present for their kidsor a special trip that they
(09:08):
want to go on, and so the waythat we've structured our
business allows us to hirefreelancer designers, right, so
they can, you know, depending onwhat their availability is, if
the kids are at preschool andthey've got a few hours, they
want to go design a porch andmake a hundred bucks, like you
know we will enable that forthem.
It's part of us kind ofbringing the pumpkin pie or
(09:33):
sharing the pumpkin pie with theother moms, right, so we're
creating a marketplace for themto have an opportunity to do
something creative, do somethingfun.
They can bring their kids, theycan go when their kids are at
school and then, you know it's,they can make their own schedule
as well, depending on where thebookings are, what their
availability looks like.
(09:53):
They can kind of pick andchoose.
So we're really pleased to beable to offer that to other moms
like us.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Great idea.
I have this vision of the kidsrunning around happy and the
moms are happy.
That's a very, very cool model.
Let's start with you, ashley.
How has running this business,starting this business, changed
your?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
life.
It's brought a lot of likepeace and joy, which I was
missing.
You know I was very, very moneyfocused when I was in medical
sales, so this is more peace andjoy.
So it is a lot of flexibility.
You know, last week, I think, Ihad a call, we had a call with
(10:35):
a magazine and something elsethat day and, like, my kids were
, were with me and it was justso nice to not have to pick
between the two.
Um, and you know I talked likeChristine and I will have
business meetings and the kidswill be playing at a playland
area.
So it's brought a lot ofbalance, which is what I was
(10:56):
missing.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I get that.
How about you, Christine?
How has this changed your life?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
I think it's really like the same right.
I left the corporate worldbecause it didn't serve me, it
didn't serve my family, and themodel that Ashley and I are
building for this business is,you know, we complete we're.
We're in the same place in lifeand we're doing it because it's
fun, it's joyous and it makesus happy, like seeing a porch
done and like our kids arerunning around putting that
(11:24):
finishing little sprinkle on.
We call the little pumpkins thesprinkle.
It just is, it's the best, andthat's that's what we need in
this time in our life.
And I mean, as you have seen,like Ashley and I are very
driven, we're, we were veryfocused and I think we needed
this kind of outlet that lets usbe creative, lets us contribute
(11:44):
to our family but, you know,brings us, brings us joy at the
same time.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Well, having business backgrounds makes it, I'm sure,
very good for your clients,because you understand, you know
they're your customers, so Ilove all of that.
Well, before we wrap up, I wantto tell our listeners this is
part one of a series and we'regoing to, in each podcast, share
a little bit more, go a littledive a little deeper into what
(12:10):
they do, and let's end up thisone with uh ashley, please tell
our listeners how to find youguys, your website, your phone
number and so on um.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
So you can find us on instagram little pumpkin
decorators, or you can go to ourwebsite,
wwwlittlepumpkindecorators.
com.
Um, and then our email isdecorators at
littlepumpkindecorators.
com, and then our email isdecorators at
littlepumpkindecorators.
com very good well today's been.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
This has been a blast and I look forward to our next
get together.
Thank you, ladies.
Hi everyone and welcome to the show.
I'm Regina Leak, your host, andtoday we are excited to
introduce you to an amazinglocal business right here in the
community.
I'm here in Charlotte and thisis all about their journey,
their brand and what sets themapart.
Today I'm talking with theowners of Little Pumpkin
(00:20):
Decorators, based in SouthCharlotte Waxhaw area, and this
is we're speaking to Ashley Bunnand Christine Davies, the
co-owners.
Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Thank you, we're excited to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Yeah, when I first heard the name Little Pumpkin
Decorators I'm like what is this?
Can one of you share a littlebit about an overall scope of
what you do?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
share a little bit about an overall scope of what
you do.
Ashley, you want to take thatSure.
So we currently are porchstyling homes, businesses,
events in Charlotte withpumpkins, pumpkins and lots of
pumpkins, and our kids help withus as well, so they're part of
(01:06):
the process.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
That's cool.
I noticed on your website yourtwo local moms that left
corporate world to start this.
So let's start with tell us alittle bit about each of y'all
and what.
How did you get together tocome up with this idea?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
What inspired you?
Okay, I'll jump in.
So I left corporate banking inOctober of last year and Ashley
and I have come in and out ofeach other's lives since our
little our oldest girls werelittle and they were at a
Montessori together.
So we were sitting at dance andher daughter had mentioned that
(01:52):
she was decorating porches withpumpkins and I had been
researching business ideas forcause I'm just like a busybody
and love to have something to doand be outside and I had been
researching a businessopportunity with decorating
porches with pumpkins.
And when her daughter said thatwe were sitting outside the
(02:15):
dance studio, I just like lit upand was like, oh my gosh, we've
got to do this together.
That's it.
Yes, it was like, oh my God.
I listened to this entrepreneurpodcast and he talked about a
lady doing this in Dallas and itjust like I was like this is it
, this is.
I love being outside, I lovemaking things look great and
(02:37):
fall is like my favorite time ofyear.
And it just kind of all cametogether for me.
And when she, when her daughterElle, mentioned that, I just
lit up and then Little PumpkinDecorators was born.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Ashley, how old is your daughter when this all
happened?
Nine, oh, wow, yeah, she.
She probably wants a commission, right?
So tell us about yourbackground, ashley.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
My background is medical sales, so I've been in
sales for about 20 years and theprevious role I was at I was in
for 10 years and it was inaesthetics and it was a great
job and I was very thankful andblessed.
But I just couldn't balanceworking and having three kids.
(03:30):
It just got to the point where,um, it just it wasn't working.
So I decided to just quit, um,until my youngest starts
kindergarten and then you knowjust kind of see what happens
and, um, you know, having timeon my hands and I've always
decorated our house with anunbelievable amount of pumpkins
(03:52):
for like a decade.
I take my kids to like Simpsonspumpkins and they just we take
out wheelbarrows and they justload them, and I don't stop them
and they just keep going andthen our car is packed with
pumpkins and we get home and weall decorate them, decorate the
(04:12):
porch with the pumpkins, andthey absolutely love it and it's
just something that we'vealways done.
So I had a couple friends askme to do their porch because
they know, you know, I had sometime on my hands, so then I
started there and then mydaughter mentioned to christine
hey, my mom is like all we do isgo to the pumpkin patch now and
get pumpkins and my kids loveit, they love it.
(04:35):
So it's like fun and, just likeChristine, I love being outside
and I love.
I've always had a love fordecorating.
I've always decorated reallybig for every season, every
event.
My, my mom had a home decorstore and so I grew up working
there, um, so I've just kind ofbeen a part of my life.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
What's the biggest pumpkin y'all have ever used in
a decoration?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
I mean, those things can be ginormous yeah, I think
the last one was like 75 pounds,did you have?
Speaker 1 (05:08):
to bring the men in or how did y'all handle?
That.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Well, I'm the muscle, she's the muscle.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah, she's very strong and I'm not, so I'm like
Christine.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Your client must have a very large porch A client
must have a very large porch.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that one was particularly large,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Where did you get your inspiration from for design
?
Does it just pop?
You know when you're speakingwith clients.
Ashley, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yeah, so it does.
It kind of just goes with their, their home.
They they all have differenthomes, they all have different
design um interests, and thenthey all kind of have a
different story someone a porchfor thanksgiving, someone a
porch for their kids.
So just kind of listening totheir needs and putting it all
(06:04):
together.
That's why they all look sodifferent.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yeah, what's the time of year the earliest you guys
are ready to set porches up,because it's fall, halloween and
Thanksgiving technically.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Yeah, so we're starting deliveries on the first
day of fall, so that'sSeptember 22nd.
We'll be starting to make youknow pumpkin porches happen.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
That's awesome.
So tell us a little bit aboutthe process.
I'm listening to this.
Ooh, I'm really interested.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
So, we have four packages available, so they
range in different sizes andthen, based on kind of what
Ashley was mentioning, like howour clients we've seen them have
, like different, you know,desire for color palettes,
things like that We've got likethe vibrant fall which is all
(07:10):
the colors like, ranging fromyellows and greens and oranges,
and you know, it really putstogether the gourds and the
pumpkins and makes a reallytraditional fall display.
And then we've got our classicpackage, that is, the red, the
white and the green.
So, depending on your porchsize, your budget and your
(07:33):
artistic preference, we've kindof got everything available for
you to choose from.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
That's a lot of fun.
So I think there's somethingthat sets you guys, makes you
very unique, is that you guysuse other mops to help you.
Talk to us a little bit aboutthat, Ashley.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
So something that Christine and I both really
struggled with when we worked isit was like oh, that's great,
you're a mom, you have kids.
Like, oh, you're pregnant, whenare you coming back to work.
Or oh, you're going onmaternity leave when are you
going back to work.
Or oh, your daughter has adance competition.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Like did you get that report in today?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
It's like oh my gosh.
So, it was.
It was just kind of, you knowthat was a challenge.
So with this, like the kids canbe a part of it.
So if you're a mom and you wantto do this on the side and you
want to do it, um, you know,it's a short season, it's not a
big commitment.
It's a huge creative outletthat we found, like it's, it's
(08:36):
so much fun, like the kids loveit, and it's not a big
commitment.
You can still be a mom and anddo this.
You don't have to necessarilypick.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah and I think, too , right like the side hustle is
such a big thing right now andwe've got a lot of friends and
like met a lot of ladies thatare looking for a little way to
contribute.
You know it's the perfect timeto save up for, like, a special
Christmas present for their kidsor a special trip that they
(09:08):
want to go on, and so the waythat we've structured our
business allows us to hirefreelancer designers, right, so
they can, you know, depending onwhat their availability is, if
the kids are at preschool andthey've got a few hours, they
want to go design a porch andmake a hundred bucks, like you
know we will enable that forthem.
It's part of us kind ofbringing the pumpkin pie or
(09:33):
sharing the pumpkin pie with theother moms, right, so we're
creating a marketplace for themto have an opportunity to do
something creative, do somethingfun.
They can bring their kids, theycan go when their kids are at
school and then, you know it's,they can make their own schedule
as well, depending on where thebookings are, what their
availability looks like.
(09:53):
They can kind of pick andchoose.
So we're really pleased to beable to offer that to other moms
like us.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Great idea.
I have this vision of the kidsrunning around happy and the
moms are happy.
That's a very, very cool model.
Let's start with you, ashley.
How has running this business,starting this business, changed
your?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
life.
It's brought a lot of likepeace and joy, which I was
missing.
You know I was very, very moneyfocused when I was in medical
sales, so this is more peace andjoy.
So it is a lot of flexibility.
You know, last week, I think, Ihad a call, we had a call with
(10:35):
a magazine and something elsethat day and, like, my kids were
, were with me and it was justso nice to not have to pick
between the two.
Um, and you know I talked likeChristine and I will have
business meetings and the kidswill be playing at a playland
area.
So it's brought a lot ofbalance, which is what I was
(10:56):
missing.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I get that.
How about you, Christine?
How has this changed your life?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
I think it's really like the same right.
I left the corporate worldbecause it didn't serve me, it
didn't serve my family, and themodel that Ashley and I are
building for this business is,you know, we complete we're.
We're in the same place in lifeand we're doing it because it's
fun, it's joyous and it makesus happy, like seeing a porch
done and like our kids arerunning around putting that
(11:24):
finishing little sprinkle on.
We call the little pumpkins thesprinkle.
It just is, it's the best, andthat's that's what we need in
this time in our life.
And I mean, as you have seen,like Ashley and I are very
driven, we're, we were veryfocused and I think we needed
this kind of outlet that lets usbe creative, lets us contribute
(11:44):
to our family but, you know,brings us, brings us joy at the
same time.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Well, having business backgrounds makes it, I'm sure,
very good for your clients,because you understand, you know
they're your customers, so Ilove all of that.
Well, before we wrap up, I wantto tell our listeners this is
part one of a series and we'regoing to, in each podcast, share
a little bit more, go a littledive a little deeper into what
(12:10):
they do, and let's end up thisone with uh ashley, please tell
our listeners how to find youguys, your website, your phone
number and so on um.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
So you can find us on instagram little pumpkin
decorators, or you can go to ourwebsite,
wwwlittlepumpkindecorators.
com.
Um, and then our email isdecorators at
littlepumpkindecorators.
com, and then our email isdecorators at
littlepumpkindecorators.
com very good well today's been.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
This has been a blast and I look forward to our next
get together.
Thank you, ladies.
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