In today's BB Podcast episode (No. 138), we're visiting with Janelle Gerestein—better known as Janie of Flowers by Janie—a Calgary-based floral designer whose career spans over two decades and multiple continents. From her early dreams of becoming a wedding florist to launching a successful business in Bolivia, then rebuilding from scratch in Canada, Janie’s story is a testament to resilience, creativity, and community.
We're excited to dig into her business strategies, her signature seasonal workshops (flowers + desserts = genius!), and how she weaves purpose into everything she does—including donating wedding florals to women in transitional housing. You’ll walk away inspired by her thoughtfulness, practical insights, and generous heart.
Join us as we chat with Janie about:
- Starting a floral business in Bolivia (and its unexpected success!)
- Rebuilding her business from scratch after moving to Calgary
- Scaling up with strategy: from 100+ weddings to a curated 30
- The importance of knowing your numbers and setting minimums
- Hosting wildly successful flower + dessert workshops
- Hiring and working with family, freelancers, and a marketing intern
- Winning the Bloom Trust Co Flowering With Purpose grant
- The intersection of faith, generosity, and business values
- Educational experiences and favorite workshops from around the world
- Designing flowers for mountain weddings
This episode of the Botanical Brouhaha Podcast is brought to you by:
Madrid Flower School
You can find show notes and more episodes of The Botanical Brouhaha Podcast at botanicalbrouhaha.com, and you can find the BB Podcast co-hosts on IG @botanicalbrouhaha and @hey.nataliegill.
This episode of The Botanical Brouhaha Podcast was produced by Joel McGee. Original music by Landon McGee.
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