Community Highlights: Meet Sam Schaible of Sunburst Florals

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Schaible.

Hi Sam, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always loved plants and flowers and have been inspired by my grandmother who was a florist for many years. I started out just buying flowers at the grocery store or farmer’s markets and taking them home to play with. I could never get them to look the way I wanted until I started taking workshops at The Nashville Flower Market in 2019. I truthfully never intended to become a florist- I was just looking for ways to get out of the house, learn something new, and make pretty things for my kitchen table.

Fast-forward to September of 2020 and I participated in the inaugural School of Floral Design put on by The Nashville Flower Market. This 10-week, the 20-course class was the push I needed to realize that I could turn this passion into a career. I learned the basics about mechanics and flower care, how to price and market my designs, and then how to break the rules in just two months. I started an Instagram page dedicated to my floral designs and things took off!

Having gone to art and design school to be a fashion designer originally, I have always been a hands-on creative person, however, for the last three years, I worked as a project manager for an IT software solutions agency, which left me feeling unfulfilled on a daily basis. In early 2021, I launched Sunburst Florals as an official LLC, rather than just an Instagram page, and in July 2021 I left my full-time project management role. It’s only been about a month of working in florals full-time but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Sunburst Florals is now rapidly booking weddings and events through the end of 2021 and 2022 in the Nashville area and I’m over the moon with how much support I’ve received from the local floral community.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have to believe that starting a business has its struggles for everyone along the way, regardless of the industry. For me, the hardest part so far has been controlling self-doubt. Our culture today thrives on social media and comparing ourselves to others on their best days being broadcast across the internet. I really had to talk myself into being confident that this was the right move, but once I did, it was like all the other pieces of the puzzle fell into place. A strong support system is key for making a leap into following your dreams!

Oh, and taxes will forever confuse me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Sunburst Florals’ mission is to spread happiness and joy through floral design, making floral dreams a reality for weddings, events, and hotel partners. We help our clients, one-on-one, to create a moment of awe at their event or venue by designing arrangements and installations that create the desired atmosphere.

Based in Nashville, TN, Sunburst Florals specializes in creating cohesive designs for any event. We offer custom quotes for every inquiry and thrive on getting to know our clients on a personal level. When we know our clients well, we can bring their stories to life through flowers!

With a background in large-scale event planning in NYC, day-of wedding coordination, and project management, we’re organized and prepped for our clients’ big day far in advance. While we may be considered new to the field of floristry, we like to think our garden-inspired designs say otherwise!

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something surprising to people is that before I was a florist, I participated in a work abroad program where I worked remotely as an event planner, living and working in 18 countries for one year.

The program was run by Remote Year and I actually met my boyfriend of 5 years, Tyler, on the program during our first month in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. If it wasn’t for Remote Year opening my eyes to all the opportunities this world has to offer, who knows if I would have ever ended up on this path. A big shout out to Tyler for always pushing me to find my passion and go after it– Sunburst Florals wouldn’t be the brand it is today without him!

Contact Info:

• Email: sunburstflorals@gmail.com
• Instagram: @sunburstflorals
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunburstflorals

Image Credits
Moriel Rachael Nicole Photography