We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mackenzie Terzian a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Mackenzie, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
This is a great question, and to be 1000% transparent, I don’t have the answer. But hear me out… I think that imposter syndrome is such an important part of growth as a creative business owner, otherwise we’re all just huge egos running rampant and calling the shots.
I hold a lot of thoughts of unworthiness, questioning my value as a designer, and hesitation if what I’m doing is any different from the hundreds, thousands even, of other wedding florists out there, and that is SO normal. My imposter syndrome both limits AND fuels my desires, expectations, and handle on my reality. It pushes me to really push myself, challenge myself, double think my actions, and strive to always do better and be better than I know I can be, whether my grasp is skewed by imposterism or not.
Everyone has a story of how they got where they got, and how they overcame barriers that held them back. I’m no different, and at the end of the day I welcome my thoughts of doubt to sit at the table along with my confidence, and help me keep striving to be better and grow to where I know I want to be in my life and business.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Mackenzie, and I am the owner and lead designer behind Rose Bud Thorn Florals, also known as RBT (we love acronyms here). We are a full service floral design company that focuses on local, seasonal, textural, and undone floral design to fit all couples & occasions. While our 2024 books have come to a close, 2025 is currently open for weddings of all sizes (we do not have a firm minimum, but only take a handful of weddings under $8k each year). We serve anywhere in Colorado as well as hold a few slots each wedding season for travel outside of the state.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The 3 main things that got me and RBT to where we are today are :
1. Let your voice be your business voice. A lot of people will suggest against this, but I think it’s one of the biggest things that allowed RBT to grow. There are 101 other people doing very similar things in every industry, but what makes you stand out is that there is only one of you, lean into that.
2. Saying NO has been a huge catalyst for growth. It allowed me to focus attention on things that really resonated with me and my design style, as well as allowed me to build relationships and bonds within a community of other wedding vendors who value similar details and ideas.
3. I made time to rest in between busy moments. In a society that really values ‘hustle culture’ and ‘girl bossing’, I made it a priority this year to outsource more help, take more slow/half days, and end work on time. This doesn’t mean that I don’t still mindlessly scroll and check emails when I’m home, but I’m working on getting better at it.
My biggest advice to those who are early in their creative business journey is to not give up. At any point things can turn around and you can book that big client who can help take your career to the next level. There are so many low lows in running a business that is essentially focused on if someone values your designs, but you never know when the high highs are going to start to roll in.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
A book that has played a huge role in my understanding of running a business, is Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara.
It’s more or less a book that focuses on the service industry, restaurants specifically, and how to go above and beyond in giving people more than they expect to receive, sometimes even being unreasonable in the amount of hospitality and care each guest receives, even if it’s doesn’t always make sense– it taught me to leave people with not only a service, but a feeling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rosebudthornflorals.com
- Instagram: RBT_florals
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