Meet Kendra Norman

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kendra Norman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Kendra, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

I landed in my career as an events florist almost accidentally as a by product of a mid-life career change from hospitality to Urban Garden Design and Installation. Consequently, all of my training and education have been informal, and mostly self-taught. Floral design, and events styling is highly competitive, especially in New York City. Without the networking and feedback afforded by more traditional paths to a career in a design related field, feelings of isolation and inadequacy are very real.

I remember early on, meeting other VERY accomplished floral stylists and artists. It was daunting. The amount of time and money they had put into their education, into their store-fronts, into growing their skills? Who the heck did I think I was fooling? I wasn’t fooling anybody. I was on the receiving end of snark from contemporaries more than once. Attempts to offer my services as a freelancer or free of charge, just to get experience were met with silence. The flower market was intimidating. I think anyone outside the business hears “NYC Flower Market” and imagines some blissful, beautiful, serene shopping experience. It is the opposite. It is pretty much high pressure ware-house work for the salespeople and staff, they do not have time or patience for buyers who do not know what they are doing or what they want. Other florists need to get in and out. It is 5:30am and everyone is in a rush to get THE BEST for their jobs. It feels pushy, and mean. It took me a long time to have the confidence to assert myself enough to make GOOD connections at the wholesalers. (It literally took me 7 years to convince the owner of a shop I frequent that he maybe, probably liked me.)

Then social media comes into the mix. That scrolling in bed envy? Powerful stuff. To this day, 10 years in, it is very hard to not compare my work and perceived success with what I see from colleagues online. I had never heard the phrase “imposter syndrome” until a couple of years ago. I’ve listened to probably five podcasts in my life, but clicked on a link to one through someone’s IG post. The host was interviewing another self-taught wedding florist, and one of the talking points was “Imposter Syndrome.” Imposter. Syndrome. Aha! There’s a name for this! And, it isn’t just me! Years of teaching myself, and trying to fit in, and sell myself in a challenging and seemingly saturated field WITHOUT CREDENTIALS had definitely affected my confidence, and, other than sheer determination to chug along, I had never really thought about taking steps to boost my confidence.

Having a name for a problem, a diagnosis, changes the game. In my heart, I knew that my designs and mechanics were unique; and I knew that I had become pretty good at navigating challenges with materials and gig specific logistics. I also knew where I wanted my reputation and work load to be. I started really looking at my work, at my skills, where I came from and how my indirect and non-traditional route shaped my design work and style, which is truly my own. It finally occurred to me that knowledge and skill are not contingent upon the specific vehicle for education. Determination, practice, exploration: These are the repertoire that are my strength and the foundation of my work. And, in really taking a look at MY work without the context of comparing it to someone else’s, I was very pleased to discover that I am kind of my favorite florist! That discovery liberated me to take on some jobs that were a little more challenging, to take on bigger and more jobs, to grow my crew beyond my “team of me”, to confidently reach out to an network with other florists and industry professionals. The results have been rewarding. My goal for 2024 was to double the number of events I had styled in 2023. We did that! 2025? I want to double it again, and am on track to to do so.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I came to floral styling events in NYC in a round-about way, crash landing in it as a second career in my mid-40s. For decades, I worked in front-of-house hospitality positions: server, bartender, management, operations gigs. In 2015, during a mid-life crisis “take this job and shove it moment,” I walked away from my last “real” restaurant job. It was a rash move! I had been the GM at a couple of restaurants in Brooklyn (NY) with back yard patio seating, and had been responsible for planting and maintaining these micro-gardens during my tenure. In the back of my head, I wanted to explore designing container gardens specifically to meet the needs AND challenges of greening up spaces in restaurants and bars. BUT, I did not have a game plan, and desperate for a place-holder gig while I sorted myself out, I reached out to a friend from college who had a boutique urban garden and landscape design business in Brooklyn, and asked for a job. I grew up in the country and knew a little something about plants, and the opportunity to work outside, with living things, creating and nurturing something beautiful sounded nice enough. It turned out that I was good at it! I have always loved learning new skills and information, and the plant knowledge and logistics of urban garden design and installations came fairly easily. In my second year as a professional (!) gardener, another friend who is a “weeklies” florist became pregnant with her first child and asked if I would be interested in taking over some of her clients for a few months after the baby came. I told her that I would happily help, but that I knew nothing about cut flowers or working with them. She said, “Eh, you already know the names of the flowers and plants, and I know you can draw. I can train you over the phone!” She did train me over the phone – and my floral journey began!

When I founded Firecracker Floral Design in 2018, I never intended to be a wedding florist. The pressure seemed too daunting. I spent the first years cultivating relationships with a few small restaurants, bars, and cafes providing weekly and special occasion fresh flowers. Drawing on my relationships with regional plant growers and nurseries, I also offered interior plant styling and services for offices and the like. As a means to build steady revenue AND advertise myself, in 2018, I started selling house plants at weekend street markets in Brooklyn. And, the street market is where I met my first wedding clients. They were a couple who were very enthusiastic about their house-plant collection. For their wedding, they did not want flowers for the space decor or centerpieces; they wanted lots of plants! I felt very comfortable with them and took the job. They did want fresh flowers for the personals, however. I spent weeks watching YouTube tutorials, and reading DIY wedding blogs, teaching myself how to make a passable bridal bouquet with “lots of movement,” how to make boutonnieres, corsages, flower crowns. To my amazement, everything came out beautifully! The venue events manager was also a “plant person,” and loving what I showed up with for the space, she offered me the opportunity to be the show-cased, sustainable florist at an upcoming open-house. I would never be where I am now, without that spring board. Alex pushed me into that open house, and then took me with her to the next venue she worked at, and then the next. She gifted me with exposure and a platform as a non-traditional wedding florist. (I remain in her debt!)

Because my floral work has been so heavily influenced and informed by my passion for the outdoors and background in gardening, I lean very heavily into plants for many of my designs. The wedding and events industry, and in particular wedding floral work, is incredible fraught with environmental waste, and in an effort to do my part for our struggling planet, I have a mission to work sustainably. My use of living plants as a design feature as well as a floral installation mechanic allows us to lean into locally sourced materials from regional greenhouses and growers year round. It mitigates the need for single use plastics and toxic floral foam. Plant based decorations become a lovely LIVING keepsake for guests who can take them. The remainder gets reused again in future events, or donated to community spaces. Obviously, I love working with cut flowers as well. I am very lucky to live and work where we have access to many amazing independent regional, organic flower farms. Because sustainability missions are becoming more prevalent, there has been increasing support and demand for these operations. As their business grows, so does Firecracker Floral’s ability to offer unique, inspired, and environmentally friendly designs. It is very exciting!

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?

– A willingness to experiment and fail. I certainly tried to conduct most of my experimenting “behind closed doors” or off the clock. I spent a lot of time and money in my first couple of years killing plants, botching designs, and creating “mechanics” that were absolute failures. I joke that I might learn the hard way, but once it’s learned, I never forget!
– Optimism. This is a gift. And one that allows for pivoting as needing. (Looking at you, Covid.) Optimism has allowed me to say, “Hmmm – this path looks a little rocky. Let’s try that one instead, maybe it will be an easier climb!”
– My background in Hospitality. I had decades of customer service under my belt. As a server, when a person’s (who is not your boss, and who you most likely do not know!) comfort, mood, and experience determines how much money you make, you learn pretty quickly how to put strangers at ease and how to tap into what makes them feel seen and feel good. Skills I picked up when I took my first restaurant job as a teenager have proven invaluable when dealing with prospective clients, with venues and other industry vendors. In an age of dwindling social habits and skills, my ability to connect with folks even on a superficial level has been a real asset.

Advice – SPhrases become axioms for a reason: Don’t give up too easily; challenges set us on paths to discovery and growth. Believe in yourself. Develop your social skills: Practice talking to strangers! (Pay a stranger a compliment. It feels good for both parties!)

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

Well. I am solidly Gen X, so “nothing!” All kidding aside, I feel won the birth lottery with my parents. My sister and I were always encouraged to make all effort to solve problems on our own. Creativity in our activities and self expression was encouraged. There was open dialogue at our dinner table. While it wasn’t a choice or decision my parents made willingly, the recession of 1987 impacted our household income significantly, so my sister and I had to rely on making our own money at a fairly young age to buy a car, pay for college, get that sweater from The Limited. (It should be noted that the world was different and mostly less expensive in the 80s and 90s.) Mechanically inclined and handy, my father made sure that we learned the basics of automobile repair and diagnostics. He taught us how to use tools, and how to make minor household repairs. Until I was 13, my mother was a house-wife with only an associate degree that she had not used in 15 years. She taught us that re-invention was possible. Her persistence entering the work force and negotiating several thankless positions in middle management, while still being a present and engaged parent, kept a roof over our heads and food in the fridge. She is, and until I die, will remain an inspiration to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.firecrackerfloral.com
• Instagram: @firecrackerfloral

Image Credits

Most photos by David T Coons

7th gallery image – Jules Slutsky
8th gallery image – Lorena Castellano