Meet Kaitlyn Caramela

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

Kaitlyn, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I walked into the classroom early one April Morning in 2019. I have been in this classroom many times before but as a student, or as a guest speaker, this time, I was walking in as the teacher.
Freshly 22, I had been working a monotonous office job, the typical 9-5 you see on TV, boring grey office working with people who could be my parents or grandparents, and I sat in front of a computer all day. I really can’t complain about it too much, it provided me with a stable schedule, comfortable income, and enough money to move away from my abusive ex partner. I truly saw myself having a career at this company and this being my life.
I had attended Bidwell Training Center in Pittsburgh PA several years back and completed my horticultural technology certificate through them. Bidwell was and still is the only form of higher education I received because it was the only one I could afford (free and funded through grants). Since graduating from there, I had taken several odds and ends horticulture jobs until I landed on this steady office job that was unfortunately not in the horticulture field. I always had envisioned myself being an artist or working in some sort of creative field, and while this office job wasn’t exactly that, it gave me enough freedom to start a small floral hobby on the side. The idea was to just do small elopements, flowers for friends and family. I had stayed connected to Bidwell after graduating, and once I started the floral hobby, I was able to go teach a class there. It felt so good to give back the skills they helped foster in me.
A couple months later I received a call about a job offer to teach at Bidwell. I always had in the back of my mind how cool it would be to teach, but I never thought of it as a feasible job for me. You see, Bidwell is different than other higher education institutions. Since Bidwell is a training school the requirement they have to teach there is to have spent at least 3 years in the field. I was originally denied an interview because I was 3 weeks short of the 3 year experience requirement, I was able to talk my way into an interview and thank god for my persistence because they ended up hiring me!
So here I am, on my first day walking into a classroom of 20 adults, almost all of which are older than me, having to prove to them that I belong there, when I wasn’t really even sure myself. I got through my first day and each day got easier and easier, almost as though this was what I was suppose to be doing all along. I cultivated great relationships with the students and enjoyed going to work everyday. The best part about this job was it gave me a bit more flexibility to ramp up the florals I was doing on the side. I started to book more events and weddings and something that was just a small little hobby really started to take shape. The floral business also helped me become a better teacher because I was growing my skills and also growing my network. Things were going perfect!
The next step in my journey was to legitimize myself more amongst the Pittsburgh wedding community, much like a lot of my other experiences I was the youngest in every room. Amounts florists who have been doing this for 30+ years, have family business’s that have been passed down generations and people who were formally trained by the best in the nation, how am I suppose to demand my space? Do I even deserve a space? Looking back now, of course I did.
I was bringing something to the Pittsburgh floral industry that it was lacking, authenticity.
Often, when people think of florals, some of the words that come to mind are feminine, soft, and delicate but I look at florals and see so much more. I wanted to show off the versatility I saw in them, I wanted my designs to reflect the uniqueness of my customers, each one different and good in their own way. And I ultimately think that is what has always helped me overcome all of obstacles in my life. Being genuine to myself and what I believe in, always. Admitting when I don’t know the answer but being willing to learn. Saying no to good opportunities because it doesn’t align with my values. If you stay genuine to who you are at your core there is no room to feel like you don’t belong.
Trusting that the people you are meant to attract will come to you, whether it be clients, vendor friends or with your personal relationships. People see your worth when you see worth in yourself.
5 years later, I left my teaching position at Bidwell because my floral business, Steel City Florals, was becoming so successful.
We have been in many publications, blogs, done hundreds of weddings and events and made the most beautiful life. So to the girl that was standing unsure at the front of the classroom on her first day of work, the students are going to see your worth because I see your worth.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

At Steel City Florals it is our mission to create one of a kind designs for life’s most special moments. We believe florals truly transform a space with both positive energy and visual beauty. We offer products on a sliding scale to ensure you have beautiful flowers that also work within budget. We believe in taking a sustainable approach to floristry and engaging in reciprocity with our earth. Some things we take into consideration are using foam free alternatives when possible, growing our own material, foraging for seasonal materials, buying locally grown flowers, and composting our waste back to the earth. We pride ourself in our vertiale designs and curated color palettes. We focus on creating lasting relationships with our clients and seek opportunities for collaboration within the Pittsburgh community that promote prosperity and support for all.

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?

Authenticity, networking, and plant taxonomy.

Always be receptive to new opportunities, take the time to get to know people, be nice to people, let people help you, and continue learning and growing yours skills in any way possible, there is ALWAYS more to know.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

My current challenge is just knowing how to balance my life and business. Because what I do is so artistically driven, I cant just hire people to do the work for me. I like to have my hands on all of my designs and with florals you are working with living things, so the timeline of when you can get the flowers, to designing for the day and then them dying is relatively short. I struggle with the idea of booking enough work to make a living but not booking too much so that I can still enjoy my time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.steelcityflorals.com
• Instagram: @steelcityflorals
• Facebook: Steel City Florals
• Other: TikTok @steelcityflorals

Image Credits

Kristen Sanderson Photography
We Are the Richards Photography
Nicolette Paige Photography
Haus of Jade Photography