Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Salome Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Salome, 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.
For years I ‘enjoyed’ creating with my hands, including floral design, but I never had any proper training, so once I started taking on weddings I refused to call myself a florist. I would stumble across the phrase as if I didn’t quite know who I was/what I was. Because I didn’t. I still saw myself as an imposter, & I think that is why I thought that others may as well. But then ‘they’ started to recognize my work, & call me by that term— florist. Still I cringed a little because again, I didn’t see myself as worthy, or fully capable. Until one day, I created something that I was truly proud of. It was a large scale design that took planning, mechanical preparation, & an intentional floral eye + touch. I stood back & looked at it, and it hit me. All at once, I AM a florist. My outlook and confidence has grown ever since. So for me, overcoming imposter syndrome came through hard work and perseverance through the self doubt. I believe we often think others are thinking about us in ways that they aren’t, but maybe we ourselves are…
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 Salome Smith & I am the owner of Pleasant Peace Creative Studio! What does that entail you may wonder. Over the years, it has served as a covering for many different creative outlets. I have been blessed to experience with & offer many services, such as photography, hair & makeup, florals, planning / coordination + more! But today, we have niched down to focusing on weddings in the aspects of floral design, planning / coordination & decor! We aim to make your day beautiful in all aspects, & keep it running smoothly until send off! The business name comes from my name— Salome (middle), meaning Peace. As well as my first name, Naomi meaning Pleasant! It is the ultimate goal with every service that we provide to invoke a pleasant & peaceful experience + environment! Weddings can often times get a bad wrap for being stressful or hectic, but it doesn’t have to be that way— not if you have the right team, with the right heart & the right attitude!
Our studio is located in the heart of small town Scottsboro, AL (sandwiched between Huntsville & Chattanooga) & is where you will come if you ever have an in person meeting to discuss floral, design, or planning, as well as where all florals & decor are prepared prior to wedding days.
We feel so honored to be a part of this industry, & moving forward we hope to continue to improve + expand. Making our services more valuable to each client that we have the opportunity to serve.
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?
To keep it simple, I would say hard work, a teachable mindset, & staying humble. I try to remind myself every now & then— there is always someone who could do it as good, or better. Not to beat myself up, but to remind myself that there are MANY other talented people in this industry, & I am blessed to get each booking! Rather than feeling entitled because, ‘I’m that good or I deserve it.’ The work, the learning & the room for improvement never ends!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Plan, plan, plan & rest, rest, rest!! The further out I get ahead of the game leading up to a big event, the less stressed I feel, & the more time I have to feel fully rested going into the event itself. I have struggled with this for years, being someone who wants to go & go hard, pushing close to total burnout many times. But I am learning that there is no reward in ‘overworking’, but definitely in working smart, & accurately planning + using my time. I am a better business owner & vendor when my mind is clear & my body is rested!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @salomedsmith
- Facebook: Salome Smith
Image Credits
Lauren Makenna Photography Lindsey Marie Photos Lauren Prevatte Photo By The Hunts Elyssha Brooke Photo Carla Lawerence Photography Mayme Castile
