Meet Beth Mangat | Floral Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Beth Mangat and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Beth, what’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
Deciding to take a break from running my own business and moving. There was a year where things were going great for my little business. I had a consistent amount of gigs coming in each month and I was creating almost everyday. But it felt like something was missing, as if I wasn’t ready to make it my everyday life. I didn’t feel fulfilled with how my personal life and business life were going. Everything almost felt…repetitive. That’s what it was, the word that gives me the heebie-jeebies, “repetitive”. I felt like I was losing touch with my creativity, to where it was intangible and a thing of the past. And so, I decided to move. Within 2 weeks I wrapped up my last wedding, moved out of my place, gave almost everything away, packed my car, and headed North to another state. I knew no one, had no job lined up, no clients in the books, not even a place to live, but I knew I had to do it. I knew I had to put a hold on my business in order for it to be my own again. I wanted to challenge myself, I wanted to learn, I wanted to really miss what I once loved doing. I wanted to feel deprived, I wanted to be uncomfortable. In general, I wanted everything opposite of the bubble I was in, strip away all the layers and go back to basics. And that’s exactly what happened. 2 years, 1 new city/state, 5 odd and end jobs (including a 9-5 office job), and 5 new puffy jackets later, she’s here! A brand spankin’ new business name, new goals, a new vision, a new way of creating, and an even bigger love for nature and my craft. It was difficult to make the decision on putting everything on pause in order to mentally and creatively be where I wanted to be. It was also extremely difficult going through the actual process. However, had I not done everything, I would not feel as creatively thriving as I do now.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a floral designer and recently owning up to calling myself a visual artist. I have a business that caters to florals for weddings and events but I am also diving into more installation pieces that collaborates with other artists for photo shoots and such. I’ve recently rebranded my business and I’m excited with the new places it takes me. I’ve become a jack of all trades when it comes to florals because of the different places and gigs I’ve worked in the past and I’m very thankful for all of them. I’ve worked with floral designers and flowers shops before owning my own floral business. It definitely was not easy. Every event was a learning experience that I had to resolve right then and there. But I couldn’t dwell on any of those uneasy situations after–you pick up what you learned from it, move on, and focus on bettering yourself. The lesson I have learned is to always take the opportunity to be a student. Be open to learning new things, even if it’s from people with less years as you. I want the world to know that my brand started with humble beginnings and will continue to run that way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First stop, straight from the airport would be Tacos El Gordo, (droool!). Sycamore Den for a weeknight drink, my favorite is their Wolf Ticket. The Ould Sod next door. Hamiltons for some craft beer selection and pool (I’m not good at all but love pretending like I am!). Station Tavern for some outdoor burgers and tots–love the picnic table vibes! Bronx Pizza for a giant slice of cheese pizza. Red Fox Room for some tunes. Landini’s Pizzeria – ricotta and meatball slice (even though I’m newly vegetarian). Devour the slices in their back patio before catching a show at the Casbah. Whistle Stop for some 90’s jams on the weekend. Muzita Abyssinian Bistro, for Ethiopean food. Hanna’s Gourmet. Kensington Cafe for breakfast (usually a Lox Bagel for me). Carruth for some wine flights. Sunset Cliffs for some spectacular views of the sunset. And then Pancho Villa Market to pick up some fresh tortillas to pack in their suitcase before they fly back home.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate this to all my fellow floral friends who have been both teachers and students to me. You all have been a big inspiration in the pieces I have made and I continue to thrive off of the floral magic we create! I also want to dedicate this to friends who have been a big source encouragement in me continuously pushing the limits. And anyone that I have worked with– thank you for letting my weirdness shine!

Website: www.littlebrotherfloralco.com

Instagram: @littlebrotherfloralco

Image Credits
Jesse Morrow