Flowerpop’s Heather Condren on attaining that elusive work/life balance

An award-winning floral studio in Inchicore, Dublin 8, Flowerpop is renowned for their use of bold colour, unusual stems, and sheer, unadulterated vibrancy. Founded by Heather Condren, the rapidly accelerating business taught this Irish entrepreneur a lot more about herself than she had initially expected.

This past year was quite a big one for Heather, in both her professional and personal life. From catering to bucket list clients and working with beloved international brands, to raising two small children and dealing with learnings from a late adult diagnosis of ADHD, it was all systems go on all fronts.

Keenly aware of just how fast a business owner can become burnt out, Heather speaks to us about allowing herself to slow down, reaping the benefits of being your own boss, and finally attaining that elusive work/life balance.

How have you grown over the past year and what learnings will you be bringing into 2024?

2023 was a huge year for Flowerpop! It started with a bang in February with getting booked for Cruz Beckham’s birthday in the Gravity Bar, and it just accelerated from there. I had a little bucket list of clients I would like to work with and managed to tick them all off, along with working with clients I hadn’t dreamed of putting on that list.

From Irish brands like Folkster, Fields and Guinness, to international brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Christian Louboutin, dream briefs were landing every single month. We grew our team with the amazing Hilary and Ava, who are both absolutely brilliant and talented and have felt like they’ve always been there. It was a phenomenal year for year two of a business, really. And I am still pinching myself over most of it!

But, as anyone who follows us knows, I also had a very young baby, she was only six months old at the start of 2023, and my little boy Sid just started school. Throw in a late adult diagnosis of ADHD and it was a huge year personally too.

It was a massive year of growth and I found the ADHD diagnosis in particular pushed me to challenge narratives around myself and break down barriers I had unknowingly built. The diagnosis comes with many challenges but has been mainly positive and empowering for me, and it is what’s powering my motives for this coming year.

I’ve realised that I push myself to work so much to challenge that internal inner critic saying I’m not good enough, which is imposter syndrome I guess. I want to explore business coaching and settle into my role as a businesswoman with confidence, but I also want to honour the part of me that is a mother and the part of me that isn’t.

Last year everything moved at a hundred miles an hour, and I prioritised myself a lot less than I would have liked. 2024 is a year to stand back and look at all that we have achieved and to take a breath. I am adamant that I am prioritising my well-being and my family time. Flowerpop is a dream come true in terms of a career and business but it is a job at the end of the day.

My little self-made gang of tiny people are an even bigger dream come true and I really want to enjoy them this year and reap the rewards of being my own boss by allowing myself to create that elusive work/life balance. Because really, I have no excuse. There’s no one else pushing me to work as much as I do but myself.

And as cliché as it sounds, you can’t pour from an empty cup. So my own wellbeing is a huge priority. Like most self-employed people, I work, in some capacity, seven days a week. This year I am treating myself like an employee of the business, which means I’ve to take two days off a week and use my annual leave. Go on holiday! Go sea swimming. Prioritise rest and recuperation, all of which will only help to fuel the creativity and fun that Flowerpop is known for anyway, so it’s a win-win, right?

To find out more about Flowerpop, visit their website today.