In a world where passion often meets practicality, many entrepreneurs find themselves at a crossroads, choosing between established paths and uncharted territories. For some, the leap into the unknown is driven by a spark of inspiration that ignites a journey unlike any other. This is particularly true in the creative industries, where the fusion of artistry and business acumen can lead to remarkable transformations, not just for the individual but for the communities they serve. Trista Miller embodies this dynamic spirit of entrepreneurship. As the owner of three businesses, she navigates the delicate balance between floral design, dog training, and creating safe spaces for pets. Her path was not always clear-cut. Like many who dared to follow their dreams, Trista's journey began with a different vision, one that required getting a master's degree, which ultimately led her to her first business venture. In this article, we'll explore how Trista's unique background, unwavering determination, and love for flowers and pets have shaped her into a pioneering force in our community. Through her story, we will uncover the essence of building a business that resonates deeply with personal passions and community needs.
Trista's journey began in the small town of Roanoke, Indiana, where she was raised by a police officer father and a stay-at-home mother on a farm just outside the city. She went to school in Huntington, Indiana, and after graduation, started working towards her degree at Huntington University but ultimately transferred to Ball State University to pursue a master's degree in counseling psychology. While working towards her degree, Trista discovered a hidden passion for floral design when she took a floral design class. Little did she know then that this side class would soon become a full-fledged career.
During Trista’s masters degree program she started working with local non-profits in the Fort Wayne area. After nearly two years in the industry, she decided to leave social work and went full-time with her business, Rose's Bouquets. As we discussed this pivotal moment in her life, she explained,
"I enjoyed social work, but it wasn't as good of a fit for me as I thought it would be. I really liked doing the floral work and doing my own thing, so within about two years, I was working full-time with flowers. My name is Trista Rose Miller; I was named after my grandma Lou Rose, so my business name is Rose's Bouquets. I didn't like the unpredictability of a traditional retail shop having a stocked cooler and not knowing if you would get calls. I loved the idea of larger projects and weddings in particular because the clientele needs more time and expertise than funeral or birthday bouquets, so I developed the idea of being a weddings-only florist. That was totally unique 21 years ago when I started. There were no wedding-only vendors of any kind, so that was a unique thing I was able to do."
Over the last 21 years, Trista has built relationships with floral suppliers across the globe to create unique and elegant floral arrangements for her clients. Today, Rose's Bouquets has provided flowers for over 1,400 weddings and has created over 35,000 different designs. Trista has displayed a vast portfolio displaying 2,000 photos on her website to show potential clients the various styles, colors, and arrangements she has created. When we talked about the journey over the last 21 years, we asked Trista what challenges she has faced so far. She said,
"Being adaptable to industry changes and how we find brides. When we started, I had CD ROM photos that I gave out, and then we transitioned to having a website, and now we also have social media, so you have to be willing to adapt and change. We've also had to change our advertising style and how we talk to people. For example, I haven't had someone call me and ask me about my availability in over six months. People text, email, or fill out my contact form instead. Then, on the business side, it is like what payment forms are you willing to take. I lost a wedding ten years ago because I didn't take credit cards because it was so expensive. Today, I take credit cards with a transaction fee, but I also accept Zelle and Venmo. The other side of it is design changes. Floral wedding work is very much like design trends; they change constantly, and how the brides shop has changed. It used to be big bridal catalogs, but now it's on Pinterest and social media. So knowing where brides are getting their design ideas from is changing, so I've had to get used to adjusting and making changes over the years."
When brides reach out to Trista to inquire about her wedding floral services, her first step is to confirm her availability for their chosen date. At Rose's Bouquets, bookings are not uncommon to extend 12 to 18 months in advance during peak wedding season. However, Trista encourages brides to check with her, as openings may still be available. Once availability is confirmed, the next step is to discuss the floral packages offered. The smallest package starts at $1,500, with the average wedding costing between $3,000 and $4,000. The most extensive project Trista has completed to date reached $12,000. After aligning on package expectations, Trista discusses her exclusivity policy with the clients. She explains,
"Most reputable florists are going to ask that they provide all flowers for the event because it gets really sticky if Aunt Susan wants to provide some flowers and the caterers say they can provide centerpieces and they just want you to do the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets. It's just tough to match, so over the years, I have developed a more strict policy because I've had too many horrible experiences with that. I believe in separating areas and being great in your area."
Once a bride confirms they would like to move forward, Trista can begin crafting the arrangements, with delivery scheduled for the day of the event. To support her during busy weekends, when she often manages one to two weddings, Rose's Bouquets employs ten part-time staff members who assist with delivery and setup. Trista deeply appreciates her team, recognizing that their help is invaluable to her business.
As we continued to discuss Rose's Bouquets, we asked Trista what led her to start another business. She said,
"Polite Paws was number two, and that business started because I always enjoyed animals, and that was kind of a respite from flowers. I don't have kids, so my business is my 24/7 thing, so it's always been helpful to have hobbies along with it. Ballroom dance was one for many years, and then I got into dog training. I was really struck by the different techniques available for dog training. There are a lot of really scary, aversive tools that are being recommended, and dog training isn't really regulated at all. It almost became a passion project for me to get certified and educated to find out what the ramifications are from these techniques, and then I ended up developing a business out of it. I mostly train in the off-season or when weddings are slower, but I ended up specializing in aggression cases, working with some of the more severe cases in our community."
Trista launched Polite Paws in 2019 and was officially certified through CPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers) in 2020. She explained that to receive your certification, you must complete 300 hours of training, pass an exam, and provide a reference from someone in the industry. To do that, she needed to launch her training business first. Today, Trista mainly focuses on providing private lessons and helping owners with whatever their pets need, but when she first started, she offered classes ranging from agility to puppy training. Although Trista is happy to help train dogs in many areas, she will not provide training for prong, shock, or choke collars, including electric fence training. She is happy to explain to pet owners why she does not agree with these training methods and will gladly offer alternative solutions.
Throughout her dog training journey, Trista developed the idea of launching her third business, Fido’s Forest. She said,
"Fido's Forest was started because so many of my clients couldn't go out and walk their dogs either because their dogs were reactive or they were pulling them on a leash or they just simply didn't have a backyard or they didn't feel safe walking in their area due to previously having their dog attacked by another dog. My dog training gave me the idea to start Fido's Forest. I thought, 'What if we built a place that was fenced that was big enough for the dogs to explore safely and not worry about running into other people or dogs.'"
As Trista began the process to launch Fido's Forest, she didn't realize how challenging it would be. She explained that there is a lot of red tape for permitting and opening a dog park. She said,
"We had no idea how much work and how difficult it would be. There is no zone in our county that allows dog parks; it's a category that doesn't exist. Some zones allow you to have a dog park if you file a variance, go in front of the board, have a public hearing, and get accepted. So that's what we had to do, but that process was very daunting, challenging, and intimidating. Some neighbors opposed us, but many people supported us, including the director of Animal Care and Control and several local dog trainers. We had over a thousand people sign a petition asking for the park, and we had a neighbor come to support us as well, so our supporters outweighed the ones that opposed us."
Fido's Forest opened in July 2022 and has been a major attraction for dog owners. The park is open every day from sunrise to sunset, and dog owners can book one-hour time slots allowing them full access to the park for the duration of their scheduled time. Although bookings are in one-hour increments, people are welcome to book consecutive time slots if it is available, but it is requested that everyone is out of the park at least 5 minutes before the hour is up to ensure there is no overlapping of visitors to provide safe transitions for all pets and owners. Booking a visit to Fido's Forest is simple. First, you'll need to create an account on their website, https://fidosforest.com, upload your dog's vaccine records showing your pet has both their rabies and DHPP vaccines up to date, and lastly, select the day and time you would like to visit. Pricing is $19 an hour for one dog and $5 for each additional dog planning to enjoy the forest. Once your booking is complete, you will receive a confirmation email 24 hours before your visit, providing you with a code to enter the gates at the park. Recommended items to bring with you are poop bags, treats, a leash for safe entry and exit from the park, water, mosquito spray, and mud boots. There is no water onsite, so make sure to also bring a towel or wipes for your pets if it is muddy inside the park.
In addition to managing Polite Paws and Fido's Forest, Trista's passion for working with dogs extends far beyond her business. She is deeply committed to rescue work and has volunteered with several local shelters over the years. Currently, she fosters dogs with Cavalier Rescue USA and gives weekly Fido’s Forest visit donations to Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control and Humane Fort Wayne for their adoptable dogs. Trista also frequently sponsors local shelter and rescue events, demonstrating her unwavering dedication to the well-being of dogs in our community.
As we talked with Trista about how she manages all three of her companies, we asked her about the challenges of running three businesses at once. She said,
"Being on call 24/7. With the forest, we are open all week from sunrise to sunset, so I am getting calls throughout that time any day of the week. Sometimes, I'm juggling. For example, if I'm at a wedding setup and get a call from someone needing help with their booking at the forest, I'm constantly changing hats. My husband helps some, but he has a 9-5 job, so he can't be on call like I am. People think business ownership is just so glamorous and rewarding and money-making, and it is at times, but it is 24/7, and you have to learn so many different skills like payroll and tax withholding. Things you never thought you'd have to know as a florist or a dog trainer, but at least you can apply the knowledge you learn along the way to other businesses."
We followed up on this question by asking Trista about her hopes for the future of Rose's Bouquets, Polite Paws, and Fidos Forest. She shared,
"I'm actually scaling back Rose's a bit. Next year, I am limiting bookings to have more weekends off because right now, I get maybe one or two weekends off from May through October, which is hard because I work all week, too. People think I only work on weekends as a wedding florist, but that is not true. Throughout the week, I have to order the flowers, condition them, meet with my brides, and do the bookkeeping, so I'm scaling back just a little to give more time to personal things. We would love to open a second Fido's location. We would love to offer a pond and a larger field. Some feedback has been that people would like to play fetch with their dog in a large space because Fido's Forest is totally wooded. We would like to have another location on the other side of town but it's just a matter of the pieces falling into place. Polite Paws is in a bit of a holding pattern, and I take on clients when I can when it's a good fit for my skills, but we have many great trainers in town, so at least I can be a great referral source."
Trista Miller's journey is a testament to the power of passion, resilience, and adaptability in the world of entrepreneurship. From her humble beginnings in Roanoke, Indiana, to establishing three thriving businesses, she has navigated the complexities of the floral and pet care industries with grace and determination. Her ability to pivot and evolve in response to changing market demands illustrates the innovative spirit that drives successful entrepreneurs. As she looks to the future, Trista is not only focused on the growth of Rose's Bouquets and Fido's Forest but also on creating a more balanced life that allows her to savor personal moments and passions outside of work. Whether scaling back on bookings or envisioning a new location for Fido's Forest, her commitment to improving her businesses while maintaining her well-being remains true. In a world where many juggle multiple roles and responsibilities, Trista stands out as an inspiring figure who proves that success is not just about financial gain but also about nurturing one's passions and serving the community. Her story encourages us all to embrace our unique paths, reminding us that creativity and business can lead to fulfilling and impactful lives. Trista offers this valuable advice to other entrepreneurs aspiring to start their businesses. She said,
"You have to want it more than anything else and be willing to get knocked down and get back up. If you don't have that passion, that's okay. There are a lot of downsides to being a business owner, and there is nothing wrong with having the traditional 9-5. It's also good to have a limit. Either a specific amount of time or money you're willing to commit before you look at your business, determine whether or not it is working, and decide what your next steps should be."
We want to send a huge thank you to Trista for taking the time to share her story with us. We are excited to see what she does next with her companies. We also want to thank Nike with Creative Roots Media for capturing the photos you see throughout this article. If you enjoy reading the stories of the entrepreneurs helping shape our city, one business at a time, subscribe to our free newsletter so you are always in the loop about what is happening here at the Fort Wayne Business Journal.
