Meet Meg Blancato & Natalie Gill, Moms + Owners, Native Poppy
We are so grateful that Meg and Natalie shared their stories with us…
Natalie and Meg are the florists and owners behind Native Poppy, a boutique event florist with three super cute locations in sunny, San Diego!
Connect with Meg + Natalie Online
Our ‘As Strong as the Mother Next to Me’ weekly spotlight highlights and celebrates Moms in San Diego and across the globe who believe in building up and supporting moms.
We are excited to share Meg and Natalie’s stories with you today!
How did you get started with your current role?
Natalie founded the business in 2014 as a floral event business and had the opportunity to open the first retail shop in 2015! We met in 2016 when opening the first shop, and became business partners in 2018. Since then, the company has grown to 3 locations with 20 employees.
What does “As Strong as the Mother Next to Me” mean to you?
Being a mama is not for the faint of heart, and being a working mama adds quite a few layers to that role. Having another working mom as a business partner is instrumental in the success of our relationship and business because of the understanding and support it offers.
What strategies do you use to stay connected?
Sharing your journey is so helpful – whether that’s via text or social media – it’s a lifeline that allows others to lift you up and remind you you’re not alone!
How do you involve your children in your professional life, if at all?
Our kids have been involved in every Mother’s Day photoshoot we’ve done since they’ve been born; having them featured and present is an important part of our story as business owners and working moms.
Can you share an example of a collaboration with another mom that was particularly successful or fulfilling?
Our relationships with fellow working moms Heather of Amorology and Taylor of Folklore are amazing; we work with them on so many weddings and are always grateful for their support to create beauty and be such a great team!
How do you define strength in motherhood?
Vulnerability; being open and transparent about the ups and downs so that other moms can either learn and prepare or feel supported by navigating the same waters. Also, having a village – whether that’s from your partner, child care, familial support, and/or a community of friends you can parent alongside. Parenting alone is harder than parenting in community!
How do you celebrate small victories in motherhood and business?
Martinis! KIDDING, kind of! In all honesty, we love to toast with a delicious cocktail in hand or go out to a nice dinner. If it’s a really big win, a facial at Shop Good is the ultimate!
How do you think societal perceptions of motherhood have changed over the years?
We’re grateful to be mothering in the time we are where topics like mental health, the invisible load, and unrealistic standards are being discussed, demystified and knocked down. Even conversations around the concept of “having it all” has changed – yes, you can “have it all” but not all at the same time and not without a lot of support.
How do you balance self-care with taking care of your family and business?
In full transparency, it’s something that doesn’t always happen and takes A LOT of intentional work, but some of things we do when are able to make time are reading, long walks, time with friends, getting enough sleep, and pampering if we’re lucky – we both love a massage, a manicure or a facial – luxury!!
How did you build your community of moms around you?
We’re lucky that we had a strong community that became moms at a similar time and we were able to figure things out alongside each other. It’s sounding a little repetitive because it’s true, but having that support to be open and vulnerable with is huge, and just get the constant confirmation that your mom-community is also experiencing the same things you are!
How important is it to you to surround yourself with other moms professionally and personally?
SO important! Like-minded moms, dads, parents and caregivers of all types – that’s your village and it will absolutely be the thing that gets you through both work and life!
What piece of advice would you give another mom who is struggling with balancing work/home life? or thinking about starting her own business?
Have a lot of support! Doing it all by yourself is doable, but not sustainable and is a recipe for burn-out or worse.
Do you have a non-profit or cause that you want us to know more about? And why are you so passionate about this?
We do not have a non-profit, but we donate to several organizations throughout the year: Susan G. Komen around Mother’s Day, LGBTQ+ organizations around Pride, etc.
What challenges do you face as mothers and businesswomen?
The balance we mentioned above about having it all at the same time and being present for both. We constantly joke that aside from a lot of support, the only thing that will solve the issue is being cloned.
Tell us about a challenging time in your business or in your role in motherhood and how you overcame it?
The constant balancing act of being both present for our business and our families is a challenging time, every day. Still working on “overcoming” it but what helps is a lot of grace and adjustment of expectations.
What are some of your favorite resources managing your business and/or home life that have saved you time?
Oh man, again sounds redundant but just having a lot of support from both our home and work teams – we could not do both without the support of our partners, our nannies and our team in the business.
MOMination
We become better women, partners, leaders, and friends by empowering and lifting each other up. Thank you Meg and Natalie for MOMinating these women below who have inspired you.
Leah Kirplani (Shop Good)
An incredible mama who has built an incredible business!
Brogen Jessup
Insanely talented photog and rad mom!
We are thrilled to bring back our weekly spotlight that will highlight and celebrate Moms in San Diego and across the globe who believe in building up and supporting moms.
We hope that if we can debunk the idea that you have to take on this journey alone, as a community of moms, we will all walk away stronger, inspired, and raise stronger children and become better partners. We’d love to hear from you!
