Written By: Phaedra, an Element Designer
Element Design Co. has reached incredible heights, after having started out as a small business in CEO Amelia’s attic (you can listen to her tell the whole story of the company’s founding here on LV podcast). Amelia will tell you herself that couldn’t have happened without a really incredible team. We want to shout out to all of the folks who’s care and attention is poured into every bloom that passes through their hands, so we are beginning a series here in our Field Notes to spotlight team members. Our first subject is someone who many of you have had a chance to speak to, email with, and see in person— our Director of External Communication, Nikole!
Nikole is not only the first to be spotlighted in this series, but she was also the first official hire, all the way back in October of 2020, when Element had just begun operating out of our very first showroom and workshop in Easton. Nikole, an Easton local, had been affected by Covid layoffs the summer prior to finding Element. She was working at a local chain restaurant and was looking for a job that would bring her joy along with a new career path. She remembers showing her husband the job posting for “Flower Preservationist”, and saying just how cool it would be to work with flowers every day. “I've always loved flowers and was seriously considering going to school for floristry or something in the floral field right around this time,” she told us. “Funny how things happen like that.”
We certainly count our lucky stars that she saw that job post when she did. She started out preserving the flowers that were coming in greater numbers each week, and soon began helping Amelia with customer service, a skill she had honed during her years in the restaurant industry. If you’ve spoken to Nikole, you know she’s absolutely wonderful to chat with, and has a talent for guiding people in making meaningful choices. As her role has expanded with the company’s growth, she has had the opportunity to help thousands of clients, as well as work with vendors to plan partnerships and events. Nikole loves being able to do this while spending time among flowers and surrounded by creativity. “I truly enjoy the atmosphere,” she says, and she has had a huge role in helping to create a welcoming, friendly environment.
Nikole has been a natural fit for spending time with beautiful blooms. In her free time she loves to be in her garden, planting flowers and then trimming and admiring them as they bloom. She also has a pup, Mango, who makes the occasional appearance at the shop. Nikole and Mango spend plenty of time in the park on weekends, taking walks with her husband and enjoying good weather.
Nikole is notorious amongst her coworkers for her amazing baking skills. Element has events throughout the year to celebrate our team, and Nikole’s favorite is the annual Great British Bake Off style cookie competition. Nikole’s bakes are always crowd pleasers and she loves participating! She has also loved other company events, such as our Clothing Swap, where she had fun “shopping” from the teams’ closet cleanouts.
Nikole also loves a vacation, and is keen on taking time off that will leave her relaxed. She loves heading to the shore with her husband, dog, and a good book to chill out by the water. She certainly has earned her breaks! Nikole works hard to make sure our clients, partners, and vendors are having the best experience possible, and leads her team in guiding clients through the preservation process.
We love having Nikole (and Mango!) on the team, and her growth with the company has been inspiring to watch! We love that she is a lifelong lover of flowers, and has translated that love into a career helping people to preserve their most important blooms. We truly appreciate that she was willing to be our very first Spotlight, and we hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know her a little more!
