Josie Anderson
Josie Anderson is the owner and lead designer of Josie’s Creative Designs, LLC and Josie’s Flower Barn, based in Walterboro, South Carolina. She has dedicated over 26 years to creating custom floral arrangements and orchestrating memorable events, ranging from weddings and retirements to community celebrations and funerals. Known for her unique ability to capture the essence of each occasion, Josie has become a go-to florist for personalized designs that reflect her clients’ visions. Her work combines creativity, meticulous attention to detail, and a deep understanding of event planning, enabling her to deliver seamless experiences for gatherings of all sizes.
Josie began her journey in floral design in 1984 as a hobby while working nearly 20 years in telephony and 17 years as a paralegal. She honed her craft under the guidance of Liz Finnell, owner of the flower shop Zebra, learning the fundamentals of floral artistry and developing her signature style. In 2000, Josie transitioned to full-time floral and event design, establishing her business as a trusted name in custom floral services. Over the years, she has expanded her reach nationally through wire services, managing events with hundreds of guests while maintaining a personal touch as a single designer.
Beyond her business, Josie approaches floral design as a ministry, particularly when creating funeral tributes, aiming to honor and celebrate the lives of loved ones. She balances her professional endeavors with a commitment to family and community, mentoring her daughter Skylar to eventually carry on the legacy of Josie’s Creative Designs. With a philosophy rooted in faith, integrity, and exceptional customer service, Josie continues to inspire and uplift her clients through meaningful, memorable floral artistry.
• Arizona State University - BASc
• Business Network International (BNI)
• Cotillion and Botillion (teaching young ladies etiquette and soft skills)
• Missionary work at church
• PTA involvement
• Travel basketball teams
• Back to School Bash for kids
• Fundraising for families in need and burn victims
• Community advocacy for students
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my passion and my uniqueness. I've always had this creative side and my own unique style that I brought into the floral business. I became known as the custom florist, the go-to person when somebody needed something customized, and I think that's what sustained me a lot. My faith is my foundation, and I have integrity and provide superior customer service. I believe in customer service after the sale because if you do that, you'll have repeat customers. I left a good-paying corporate job to do this full-time in 2000, and the fact that I'm still here in 2026 tells you that if you're customer service-driven, you will have tenure. I see my previous work in telephony and as a paralegal as my preparation for this. The work is hard and endearing, but it's very rewarding. I find joy in helping my customers and making them smile, even through grief.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The first thing my mentor told me was that this work is not easy, it's not for the faint of heart. People see the end result, but they don't see all the hard work that goes into it. It's a lot of hard work. Floristry is almost 24-7. Sometimes you've got to be there. If you've got 4 or 5 funerals, you've got to have it ready. So it's a lot of hard and endearing work, but it's rewarding.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The greatest advice I would give to younger ones is, if this is something you have a niche for, if you're doing it as a hobby, hone into your skills and find your niche. This can be very rewarding in the end because it gives you a plateau where you can delve into different areas. You can become an event force. That's how people bounce into the event world, so it's like a springboard. Once you get started, if you have that passion, you can go far with this business. It's an essential business, and I found that out during COVID. You don't see a lot of people getting into it full-time as you would think, but if you have the passion and hone into your unique skills, you can make it work.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The challenges back then, before GPS, were that you were limited to your geographical area. A lot of areas you just didn't know by physical location. But when GPS came around in the early 2000s, I saw a surge in my business because I was able to navigate and expand my area that I would promote and service. The challenges disappeared, and I could enhance my area, which brought us more revenue. Then during COVID, I experienced another surge in business. Even though I'm a single designer, there were times when I had 8 casket sprays I was working on. I found out we were an essential business because even though people were losing their loved ones and grieving, they wanted to make sure they gave them their last rights. The challenges are with time and managing many events simultaneously, but the work is very rewarding.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Faith is my foundation, above everything. I have integrity, and with integrity, you've got to give customer service, which is paramount. I provide superior customer service after the sale because if you do, you'll have repeat customers. I'm customer service-driven, and that's what has given me tenure in this business. I see my work as part of my ministry. I try to make my customers smile, even through grief. I'm grateful for the opportunity to give back and put a smile on people's faces. I consider myself a philanthropist because I give back to the communities. I find joy in helping out my community, working with children, and advocating for students. I'm always there for people in need, whether it's organizing fundraisers for families who have experienced burn-outs or doing charitable events.