Happy Flowers: Spreading Beauty and Joy | My Member Story

April Judkins is like the best friend you always wanted. She’s got the brightest smile with a personality to match. Her company, Happy Flowers, is a direct manifestation of everything she loves in life—nature, color, creativity and, of course, happiness!

Respect for nature is a family affair

Growing up in a small town (Paris, Arkansas—population: 3,200), April has always been connected to the land. Whether she was helping her dad on the farm, running her hands along the rows of flowers in her grandmother’s yard or just playing with her friends, she was always happiest out in the fresh air.

That’s where her love of flowers began.

There’s a family story about April’s great-grandmother not owning a lawn mower because her yard was completely full of beautiful flowers. Her grandmother, mother and aunts have made sure the family love for flowers continues. As a child, April always thought she was so lucky to be surrounded by so much beauty and joy, and she credits these women—and her dad, too!—with instilling this love of nature in her.

When she tells these stories, you can see her family means everything to her and she is proud to be a part of her clan. “Family is the basis of everything I do,” April shares.

The Hazel iris

April cultivates these connections to her past. She remembers her grandmother had gorgeous deep purple irises in her yard. She lovingly calls them Hazel irises after her grandmother, and to hear her describe the color is a menu of adjectives that paint a very vivid picture.

The flowers had begun as a single row separating the yard from the dirt road. As the years passed, the irises spread wider and wider and took up more and more of the yard.

When her grandmother passed away, April’s aunts dug up some of the iris bulbs from the yard and planted them by her gravesite in the small, multi-family cemetery nearby. As if they knew they were supposed to be together forever, the Hazel irises have thrived and spread all around that section of the cemetery, keeping their namesake company.

Turning a hobby into Happy Flowers

It’s obvious that creativity pours out of April like a faucet. When you look at some of her floral arrangements, it’s difficult to find adequate words to describe them.

But how does someone know their hobby could make a good business? For April, it all began with her own wedding. When planning her event over six years ago, she was, as usual, thinking about the flowers. Having already developed a love for floral design, she decided to use her event as a learning opportunity—and a jumping off point for her business!

The wedding turned out beautiful! April officially launched Happy Flowers in 2020 and now gets to help other couples design the wedding of their dreams. “Being able to bring a lot of meaning and beauty to an event means a lot to me,” she shares.

Looking to the future

When it comes to goals for the future, April’s path is crystal clear. Like many 20- and 30-somethings, she is concerned about her impact on the planet. In addition to wanting to touch more flowers this year than ever before, one of her main goals is to move toward more sustainability in her business. She has already begun documenting her favorite locations for foraging flowers and other natural elements—with permission, of course.

She has also started looking into options that will allow her to use less plastic. “There are a lot of really incredible things evolving in the floral design industry that are sustainability forward,” she notes.

Also, April wants to continue learning within her craft and experimenting with new ways to make beautiful arrangements—like creating something that starts out as a fresh floral piece and is just as stunning as it dries out, allowing you to enjoy it for a lot longer.

Words for the dreamers

We asked April what advice she had for people who may be considering taking their passion to the next level. “Don’t be shy about showing the world what you’ve got, and make sure you do it in your own way,” she chimed.

Although she understands not every entrepreneur is just like her, she believes in living life on your own terms. From choosing the right timing, to your location, to the projects you take on, you know your business best.

Deciding on a financial partner

Most businesses need the support of a good financial institution. Whether you need a loan to buy equipment or property, a solution to help manage credit card payments or just a convenient way to make deposits and track your accounts, having a good relationship with a credit union or bank is key to the success of most businesses.

When April started Happy Flowers, it was important for her to partner with a local credit union. She wanted to work with someone who would grow with her. She remembered her dad always talking about how his credit union had helped with whatever he needed.

After moving to Utah, she had heard a lot of good things about Mountain America Credit Union from friends and knew they had a good reputation. So, it was a no-brainer that she was going to open her accounts there. “I had a lot of questions, and I’m going to continue to have questions,” she explained. “Mountain America is a part of my community, and they support me and my business.”

Adrenaline junkie or lover of life

When you get to know April, it’s clear she is multi-talented. Not only is she a brilliant floral designer, but she also loves snowboarding, dirt biking, camping and hiking, and she recently went skydiving for the first time.

Her mom calls her an adrenaline junkie. After spending some time with her, we think she just loves life and is going to do everything she can to make sure she lives it the best way she can. We all should be so lucky to have this attitude—or to have her as a best friend!

What do you say, April? Besties?

Oh, by the way, keep us in mind when you’re ready to take the next step for your business and get your own shop. We are so proud of you!