Episode 139 · April 9, 2024
Whitney Virden: Tapped into her Creativity as an Adult
with Whitney Virden, Owner, Roots and Blooms Floral Shop; Native American floral artist
48 min
Whitney Virden: Tapped into her Creativity as an Adult
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In this episode
In this episode I sit down with Whitney Virden, owner of Roots and Blooms Floral Shop in Bartlesville and Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Whitney spent years convinced she didn't have a creative bone in her body. She chased the "safe" path — an accounting degree, a business degree, real estate, a corporate offer she almost took — until a tragic accident in her family stopped her in her tracks and made her ask what life is really about.
What came next is such a beautiful reminder that our God-given gifts and talents often show up in the most ordinary moments. For Whitney, it was sweeping the porch of a flower shop and daydreaming about sweeping her own. She started with wildflowers from her field, 25 Instagram followers, and a whole lot of faith — and grew that into two locations, weddings, and eventually a first-place-winning sculpture at the Art in Bloom show at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa.
I love that Whitney is so honest about the hard parts — the season she nearly shut the doors, the pressure of payroll, the money coming in and going right back out. She's raw and vulnerable about the pit she had to climb out of, and how hiring a coach and leaning on her faith helped her find hope again. If you've ever wondered whether you're "creative enough" or whether it's too late to change direction, this one's for you. Keep going.
Key takeaways
- Don't put money first when choosing a career — Whitney turned down a corporate offer to follow work that lit her up, and she's living proof that when you work from passion, the income tends to follow.
- Your creativity may be hiding in plain sight. Whitney grew up around beaders, seamstresses, and calligraphers and thought she 'wasn't creative' — until flowers unlocked it. We are all created to create in some way.
- The follow-up matters. She didn't get the flower shop job at first, so she walked back in and asked again — and got it. If you really want something, go get it.
- Do the legwork behind the scenes. When she launched on Instagram with 25 followers, she texted her friends to engage so her giveaway wouldn't fall flat. Small, honest steps count.
- Bring in people who know more than you. Hiring an experienced designer grew the business 217% in three months, and a coach helped her add roughly $60,000 in revenue in about 90 days by fixing her pricing.
- Every great story has a pit. Whitney nearly gave up in November 2023 — and that low point is exactly where she found her real 'why': making a way for Native American florists and disrupting a catalog-driven industry.
- You don't need anyone's permission to go bigger. Asked only for fresh florals at Philbrook, she taught herself to sculpt with chicken wire, air clay, and leaves — and won first place from the guest votes.
“I have always believed do what you can with what you have, where you are, and have faith because the sky's the limit.”
“When you love something, it is not meant to drain you. When you're thinking about a career, you should never put money first. That will come.”
“How do you know if a door is open to you or closed if you're not even knocking?”
“The more I have bloomed, it is because my roots have grown deeper with God. He is my foundation.”
“I don't need permission to do it. They've given me a platform, they've given me the most beautiful space, and I'm gonna use it.”
Resources mentioned
About Whitney
Owner, Roots and Blooms Floral Shop; Native American floral artist
Whitney Virden is the owner of Roots and Blooms Floral Shop in Bartlesville and Pawhuska, Oklahoma. A member of the Comanche Nation, she came to floral design as an adult after a business, real estate, and nonprofit background — and after a tragic family accident led her to reprioritize her life. She was selected as a floral artist for the Art in Bloom show at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, where her sculpted piece won first place from the guest votes.
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