Nigella SF

Alright you guys, there's a story I've been meaning to share. I want to shout out the incredible journey of my wife Rubie Campbell, JR and the team at Nigella SF. Their story is one of resilience, passion, and perseverance. In 2015, after Rubie had our second child, I was deep into my career at Whole Foods Market. Rubie made a huge sacrifice by stepping away from her career to care for our two young children. When she returned to work, it was part-time, balancing post-birth recovery and the demands of our kids. But Rubie never gave up her love for design and flowers. After 10 years at Whole Foods, she took a bold leap to become the full-time shop manager and lead designer at a high-end floral shop in downtown San Francisco. Rubie and her team transformed the shop, boosting sales, profitability, quality, and customer experience, designing for politicians, iconic restaurants, and celebrities. Despite working under an absent owner, she made it thrive. After two years, the owner decided to sell the business and promised Rubie first dibs. We scrambled to secure funding, but the owner sold it to another party with little warning. Rubie was devastated. But there was a silver lining. This setback motivated Rubie and her future business partner to start their own high-end floral shop. Confident from running the previous shop, Rubie felt ready to break out on her own. In 2017, Nigella SF was born. With a $50k small business loan from Working Solutions CDFI and sheer determination, the team began taking on clients and doing events out of our backyard in Berkeley. High-end arrangements were being crafted under a pop-up tent and on fold-out tables. Fast forward to 2024, moving from one location to another and delighting thousands of happy clients along the way, Nigella SF is a successful business in downtown San Francisco. But it's not all smooth sailing. The challenges in San Francisco persist with only 70% of foot traffic back and costs at an all-time high. Nigella SF is fighting tooth and nail to make it for the long haul. Why share this story? Because it inspires me every day to see my loved ones pursue their dreams and put everything on the line. From the outside, things might look great, but the blood, sweat, and tears behind it are real. Thank you for everyone that has believed in the dream that is Nigella and for all the support you've offered along the way. Here's to many more successful years. I'm so proud of you, Rubie! Your biggest fan, Trei