Jen Cavender on Being a Florist, Tarot of Flowers, and Creative Calling

What does it mean to feel both content where you are and called to something more? In this episode, host Val McNichols sits down with Jen Cavender of Nectar & Bloom for a thoughtful conversation about creativity, intuition, and building a life in floral design that feels aligned. Jen's journey began on her family's produce farm, where she grew and sold flowers alongside her sister. Though she later pursued poetry and academia, she eventually realized that flowers could hold both artistic expression and career. Today, she's not only a floral designer but also the creator of Tarot of Flowers — a tarot-inspired floral deck and guidebook born from symbolism, storytelling, and a deep love of meaning-making. Jen shares how synesthesia and the idea of "translation" shape her work — how she translates what she sees, senses, and feels into floral form. She also opens up about imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and the tension between wanting to do everything and learning to let some things go. The episode closes with a live Tarot of Flowers reading — find out what card Val pulls and what the message reveals. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and pull up a chair for every episode. Visit the link for show notes and video podcast: https://www.mayesh.com/blog/beautiful-people-jen-cavender