By Nina Lueck
Quarantine found everyone with lots of time for new creativity. For Ponte Vedra High School sophomore, Gavin Walker, inspiration struck in March of 2020 when he saw his neighbor set out yard flamingos for Gavin’s father’s birthday. As a result, Walker began his business called Flocking Flamingos PVB which he describes as “a celebration service where we set out yard decor flamingos donned with personalized accessories for special occasions.”
“The thing that sparked me to start my business was actually my neighbor, who would set out flamingos in her friends’ yards for their birthdays. I eventually walked down to ask for her permission to start a business off the idea, and she was ecstatic about it!” When Walker gets a request for what he’s dubbed a “flocking,” he heads over to the customer’s house and sets up a minimum of thirty-five flamingos adorned with leis, hats and other decorative items depending on the event. Typical occasions for flockings include birthdays, anniversaries, engagements and baby showers. “I find time in my evenings to manage customer interactions, and I set up my flockings during that time as well. I take them down after school a few weeks later.”
In order to build his business, Walker first came up with a business model encompassing his ideas and goals as an entrepreneur. He then developed a marketing strategy and learned his optimal target audience utilizing various social media platforms. He lastly figured out what his price points were and how to retain customers. “One of the difficulties about starting my own business was the initial setup and logistics of the whole operation. We had to find a flamingo source, a sign provider, setup a Facebook and Instagram page with the necessary alerts and notifications, a spreadsheet to keep track, questions to answer for the specifics of flocking, payment options, and much more.”
Gavin’s business has grown substantially since it’s inception during lockdown and has even received recognition from local newspapers such as The Ponte Vedra Recorder. Many families in the Ponte Vedra area are hiring Flocking Flamingo’s PVB for fun yard surprises, and recently it’s difficult to pass through a neighborhood without seeing a house that’s been flocked. Sophomore, Ellie Goodfriend, recently had a birthday and was surprised with a festive yard flocking. “It was a fantastic experience and super easy to schedule. They were very helpful and I loved every part of the setup!” Walker loves all of the aspects of being a teen entrepreneur and running Flocking Flamingo’s PVB. He has many more ideas and can’t wait to expand his business throughout the remainder of his high school career.
“It was a fantastic experience and super easy to schedule. They were very helpful and I loved every part of the setup!”
-Ellie Goodfriend
