From Corporate Life to Wedding Flowers: Jeannine Starr’s Resin Journey

Jeannine Starr shares her remarkable transition from a 23-year leadership career in higher-education fundraising in New York City to becoming a successful flower preservation and resin artist. What began during the pandemic as a hobby making small resin jewelry pieces eventually grew into JSTAR NYC, a storefront business in Manhattan’s Floral District. Working alongside her daughter Annie, Jeannine has created a business where their strengths complement each other—Jeannine focuses on the artistry while Annie manages much of the client-facing side. Their work is deeply personal because they preserve flowers from weddings and other important moments into permanent heirlooms.

A major theme of the conversation is the courage required to make a dramatic career change and fully commit to something new. Jeannine describes discovering resin, outgrowing her apartment, opening a shop, and building a business in New York’s shrinking Floral District. She also discusses the challenges of floral preservation, including drying and triaging flowers, correcting colors, managing client expectations, and communicating realistic turnaround times. The emotional connection is a major part of the work—clients can become overwhelmed when they finally see flowers from their wedding day transformed into a finished piece.

Ian and Jeannine also explore the technical and educational side of resin artistry, including the importance of using quality materials, understanding epoxy chemistry and safety, and learning from experienced practitioners. Jeannine credits Tim Phelps of iCoat with helping her better understand the science behind resin and encouraging her growth as an artist. The conversation closes with ideas for helping the broader floral-preservation community through mentorship, a possible industry roundtable and certification program, better customer-care materials, and education for artists entering the craft. Ultimately, Jeannine's story is about turning a creative passion into a meaningful business—and creating heirlooms that preserve both flowers and memories.

Starr Collective

135 W 28th St

NY NY 10001

Shop hours are Monday - Saturday 9-4PM est

Email: hello@starrcollectivenyc.com

Phone: 212-518-1768

@jstarrnyc on Instagram

Website: jstarrnyc.com

https://icoatepoxy.com

tel: +1 602-258-1114

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Podcast management by www.globalcreativegroup.com