I am a Westie Croatian born and raised. I was born and raised in a garden, winemaking and market garden and, in fact, a flower farm. When Covid hit, it seemed that everyone made bread or began gardening. I already knew how to make bread, so I started gardening.
When I began to return to the office from the blockages, I began to bring small branches and flowers of flowers and put them in my own desk at work. It was purely made me happy because it was a fairly difficult time everywhere. What ended up happening was that he had several people who said: ‘Oh, where did you get? If you are doing them, would you sell me one because I really like them? He planted a seed in my head.
It was at a level that was the office office, corporate office scenarios. The secondary context of life was that my daughter expected a baby and my parents were leaving and had health problems. I had what I think they call a moment of ‘come to Jesus’ when you feel and re -evaluate life. I worked that it was more important for me to be available for my family, and that they were more important for me at this particular moment of my life.
So cultivate flowers in your own backyard?
I began to put the wheels in motion to extend the garden that had just been a small edges along the posterior edge of my great grass. I retired the whole matter and began to plant and build bays, and now I am probably the most appropriate and stronger I’ve been in my whole life. I managed to negotiate a second place, which is where I have many larger trees, shrubs and perennial plants, which can face the care of themselves.
Cultivation Dalias, Zinnias, Margaritas and Cosmos, and the types of flowers are much more that the florists tend to avoid because they do not have a life as long as standard roses, gerberas and iris. The reason for that is the supply chain.
It can take any place to a week from the flowers that are cut until when they reach a florist, until when you really leave a florist shop with a bouquet in your hands. A perfect example in contrast is that he was reaping on Saturday and selling those flowers on Sunday at the central fleas market.
The central flea market is the best Auckland market. I am the only flower position on that site with more than 100 positions. I always say, take a walk on Sunday morning and drink your coffee, a cake and a bouquet of flowers, and you may find a vase to put your flowers while you are in it.
How is your flower subscription working?
There are many flower farmers that I follow in the United States that have flower subscriptions. The advantage they have is that there are a full pile of more people in their country compared to New Zealand. The reasoning for me was that there are many unknowns when you are growing, what is happening in heaven is the culprit number one.
There are many unknowns in terms of their sales channels, and subscriptions are something that people commit to their flowers and there is a certain degree of security for me that I have that regular income.
I have a regular baseño base that have been wonderful. Most of them are people who do not even have a time frame or time limit. It’s just a case of “when you have flowers, I love them.” That is so encouraging for a small company to have a central group of customers that are absolutely 100% of its defenders.
What would be your advice for other budding entrepreneurs who want to start your own business?
Honestly, I think I would have to be a cross between resilience or tenacity. Maybe it’s a good tablespoon of both, but you have to work very, very, very difficult. I cannot emphasize how difficult you have to work than any work for which you get a salary, and you have to endure there. Every day there is a new mistake of learning.
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for The Herald, which covers small and retail companies.