Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in floristry but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Suilan Chen, florist of Memory Floral, located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I'm an Event Florist. I provide floral design services for weddings, parties, funerals, cooperate conferences, etc.

Tell us about yourself

I was a Professional Chemist, but I've always been loving flowers and plants. I like to make beautiful things with my hands and be creative; that's why I want to be a florist. Flowers and floral arrangements can express people's emotions, bring out their memories, enhance their happiness and comfort them when they are sad. They are not just objects; they can help people.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

To think like a business owner, not a hobby florist.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

To be profitable enough to sustain my business. I didn't have any experience in either business running or floral design; it was pretty hard. Even now, I still can't rely solely on my business to support myself, but it's picking up and growing.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

First one, get educated. Not only on the trade you want to get in or the skills or knowledge you will need, but also try to learn from other people that already have experience in doing it. For example, I took floral design classes, and also watched a lot of YouTube videos, read many books on floral design, and joined some very helpful Facebook groups. All of the above helped me become a better floral designer. The second one is don't be afraid to try things out because you won't know whether or not it's a good idea unless you try. The third one, be reasonably cautious. Time and funds are usually limited; taking greater risk than we can handle sometimes can be quite dangerous.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://memoryfloral.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memoryfloral/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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