027. MONTANA FLORA [VIDEO]

Episode Transcript
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(00:10):
Tina Montana Flora, welcome to the crew Table.
Thank you for having me. Are you nervous?
I am very nervous I. Definitely think you should be
nervous because I'm not going totake it easy on you, but I know
that this anticipation has been building and brewing and brewing
and almost everyone that's followed the crew table from day
one has asked what he's seen it going on, when he's seen it

(00:32):
going on, and it's been like thebig question.
Thank you. I'm actually nervous because I'm
scared that I'm going to like, you know, miss a beat and not do
like deliver and ask all the questions that need to be asked
because there's so much to dive in with you and, and your craft
and you as a person. And, you know, you're a silent
worker in the sense of your achievements are very much, you
know, you just focus on the craft and do your job and you're

(00:54):
in and you're in there for the game.
And not a lot of people know youthe way I know you.
And our peers know you. Like, even like our friends from
the industry don't know that we know you.
But the public maybe don't know who you are as a person.
Do you feel that way? Absolutely.
So for me, I feel like I'm not really on social much.
I'm not really visible. You can barely find a photo of

(01:17):
me on my Insta. I barely appear on stories.
So I, I don't think most of people know who I am behind the,
the, the name. So, you know, most of the time
when I go, they're like, oh, youMontana.
I say yes. And then, oh, that's you.
Because they probably expect me to be someone else.
No, it's just they just don't know who you are.

(01:37):
They just. Yeah, so people just need to do.
You get forwards Montana all thetime.
Like I do, I do, I do. And then when when people call
me and say hi, Tina speaking andand they were like, oh, so
you're not Montana? We speak to the boss.
I'll see you at Montana. Yeah, I do.
I do have that ask quite often. Well, guys, today's someone that

(01:59):
I've admired for many, many years.
She's not just a creative, but she's a really, really good
friend. If your friends are Tina, you're
very blessed in life because she's such a beautiful person, a
beautiful soul tonight inside and out.
She's as you, as you guys are aware, she's the owner of
Montana Flora, probably one of the most in demand florists in
Sydney, hands down. If you work in the event space,

(02:21):
if you like, have people in the event space around you always
say you know that she's doing multiple events and weddings
every single weekend. It's never just like one job a
week kind of person. But you obviously did my wedding
and you did my daughter's christening.
Yes, and you do the incredible florals every week when we
record at crew table and kill it.
Ah, thank you Meet all the expectations when I'm like,

(02:43):
change it, change it. Let's go, let's something new
every single time. Fourth thing has to come up with
something new every single time with the same flowers, but you
killed it today. This is insane.
It's it's incredible. So I'm excited to go through
your growth, your journey, and who you are as a person.
Thank you, George. Finally, sit down and tell your
story. But before Montana, Flora began

(03:06):
before Flora St even. Yeah.
Who was Tina? So look I I was born and grew up
in flowers because I was grew upin the flower city where we
produce most of the flowers for my country and export even in
Australia. So I naturally save flowers
every day in my life. And when I was young we have a

(03:29):
small farm and I would grow up in few a bread jebra.
And that has become my most hated flower.
I'm sorry. It is the memory of you know, I
have to see them all the time. It was nice.
And then I had my first flower shop when I was 19 in my city.

(03:51):
It was a big fail. But you know, you learn.
I'm from Dalat, Vietnam. OK.
And he's had a floral flower. My family did when I was young.
Wow, I didn't know that about. You that's good and you know, so
I, I, I opened a very first flower shops when I was 19 years
old in my first year of uni and we, I literally have that for

(04:12):
three months and I could not afford it anymore.
So we move on and then in 2008 Imarried and moved here and I
have to start all over again. I went to tape, did my
certificate work for people. I work at the market.
That's where I meet most of the incredible florists.
And, you know, I follow the journal and then one of the

(04:36):
client at, you know, the, the wholesaler that I work for, he's
selling his shops and he asked, hey, do you know anybody
interested in buying a flower shop?
So I like. Oh, OK.
So like, look, you know what? I think it's time for me to move
on. I want to have a bit more
challenging in life. Yeah.
Wow. So I, I get the shop and then I

(04:59):
start from there. Having a retail shop was very
challenging. Is this dots that we're talking
about? Yes, it is.
Yeah. So I have DOTS for nearly four
years, but my kid was little so the two girl was pretty much in
childcare at the time. I bought the shops and I feel so
bad for them. I have not had much time for

(05:21):
them. I pretty much at the shop seven
days a week, you know, every dayI leave the the house at 4:30
and I didn't get home until sick, you know, it was a really
hard time. That's why I decide in the end
it's not for me, it doesn't suitmy lifestyle.
I need more time for my children.

(05:42):
And then that's when I, I just, you know, I think that's when I
have to, to say goodbye to the sharks was, was quite emotional.
What was your favourite and yourmost talent like?
Your least favourite thing aboutowning dots in Parramatta?
To be honest with you, every single big day is challenging.
Valentine's, Mother Days. I think it just the hardest time

(06:05):
of the year for florist. People would always say oh they
they should make so much money, but we really try to just look
after our customer, regular customer on the big day because
those day are so dreadful. We have to work like how many
hours are like 20-20 hours a daytrying to get everybody flowers
delivered. And then you will hear complaint

(06:26):
regardless how, how well you organise the day.
There will be always complaints.And I think the complaints is
the biggest, the, the biggest thing that I cannot handle.
Like I always try my hardest andthen people say, oh, you know, I
didn't like it. It's not what I want and it's
just make me feel like failed, like I feel like I could have

(06:50):
done better. But in those big day, mistake
always happen. Yeah, yeah.
I could never imagine the pressure, this strength.
It is the pressure. After Dots you walked away for
years. I think from memory from our
conversation, you had a year break.
Yeah, I did have a year break tostudy for my teaching because I

(07:13):
get, I, I, I, I have offer a jobat TAFE to teach forestry and
then I have to spend one whole year to study for my teaching.
This was quite a, a sad year because I feel like I'm, I'm
all, I'm all in actions, you know?
So when I have to stay at Herman's study, it's just like I
feel like it's not for me. It's not me.

(07:34):
But look, I get through it. Yeah.
How did teaching at TAFE and earning dots like those two
parts or chapters in your life reshape the person you are
today? Totally think everything
happened in my life is for a reason.
Whatever, whatever happened meant to happen, who I met is
meant for me to meet. You know, when I have the shops,

(07:56):
it's very challenging, but it teach me how to organise myself.
It teach me how to communicate with, with people, you know,
handling complaints or it's, it does teach me so much.
And then when I got teaching a tape, it's it's an it's a
totally different world. You know, you come from a very
hands on, you know, like, like your life is crazy.

(08:19):
Go, go, go. And then when you get to tape,
you just have so much time on a day to do 1 bouquet and you just
have to sit there and helping everybody to do their thing.
But sometime Lila, like really like it takes 4 to 5 minutes
already. And I literally just have one
thing to do. You know, it's completely
different to to what I you to always have to be rushing, you

(08:40):
know, get things done every day.We have to listen to many phone
call, you know, delivery on times and then suddenly I'll
just sit there. It's so you have your, you have
you're based in Ryde, correct? Yeah, that's right.
And is that a storefront or no? So it's more like a studio
because I don't do retail, I don't open door for people.

(09:02):
Yeah, we only, you know, it's mainly A workspace because
originally I used to, you know, deal with a lot of Direct Line.
Yeah. But because of the the the time
we have at the moment, I'm I'm mainly working with stylists,
not, not because of anything, but because, you know, we, we,

(09:23):
we have to look after people whowith us the whole year out and
our schedule is quite high as you can see.
Yeah. Look, most of the time when
people ask me because they love me and look, I really appreciate
it, but sometimes we just cannotdo more than what I already do.
We have our capacity and I hope people understand that.

(09:44):
It's only so much I can do per weeks.
Are you not doing enough alreadyfor everyone?
I feel like you're always killing the game, you're always
over delivering, you're always like a yes woman.
It's crazy. But you know, like for example,
if we do like 5 jobs on the day and I want to be at every single
jobs because I want to see how it finish, you know, and then

(10:06):
sometimes the distance is quite,quite big.
Like if I have to travel like 30minutes from one venue to
another and then it just make make a difficult, I have to say
yes for another one, you know. So if I if I say no, it wasn't
wasn't because of anything, it just I literally cannot do it
anymore. I'm going to actually ask that
question. I was telling Tina, yeah, that

(10:27):
someone actually DM D me anotherflorist a question to ask her
randomly and I didn't open up for people to submit questions.
But how last night I said like, oh, like tomorrow's a big day.
Yeah, we have guests coming on and it's on this topic.
So I want to ask her for a forget.
They said I'd love to know how she manages to coordinate 5 to 6
jobs a weekend. And even I like can't comprehend

(10:51):
around that, that you can do like, yeah, it's it's tough.
I could never imagine myself at like, you know, three jobs in a
day. How do you manage that as a
business owner? You know what The thing is, it's
all come down to organisations is you need to actually go
through the design and see what you can prep beforehand to make
sure your channel is very smoothand look the best team.

(11:15):
I gotta say, my team is amazing.You know, like sometime I
actually organise delivery people to move the flower ready
to each venue ready for me. So not physically me have to
bring all the flower with me, but I would travel from one
venue to another but the flower's already there and then
most of the centrepieces we pre made to touch up on the spot.

(11:38):
My job is to mainly look after the main display like the bride
table, the backdrops. You know like the the the big.
Display. So that one is we have to do on
the spot most of them and I willhave to be there myself because
I couldn't look. It's not, I don't trust my
people, but sometime I like to see how they finish.
You know, I would travel from one venue to another there.

(12:02):
There was a day that we definitely do more than 5
events, but we got it done. So you literally bounce around.
So you do all the prep work. You literally will create as
much as you can deliver it. So this is for this job.
This is for this job and then drive around and make sure
everything. 'S that's why when I when when,
when when I tell people, you know, my work life is is the

(12:24):
result is create from blood, sweat and tear and tears.
And I wasn't lying when I say weare so sweaty every single time
you walked in and I'm about to walk out you give me a hug and I
got some embarrassing because you smell amazing and now I'm
serious like. Definitely don't sweat you you.
Seriously, whenever I I hugged you, I just Oh my God, he smells

(12:47):
so good. And I was like, what do you
think of me? Because I would could be like.
Tina, I wanna remind you, you'rearound flowers and you smell
great. Yeah, but you know, like we run
so much like, but look, we're having fun and I love my jobs
because it's so much fun and my my team is the same, right?
We just have so much fun. We probably a group of people

(13:10):
that's so noisy in most of the event because we laugh so much.
The amount of laughing we we, wehave at every single event is
not normal. We just, that's awesome.
We're just laughing, which is sofunny.
Like whenever we work together, it's just so funny.
It's just so much fun. Yeah.
Yeah, it sounds like you have a massive team.
I do what I think other right? Because you're doing that many

(13:30):
events, you clearly need the manpower on the labour.
I do. I do.
How has that journey been like creating that team, curating
kind of a group of creatives? What's what's it been like on
the business end, like the back end to like source them or like
retain them? Luke, it's it's a long journal

(13:53):
for me. Obviously, we all start from one
man band, you know, like me as any other florist who just
started we on our own, you know,we reflect every single roses.
We try ourselves to the venue. We bring every single flower to
the table. And then when it's get bigger,
you start getting more people. I tend to train people from the
get go because look, I have a quite a few freelancer that

(14:18):
worked for me. You know, I did just have to
book them in advance, but I havea solid team that actually I
trained from the get go. I feel like if you, you know,
if, if, if I get somebody fresh and new, it's easier to, to show
them how to do my way because, yeah.
So sometime, you know, when you get the freelancer, they are

(14:38):
amazing and they get the job done.
I appreciate it. But sometime, you know, you want
them to do your way and they think, no, no, they want to do
their way, even if it's your job.
So sometime you get go across some of them like that and you
know, we, we, sometimes you justhave to accept because sometime
the job is to to be. You just have to accept some of

(15:01):
that. You know the.
Challenges It's hard to break someone's bad habits sometimes.
Yeah, it's just, you know, that they get so used to do that
stuff, for example, and say, look, I want everything to be
close together. You know, I like everything to
make shapes and I don't want thing to fly everywhere.
That's not my style. And then they do it and then
like they look away, like let mefix it.

(15:22):
Come on, it's under my name. Do you know I?
Don't know how you've managed it, but it's almost very
distinct when I see your work and it's like florals, right?
You're working with the same tool.
Like as a photographer, I feel like work can look very
different with a lot of people because, you know, there's so
many different variables. But it's like crazy how like
some florists, not just yourself, but all the greats,
they work look so distinct. And it's hard for like, you

(15:44):
know, anyone who's not in the game to pick, but you've, you've
really nodded down a style. For for me, I feel like in
between me and flowers, sometimewe do have to communicate to
each other. It's weird to say this, but I
feel like flower have soul. Each of them are individual born
and grow up, you know. So for example, if that stem
want to look to the lab, but when you're trying to twist to

(16:06):
the right, it doesn't want to go, you have to respect where
they want to look as well. So sometime we're like, OK,
let's look around and I say, allright, everybody happy where
where you are. OK, good.
Because you know, sometime it's one of them will just like, no,
I'm not looking to the left. Then you need to move to the
right because it's it's not going to, it's not going to
negotiate. You're so fucking cool.
It's so funny, yeah. I'm like fangirling.

(16:28):
You're actually the coolest person on there.
I swear I discovered this yesterday when we were on the
phone or two days ago when we were on the phone.
That the first ever event you did I photographed and I never
knew that that was your first event until 2 days ago.
Do you? Remember how that opportunity
came to be? So I did have a year break, as I

(16:49):
said, you know, and during the year I just joined my study and
I feel like I want to do something because I feel like
financial wise I'm not making any money because I'm just
studying at home. So I start doing silk ribbon,
you know, the little silk ribbonpeople.
Tyrell. And that still goes on today
because. That's the website.
It is. Yeah.
So I I look and then Johnny, Johnny was the very, very first

(17:13):
client, but she did not come to me for the flowers.
She want to order my silk ribbonbecause she saw it's on the
website and she think it's so pretty.
And she asked me. Oh, so who did the flowers?
Because I think when I run advertising the cerebrum, I do
the flowers. It's very beautiful.
And she wanted to look similar like that.
And I said, yeah, of course I doflowers.

(17:34):
And she, OK, can you do my events?
And I said yeah, yeah, absolutely.
I, I have one year break from the retail shops.
And then when she asked me, I'm just so happy.
Like, Oh yes, time to get back. I just couldn't wait.
And then I met you on the on thejob.
And then after I get home you text, you text me on insta, you

(17:54):
say Oh my God I love your work and I feel so happy because it's
the very first event I did and and people recognise it.
I don't remember sending that message, but I wish I pranked
you. It did.
I wish I pranked you now. If I had a time, if I had a time
machine. We were like, these were
terrible. Just to scare you because it's
your first event. I'm just kidding.
Yeah. Yeah.

(18:15):
Well, that's beautiful. And and I remember when we were
I'm going to talk about my wedding a little bit.
Yes, I remember when we were getting married, obviously like
you, we got to the stage where we need to pick a florist and it
was actually Alexia. She was like, I really love the
floor. Like we go through like my, my
galleries is the easiest source of portfolio because I've
photographed her. You know, we have so much, so

(18:36):
many events that we kind of can look back on.
So I remember I think Alexia wasgoing through galleries and she
sees every job that I shoot. And she's like, I love these
florists. And I'm like, that was Montana
florist. She's like, I love these.
And I was like, that was Montanaflorist.
And she's like Montana florist doing our wedding.
I was like, oh, OK, like, yeah, I'm down.
Her work's always so beautiful, but I've never seen you do a
wedding. And she's like, that's OK.
Like she's she can do our wedding.

(18:57):
And she was the biggest push. And then I didn't even realise
that we were the first wedding that you had done.
The thing is for me, I feel likeI'm, I'm, I'm really so lucky
and I'm really appreciate that Ihave met you on the first job.
You deserve it. Yeah, like, you know, like I
feel I'm just so lucky because, you know, sometime, like it's

(19:18):
very hard for us to be seen like, you know, people, some
people have big connections. You know, like for me, I'm like
fresh off the aeroplane. I don't have connections.
And then after I get back to theindustry, I'm literally nobody.
So, you know, I don't have connection.
I have barely know anyone and I literally just be a nobody.
And then you, you saw me, you know, it's the feeling of being

(19:41):
seen. Is that makes me cry?
Yeah, And then you asked me to your wedding.
I was like, really? Are you for real?
I was, I was so nervous. I like, I'm not even sure if I'm
ready for this. And your wedding was huge.
It's like the biggest wedding I I ever done.
And I got so nervous. I did try to like, hi Diane.

(20:01):
I actually, I, I got so scared. So I tell Diane.
Hi, Diane. I, I do have to do something
else on the day like and she's like, no, no, you're doing this,
you are doing this. And I was like.
Oh, OK, You tried to get out of it.
I'm trying. You tried to find your way out
of it. Because I'm not sure, but you
know, you're around, yeah. Lebanese people that are like no
start an answer she like. The job.

(20:23):
No, no, you're doing the job. And I.
You freaking killed it, I swear.I'm not just saying it's your
face. Like even till now there's like
no regrets like at all. Like it was the EU surpassed
every expectation and even the whole experience.
Like the journey was so you one of the easiest supplies to deal
with to date. Like it was never an issue.

(20:43):
I think we changed things throughout it like 2-3 times
absolutely. And you always like it's not a
problem. Like we'll just tweak it.
You're like, I think we came to your studio and you have like a
whole table and me and Alexi walked in were like, no.
And you're like, OK, what do younot want to like remove it,
remove it, remove it. And like, and then did another
mock up. You're you're a machine.
What do you remember about that day or that, that moment?

(21:06):
And it's, I'm not trying to reflect too much about the
wedding, but just like the experience of transitioning from
like just doing events, right? And then you had like a first
wedding. What?
What do you remember from that moment?
I think this has opened a new door for me.
It should be, you know, like it's such a big opportunity, you

(21:26):
know, it does bring me to the next, the next level of my
business. And, you know, people actually
see what we can do and what we achieve is quite, you know,
substantial on, on our level. But you know, the, the, the
challenge we, we, we achieved was, was quite amazing, I gotta
say. And then I feel like, you know,

(21:49):
since in your wedding, people say, and then they trust us that
we can deliver in a bigger scale.
Because before that, I think it's only like, like John or
George can do big weddings. It's barely anybody else.
Or maybe best now and then, you know, we feel like we just open
a new door, you know, for like, I'm like a new, you know, like,

(22:12):
like the new person stepping to the big game.
Yeah, it was quite scary. But, you know, in, in, in
another the hand, you know, the the big team that helped me
behind the scene on the day was phenomenal.
And to bring the result. Talk to business owners and give
them the insight. Yeah, back then it was four

(22:33):
years ago, yes. What were the challenges like?
Not just my wedding, but like challenges stepping into that
level of field, like upping intofrom just events to weddings,
right? Because everyone has challenges.
Photographers, videographers, makeup artists, when they go
from like just doing special events and then going into
weddings. I think because wedding is a lot

(22:53):
bigger scale compared to like a christening or like a birthday.
We just have to be like, I feel like people need to start going
through a lot of not, not like practise, but they they need to
actually like think about biggerscale because you have to
prepare so much more flowers. You need a lot more man powers
and you know, even like you needmore like how are you going to

(23:17):
transport that many flowers to the reception compared to when
you have a small event. You can just go with 1 van and
now you need to have like 1 truck and three vans, for
example where they're going to park.
The logistic wise around runningall the big events are
completely different to running a small little christening, you
know, but. Yeah.

(23:39):
How did you learn all of those things logistically?
I think look, I'm not shy and I,I do I'm, I'm, I'm quite
friendly. As you can see, I talked to most
of the florists and I do ask them all the questions, you
know, look and they, they are all really nice.
My industry, we like a small families and we are helping each
other, You know, I can always ask, hey, you know, like this is

(24:03):
what I need to do. Is there anything you can tell
me about? How can I make it smoother?
You know, so they they all open hands and help me and get
through all of these. What's the hardest challenge
about weddings that people don'tknow florists go through?
The flower go through. Like florists, Like what's the

(24:24):
hardest challenge that florists go through when it comes to
weddings that just people like the general public and clients
don't know about? So for me, I feel like the
biggest thing is people don't see how much work we have to do,
especially when it's all fresh flower we're doing, because you
have to make sure we have the flowers in the best possible
possible blooming at the time. For example, if you're doing

(24:47):
roses, it's easy, you need to reflect, not not easy when you
reflect 500 or thousand of them compared to you reflexing 20,
you know, and then truly need tobe on the best beautiful
blooming, you know, compared to when they are so close, it's a
totally different look. So we need to have the right
time for each flower to coming in through our studio to, to be

(25:10):
able to make the best on the day.
And yeah, so the, and the time, like you have 4 hours set up,
two hours set up, you know, all we we just have to run in on top
of each other so much. But people don't see that it's
just forest. You kind of just see the final.
Point yeah, yeah, yeah. Like people walked in,
everybody's so happy, and then yeah, no, no one's.

(25:32):
Here, is there any advice you'd give to a florist that might be
listening or a junior kind of put yourself in that realm where
any advice you'd give them that they want to step into like the
luxury market or like, you know,the big space, Something about
what they can learn when they don't like, they don't know
where to start. Definitely looking up to your
Instagram, I think that's like your fofolo, that's your

(25:55):
showcase. When I first start I did try and
think about what photo am I putting up because if I don't
like it, no one will like it. You have to pick your best
possible photo and make sure it's professional.
Taken the photo from your phone sometime it doesn't do trust it.
You know the colour and people can tell like the difference

(26:15):
between a phone take photos and a camera taking photos, you
know, and a few. It's so important.
It's a first impressions. When people look for you, they
would definitely look at your Instagram before anything else.
So you're saying work within like your public, like your
market? Yeah, absolutely.

(26:35):
That's like the biggest kind of lesson that they can.
Come, that's for me. And then of course, obviously
you need to try to UPS your skill.
So you're trying to, you know, like I'm very easy.
Whoever asks, hey, can they takea long?
I'm totally happy to take them. You know, if they ask me, hey,
what do you do with that one? I'm happy to share all the
mechanics or you know, all the technique that I use, but you

(26:58):
just have to ask like, you know,because if you, if you feel like
you need something, just ask. We're here to help.
Yeah, to kind of network within your own, absolutely.
Yeah. A lot of consumers that don't
understand, I want to talk aboutpricing when it comes to
flowers. They don't understand like the
whole notion around cost of florals.
There's a lot of in miscommunication.

(27:18):
I feel like publicly, right? It must be a big issue for us
because I'm not I'm not in the game, but you know, you see
conversations that happen. I'm going to paint a picture to
you, give you scenarios, but I want you to like kind of dive
into the conversation about pricing pricing about florals in
different seasons, real verse fake.
I'm going to give you the mic after I finish and you just go

(27:41):
go deep and talk about all of that.
But there's also one story that I saw recently about the girl
that jumped online and she's like, oh, florists, floristries,
You know, I don't get it. The price of a bouquet is so
much more expensive if you just order from, like, a normal
bouquet, like a just an arrangement.
Like, why is it with weddings orwhy is it with events that
florals just jump up so high? Yeah.

(28:03):
What is the missing point that people aren't getting around
pricing? Or is it just because they're
right and pricing is inflated when it comes to weddings and
events? Look, I, I totally not agree.
I, I, I done having a retail shops and I'm, I'm, I'm now
doing special in wedding and events.

(28:23):
I can tell you price wise, the retail shop will be much higher
in term of stem like purse stem like because we're doing big
scale. It sounds like a lot of money,
but they have to see how much flour we actually use, you know,
So when it comes to stem Cal, I don't think event people will
price they purse them as high asretail shops look.

(28:46):
But again, you have to understand we are, we are all
artists. You know, this is art and art
have no price. I, I, I couldn't say I just make
up the price as I go because we're still part of the retail
anyway. But you know, there are our
expertise, our experience, our labour behind the scene, you

(29:06):
know, all of that will contribute to our total price.
You know, like even like after the event we need to go to tip
with dump and rubbish. It costs money.
You know, nothing is free. But but more than anything,
that's the year of experience wehave built up to be able to, you
know, like like like make your wedding so beautiful.

(29:28):
You know, those I feel like you have to pick the right florist
for for your taste. Like, you know, sometime if
people to compare pricing, I feel it's a bit, it's a bit.
Unjustifiable. I love like you're saying this
because there is a there is and and that's what people don't
understand because that's my perception of it, is that they
don't understand the cost of labour isn't just labour, the

(29:50):
cost of labour in someone who's trusting them with their
experience, their own taste, their wisdom to kind of deliver
what the expectation is. So it's not just because there's
that whole notion of like you say the word wedding and the
price just goes fourfold and it's like like, yeah, but it's
not really comparing an apple with an apple.
That's true because getting a bunch of flowers from like the
fun of woollies or like any anyways is totally different,

(30:13):
like getting an arrangement made.
And even even in, in like for instance, even me and somebody
else, our price will be totally different because we have
different expenses. We have different goal, we have
different, you know, like, like our finance structure and
everything are different. You cannot say every florist,
every florist, we price the product the same because we are

(30:37):
different people. You know, like if I'm new, I got
happy to, you know, go a bit cheaper just to get out of
there. That's not a problem.
I got stuck around myself to make sure the job looked
beautiful, even if I'm losing a little bit because I need to get
into it. You know, there's no way is
somebody will pay so much for a new person.
They have no name. You get me.

(30:58):
And then eventually when you work up your, your scale, then
you assure all the pricings, if that suit what you need.
Like because you have bigger team, you know, you have more
vehicle to run. And then, yeah, you use more
quality flowers, like more, you know, premium blooms compared
to, you know, some like this is what happened.

(31:20):
I, I, I guess somebody asking mefor quote and I give her a call
and she was like, Oh my God, youare three times more expensive
than the other one. And then she got, she went ahead
with the other one, which is no problem for me.
But in the end, what she received from the one that 1/3
of my call could be way less than 1/3 of the flower I could
deliver. So, you know, like, like you get

(31:43):
what you pay for in in some sense, a. 1000% you do get what
you pay for. What's harder?
To manage staff or to manage clients?
I'm very lucky. I have very good people and most
of my client are stylists and you know what they are some some

(32:04):
some of them is more specific onwhat they want, but because they
know what they want, right? And some people who are a lot
more easy to work with, say morerelaxing and then they trust you
to do, you know, like, like to put your own touch in there.
And you know that I, I feel likemost of my client are are quite

(32:25):
beautiful is is to work with. So do you prefer it when your
clients are specific or just being like Tina do?
You it's have to be in like looka good goal in a trainer too,
because I still need to know somewhat of what you want.
You know, you can't just say throw me completely, You know,

(32:47):
you do, you do whatever you wantto do, but at least you kind of
tell me a bit about yourself because I feel flowers are very
personalised. I want to tell your story
through flowers. So at least I know like somewhat
of what you want, what you like,what you don't like is very
important. I don't want to put something
you don't like. For example, people say I don't
like baby breath. I don't want to put in her

(33:08):
events, but I don't want people to start going so specific that
I want brown and yellow like, you know, like like civilian
market, for example. But you know, like like we try
our best, but we're working withMother Nature.
Sometimes they're just not available, you know, and we're
trying to accept the closest we can, but, you know, like, be

(33:31):
specific, but not to the point that is so specific that I
cannot get it. Yeah, you know, and I don't want
to ruin your day. I don't want to show it with
something. And you're like, no, no, no,
that's exactly not what I asked for.
You know what I mean? How do you go about that?
Like seasonal problems? See.
Look, we it is a risk that I take every weeks, but for

(33:51):
example in in seasonal wise, some flowers will always be
there. For example, at the moment is
winter, you always have chew leaves.
You know, it cannot be a week's rock up.
They have no chew leaves. That's impossible.
But if you want Peony at the moment we import from Holland.
It's a hit and miss. Like last week you see so much
of them and this week maybe 1 variety is not there, one colour

(34:13):
is not there because when it's import is did the risks that
going through quarantine sometime they're not going
through, they have bugs they need to burn and they didn't
make it to the market. You know.
So yeah, you just have to give me a second.
Option. How do they transport florals
from Holland? Yeah.

(34:34):
Is this a dumb question? Like is.
They fly over. They yeah, I know, but like, do
they fly over and like, how do they stay intact?
No. So what happened when the flower
travelling? They sleep, so I did.
Flower Sleep. Yeah, come on, man.
I talked about this before. So what happened if we bring
them? Look, I, I did a bit of

(34:54):
importing when I work at the market.
So I helped my my boss to importflour from Vietnam.
Yeah. OK.
So from the other side, we startputting them through like a
sleep process. So we go lower out on
temperature. They're out of water, they're
not drinking because, you know, when they drink water, they,
they keep getting more mature asthey go if they touch the water.

(35:16):
So we need to put the lower temperature at water and that's
how they travel. And when they get here, we wake
them up, we recut putting water solutions.
Am I the only person tripping out right now?
Is this not the coolest thing you've ever heard?
That they're putting flowers to sleep, like sedating them,
giving you a little bit of, you know, medicine and just like

(35:36):
knocking it out. It is we, actually.
I always just thought that if they're importing them that
they're like it's 70% grown and then they kind of open up.
Yeah, clearly that's wrong. Okay, I sound like an idiot.
No, no, no, that sounds. Like this guys so dumb.
It's a good question. Though Okay, that's so

(35:57):
interesting, but if I was like, I'm just thinking about the
couples right now. Yeah, like there there's like
brides that would be like alwaysdreamt of like a pianee wedding
and got married in the season ofI'm using that as an example
because you just spat it out, but they're dreaming of that and
it's all in season. And then how far in advance
would you know that it's going to fail?

(36:19):
Look, keep it in season, right? For example, the pianee season
in Australia would be Emma Strain the beginning of October
to end up December. OK.
And if you are concrete want to get so much opinion on your
wedding, I would say get marriedin November because that's 100%
sure. Because sometime if it's too hot

(36:42):
or it's getting too cold, the flower might open a week later
or they open a week before because there's like too much
rain, you know, too much, too much heat, you know, Oh, they
couldn't handle this open. And then, you know, like, so for
me, I feel like we always you definitely can tell a week in,
but then I I don't want to announce to the bride a week's

(37:03):
in the hate the flower's not going to happen because I talked
to the grower and they say it's finished, You know, so sometime
most of the time we're trying toget like a backup plan.
So I always ask the bride, OK, Iknow you sat on puny, right?
What is your second option? If ever I cannot get that, you
will have your second option. So it's never failed with you.

(37:25):
It's never been like you've you've executed, you've done
your mock ups, you've done whatever it is right mood
boards, talk, whatever you're going to do and then comes to
the wedding and likes something.Has that ever happened?
Oh my gosh, this happened all the time.
But you know what happened? I I believe you always try your
best, right? But on a date, this this sounds
really funny, right? The main people come in, doesn't

(37:49):
matter how picky they are. Be be be beforehand like I only
want this. I don't want this on the day.
They too happy, they can't see it, they see the whole thing.
Everything's so beautiful. They couldn't pick on you.
This one is not the right colourbecause they they were too busy
smiling. So yes, there definitely will be
things that we cannot get on theday and we cannot deliver to

(38:12):
what people asked for, but we dare to.
We solve the problem by, you know, with something with, with
deemed that suit. And yeah, so I think I, I never
had people complain after the event that you clearly didn't
use the flower I wanted. Yeah.
Because in the end of the result, as long as they're

(38:32):
beautiful, they come together, you know, in harmony.
You know, they, they look, they they, they suit their vision.
And and I think people forget about what they exactly asked
for. You taught forestry at TAFE and
I think you still do, right? No, I'm I'm on forever maternity
leave. Forever maternity leave.

(38:54):
What are students often missing in the real world of events like
when they're transitioning? Look, The thing is, they
whenever they ask TAFE, for example, in a classroom
environment, it just feel like everything seem very simple and
easy because they just only needto follow instructions doing a

(39:14):
set of a few design. But in real life it's never
happened like that. You you need to learn how to
solve your problem. You need to deal with so much
more complicated than what you actually learn at TAFE.
So I always tell people you needto go do what experience because
you learn from real life, but you need the foundation.

(39:35):
That's the reason why you are TAFE.
But you definitely. See that?
How many mistakes that you see on the floor as you see people
like enter the market or past students or anything, You're
like, this is so silly. You're doing this all wrong.
No, look, I think because half of my students are a lot older
than me and then some because, you know, some, some younger

(39:57):
people, they, they all differentgenerations.
They have very different, you know, outlooks.
Yeah, they, they, they think really different.
And then I think my my job therejust to help them understand the
foundations, but. And I feel most of the time
people just feel like, oh, if I have nothing to do, I'm so bored
and I want to do floristry. And I'm like, Are you sure?

(40:19):
Like some of the lady was like, I'm semire Thai.
I want to get to, I want to start doing flowers and work at
the shop. And I'm like, Are you sure about
this? Because I was so young and I got
so exhausted every weekend. I don't know how people think
floristry is so easy. Like, you know, I I do this when
I retire and like, Are you sure?Yeah, I get that.

(40:41):
Yeah. I want to understand
relationships with growers like how did, how do you in your or
how have you in your experience access and like what's it,
what's it like building relationship with growers?
I'm sure there's kind of benefits right for the business
absolutely when you when you find growers and manufacturers
in the market. Absolutely.
What is that journey? Or what is the?

(41:02):
What is the kind of understanding around that?
Yeah. So when you try to build a
relationship with Grower, you just have to make sure you are
very promptly like if you order you take and if you take you
pay. Serious business.
Serious business, right? They could always love you
because you always pay and you you know, like yes, you give

(41:24):
them business, but it mean nothing if you own them so much
money and you not pay or you know, you order something you're
like, no, I don't want to take it HMMI, because people put so
much effort to gather those flowers for you.
I used to work at the market. You know, I know this from the
inside out because, you know, I have to do order.
We need to run around trying to gather all the flowers like that

(41:45):
person said, they need 100 bunchof truly white and then I need
to all right, we don't have enough.
I need to get from this person, that person and imagine the
client rock up and say, oh, you know what?
It's not what I want. I don't want to take it, you
know, like, but I feel the biggest benefit of having a good
relationship with your supplier.Is they there to rescue you?

(42:06):
Yeah. And it's happened to me many
time and I'm really lucky that they are there for me.
As in like last minute rescues. Absolutely.
So you know, sometime like the rows that we we got is
important. So sometime yes, they wake up
and they have dead, so they passthe rescue God.
Rest themselves. No, no, because you know they
can only be sleeping for so long.

(42:27):
If they're sleeping longer than they should be, it doesn't
matter how much you put in water, they would not wake up.
So they passed the rescue time frames.
This. Is so interesting.
I'm so fascinated by the sleep state of.
Flowers and anyway so for example I get 100 bundle viruses
because I do wedding you know 100 bundle is what we do yeah 30
of them fall off the head because obviously they just

(42:51):
didn't sleep too long so you cannot reflect but they keep
falling and that's because we only work in a very short time
frame for example, your wedding you.
Get to deliver. Sunday, right?
You start reflecting on Friday. Saturday.
Sorry. That's OK.
And they're falling apart. And then you don't have market

(43:13):
on Sunday. So what do I do?
I shot 30 bundle. I have to call her.
Hey, can you please rescue me? Somebody will get out this lead
at 6:00 AM to the market, open the quorum and give it to me.
No. They do and and you know, I just
feel like this is amazing how you know, like if you treat them
well, they'll be there for you regardless.

(43:34):
You know, it's not the market even on, you know, there was one
time it was a public holiday. It's no one at the market.
Even the market didn't lock. And they're trying to get in to
get my flowers. I was, I was.
Oh, my God. Thank you so much for rescuing
me. You know, I just feel like, you
know, like whatever you're doingfor me is like, amazing.

(43:55):
Yeah. I just couldn't, I couldn't
believe that they they're there for me.
But they, they, they will do. They will do it for you because
you know they appreciate your business.
And is your business structure very last minute like with
orders and reply? No.
So the things I only do events and they are booked way in
advance. Some of them book the year

(44:17):
before, you know, like people start booking the day and then
so it's not the last minute. But for us, the only thing we
need rescue is when something went wrong.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Because I was just asking that
because I was wondering like, how do you get florals so quick
if someone needs like, I don't know.
That's the that's normally for for retail.

(44:39):
Retail, it's a retail issue. It's not like a Montana for
issue. You get it.
Your family. I want to talk about your family
a little bit because your family's I feel like they're a
great support system. Like over the years.
No, yeah, no. I feel like I've seen like, you
know, like your siblings around you a lot.
All right, So what happened is AM.
I getting it wrong. No, so it's quite a bit funny,

(45:02):
but I'm the 11 out of 1111. Yeah.
So my my family is big. Yeah.
Look and when I'm married and move here, I'm on my own.
I didn't have any friends. I didn't have any families, just
my husband and obviously my in law, but you know, like in the
city and we live in the West Rye, so it's quite far.
And then I have children's and have the big business I'm

(45:25):
running and sometimes I feel like I just can't do everything
because my husband worked. He works in office, he's an IT.
He worked at 9 at 5:00, but he barely get home at 5:00.
He get home at 7:00 and then I have to run everything in my
trains inbetweens, answering emails, trying to send quotes,

(45:47):
sorting out flowers, getting a little what we're doing at the
weekend, organise all the stuff,what time they should come like
trucks and vents and and then have to drop up, kid, pick them
up, make dinner, fit kid, get them bath, get ready for bed.
It's just constantly running. So that's why my sibling

(46:08):
generally come here to help whenI need the most.
So I said, look, I have a big month and I asked about anybody
available to come. Yeah.
Any of the 10 free. And then you know, like, like if
they, you know what, all right, so one of them will be able to
come and help me. I fly them over for like a month
or two. So they have to help me from
within, you know, they have to help me from going to market

(46:30):
with me. They help me cook and clean.
It's very, it's very important cooking and cleaning.
Because I remember like in the past few months, I'll say like,
hey, George, this is number six.And I'm like, hi, number six.
And then the next week you're like, George, this is number 9,
you've never met #9 before. You identify them by the number.
It's so funny, but that's been recent where they've been

(46:50):
helping you out. Yeah, so no, one of my sister
you to come over in the last 10 years.
So she's been coming, you know, whenever I need help she always
come and then now I open the door for more sibling to come.
So now you start seeing number six, number seven, number seven
wife and then you know. How do you keep that closeness
with each other when you say like you know, based overseas

(47:14):
and F honest, how do you keep that intact with your sibling?
I think I was really lucky because our culture was very
different. Like here I don't see much
connection in between, like for example my husband and his
siblings. But over there when I was grow
up, our family is so tight. Like my family is quite extreme
Catholic and we always share meal together, breakfast, lunch

(47:37):
and dinner. It's beautiful and we always
laugh so much. We always talk about things
that's so funny. Our meal are always filled with
love. And we grew up quite tied
together. But you know, it's different
because we didn't have technology back then.
There was no TV. You know, we have to hang out
and we we live in a small house.You know, I sleep with my sister

(47:59):
all the way until I'm 16. You know, we we just such a
strong bonds in between me and my siblings then now we still
talk to each other every days. And my mom's, yeah, yeah, she
makes me a lot do. You try to force some of that
into your children now. Yeah, I look, I felt he is very

(48:20):
is very difficult when it's cometo you know like like close
relationships here because everybody's so busy working and
the kid was just so busy like 2 of my girl are now teenager.
They just, they just want to be.Teenage girls and do the teenage
thing. Yeah, they, they, they don't

(48:40):
want to help now. They don't want to help.
None of those girls want to get into floristry.
They don't want to help Mummy. No, no.
Because one of them is actually allergy to flowers.
Yeah, I know. Go figure.
Again, Whenever I say, well, like, and I was, that's all
right. You can get out.
Yeah, and the other one, she want to be an astronaut, so.

(49:01):
Legitimately. I don't know that dream get
changing. OK so when she was 4 she told me
I want to be a cleaner and I told her that's why you don't
have to study. Save the tuition for you.
What brings you speaking about busy?
What grounds Tina during weeks of chaos?
Like what do you do for yourselfthat kind of calms you after

(49:21):
like weekends of mayhem? You know what, to be honest with
you, I'm the last person who actually going to be like, like
stress, like people have you, you hardly see me stressed.
I don't know. I just really, I'm a very calm
person because I believe everything will be done.
You know, God only give you whatyou can handle.

(49:43):
So I, I don't feel stressed because I know everything will
be done. And then like to me, even
sometime in, you know, people like, how can you still go back
on Monday? Sometimes I'd wake up at 4:00 in
the morning Monday, go to marketfor fun because I couldn't
sleep, You know, I was like, areyou a monster?
You're not human because, you know, everybody would be dead in
bed by now after a big weekend. But I was like, no, but it's not

(50:06):
like that for me. After I sleep, I wake up
refreshed. I'm done.
Like whatever done in the weekend when it passed by, it's
another week for me fresh. Beautiful mindset.
I don't have stress, you know how to do.
Do you feel like that drive in you Yeah is connected to your
faith? To be honest with you, because I
think I love what I do so much, for me is what never feel like

(50:29):
this is so difficult or I, I dread myself.
To me, it's always so much fun. Like what I'm doing is so much
fun. I feel every week I couldn't, I
couldn't wait to do it because it's just so much fun.
It's beautiful. I really enjoy what I'm doing.
Yeah, I just feel like a lot of people would like to get to that
place where like stress is not like at the peak.
Yeah, no stress. I, I, I, I barely stress.

(50:50):
I don't know. I just feel like, look, I
believe that everything would. It'll be fine.
So yeah. My question was what brings you
joy when you're not working? But clearly it's worse.
But is there anything outside ofwork that brings you joy?
You know what? I feel like I'm such a boring
person. Like because my husband called
me. You're a workaholic because I
just work. Like, because I feel it's so
much fun when I work. You know, sometime I feel like

(51:12):
if I have to look up to the children and if I have to work,
I choose work. Yeah, You know, and he can look
up to the kid. He.
Drives, yeah. It's so much fun.
Like I like, yeah, I'm having a holiday, you know, rather than
stay home and look up to the kid, like I'm, I'm having my own
holiday here. I'd say beautiful.
What's the biggest misconceptionabout florists that still
frustrates you to this day? Like the florist, like.

(51:35):
Like, yeah, as, as a florist, like, what's the biggest
misconception that just, like, gets to you?
I don't know. I don't really get anything.
Get to me. Yeah, clearly, I can tell.
Not much, not much getting back to you and you don't get
stressed. You know, like, yes, I know
sometimes people push you because I know, look, if any

(51:55):
style is trying to push me to achieve something, because I
understand I'm part of the process, you know, I'm part of
their visions. And if they need to push me to
go through ABC to, to, to, to meet the expectation, I get
that, you know, So we just all try our best.
We just draw with it. So it's funny you say that

(52:16):
because I wrote down here as a note, like you work with a lot
of big names now, like a lot of big planners, a lot of big
stylists, you know, which is. I'm very blessed.
Yeah, a lot of vendors like we find that, you know, a big
blessing because they provide uswith, you know, a lot of work
and opportunity. But is there ever a moment that
quietly meant the most to you? Look, the first thing I would

(52:38):
say is, you know, I feel extremely blessed because they
have picked me to be the supplier on the the day.
But you know, this obviously go through a a long process like,
you know, they, they, they trustme and they, they believe that I
can be part of the team. You know, that's why they picked
me. And then I feel like, yes,

(53:01):
sometime if they give you a lot of pressure, it is part of their
jobs because in the other in, inthe end of the day, it it they
will have to take the responsibility for for my job as
well. That's.
A nice way to put it. I think it's a nice reminder for
everyone. Yeah, true.
I'm sure they're gonna love hearing that.
That's a great thing. What's 1 mistake that you'll

(53:21):
never make again? There's so many, do I have to
just pick one? No.
You don't need to pick one. Entertain us, please.
So look, one of the, the, the mistake that is very difficult
is because sometime you're so busy and you look at the
paperwork so lightly. You know, you, you, I, I did one

(53:44):
mistake not long ago that I lookat the address, I mean W name
and in my head is I set to go toa different one Even I like I, I
read it. Oh yeah, it's just say that.
But I keep going. You know what?
I'm going there and it's one hour from my house.
I'm drive there and then I go inand ask, Hey, I just want you to

(54:05):
set up this one and the guy like, no, we don't have
anything. And I and I like Are you sure?
And I look at it, it's somewhereelse and it's one hour drive and
then so I had to try to the other one and the time will be a
lot shorter than it should be. I feel like, yes, I should be a
lot more, you know, specific, like writing on piece of paper,

(54:28):
the correct address of everything because yes, I've
been to every single venue so many time, but I shouldn't be so
trusting myself. Yeah, you know, because it's
easy to make mistake because I yeah, I know this one.
We definitely go in here. Yeah, but it's not.
It's over there and it's. And.
Now and now travelling is a big mistake on the day.
Yeah, I'm sure you managed. Yeah, of course we managed, but

(54:51):
I was in so much rush and. Then So are you telling me now
that in that moment you weren't stressed?
No, I wasn't. My sister was stressed.
Oh my God. So my sister was sitting in the
middle seat and she was like and.
And I was like, Oh my God, relax.
And she was like, it's ruining the vibe.
And I said, look, it's fine. I I can do this.

(55:12):
Look, if I have shorter time, I just have to work faster, you
know, it's fine. And she was like, are we going
to do this? And I'm like, yes, yes, it will
be fine. Everybody will have flower in
the end. She is never coming back from
Vietnam to help you. Let me tell you, that is the
first and last trip. She's like, Nah, this is
terrible teenage crazy she is. So stressed, it's so funny.
You worked, I don't know, I don't know how it worked, but

(55:35):
you worked with George from Saint Flora a lot, right?
In the past. Yeah, In the past, what's the
best thing that came out of working with George?
Like what's the cause? George is the best.
Like, he's such a great and his work is, you know, phenomenal.
So George is my forever biggest idol.
All the inspiration like in colour combinations.

(55:56):
You know how we do flowers. I learned from George and I
really appreciate him. You know, it's just like I met
him when I work at the market and then, you know, I feel like
he's such a doubt to a person. Yeah, and then you know, like I
got such lucky to be friend withhim, like a little sister.

(56:19):
And then when I work with him, it's the open eye opportunity
because his client are differentlevel.
The way he works, the flower he use, everything is.
It's just so different to what Ican actually order because
sometimes they would give it to him, they wouldn't give it to
me. You have to understand.
So there's politics in the market.
Not politics, but you know, likethey said, the most special

(56:40):
thing to the best people. You know me.
So, you know, like some grower, like some people at home, they
grow beautiful slipper orchid and they only give to George.
And then there's no way they're going to give it to me because
they're like, I don't know who you are.
Yeah, he's in a league of his own.
Yeah, and, you know, it's just like he just a calm person and

(57:02):
he works so fast, like he just like a magician.
Everything he touched turned to go.
I got to say this way. I always so amazed from the
beginning till now. I was never stopped amazed from
what he'd do. Yeah.
He is one of the most humble. He is.
Person at his level of success. Like even when I like in the

(57:23):
industry starting out, I'm like being this florist.
I know I want to see floral wedding.
That's why I I told him, can youjust please never retire?
Because if you retire, I don't know.
I don't know what, what, how, how we're going to leave, but.
You know, 100% it's funny story because I remember there was a
wedding I had, I think it was last year.
Then I walked into bumping because I had to deliver
something for the wedding for the I, I, I wouldn't deliver it.

(57:45):
It was very birth. Anyways, it was a massive scale
wedding, like the ones that you see that he usually does.
And there was like a room full of stuff just like, yeah,
running around. And he was just so calm.
And he's like on the on the season lift, like, hey, George,
how's it going? I'm afraid this guy is so happy.
He's so calm. Such a good energy to be he.

(58:07):
Is very positive. He's always so happy.
So happy, such good energy. I love that.
I love that mentality. Absolutely.
So you were freelancing with him?
Yeah, he, he's my biggest mentor, but you know, I did due
to work for him, you know, and it's so much I learn.
Yeah. Yeah, he's such a great person.

(58:27):
What's 1 mindset that you had tolet go of in order to grow your
business? And this is interesting
floristry. This is just like you can think
of, just within yourself. Yeah, I feel like you just have
to. The biggest thing you you really
need to let go is to let go because sometimes people just
like, oh, I did this, I'm sorry,regret I didn't do this.

(58:48):
But you have to learn to let go of like, yes, you make mistake
then So what? You know, some people just so
stuck up to the past or, you know, like when people keep them
calm and they just take it to heart, You know, some people
just couldn't handle a lot of things.
And I say, look, you know what, just let go.
Because like, to me again, I sayjust have fun, you know, And you

(59:11):
know, like if you just so worry or you just keep holding for so
many things, you cannot have your free mind to create because
our job is to, you know, you would like a free spirit.
We need to be able to create a thing without, you know, like,
like clear my. You can't just be so stuck up to
the past and trying to create something for the future.

(59:32):
Yeah. Can I ask how do you change the
game within yourself creatively?Like when it comes to floristry,
how do you kind of keep up? Like, you know, deliver
something you're not always. It's a good question.
I'm glad you liked the question.So at the moment for me, I feel

(59:53):
like is saturations is too much going on like everybody do
everything. So what can you do to make a
difference? Because since.
Like I think like in Instagram, everything seems to be done
like, you know, and then people start like you copy me, this
person, copy that person and saywe should never use the word

(01:00:14):
copy. It's called inspirations.
You know, like like I definitelywill take like we go through
Instagram of everybody and that's how we got up inspiration
from. And yes, I will take a bit of
this and bit of that and I create that, you know, it's just
like how we as a human, we learnand we grow, you know, But I

(01:00:36):
feel like at the moment it's just so much going on.
And then I feel like the new generations, the younger
florists that come out now, theyare so amazing.
I actually the new ones, it's like I was like, Oh my God.
And we like older generation. I told you, I'm older than you.
So, you know, we feel like if we're not being ahead of the

(01:00:57):
game, we feel like one day we'regoing to lose out because they
are so good, you know? It's a common fee, but you know
it's it's different territories.The thing is, I don't think that
you have ever been stagnant likeyou're always showing your style
looks like you, but I always seedifferent sides of you in
pockets and this is amongst the board.

(01:01:17):
The game in Sydney with forestryis pretty good it.
Is very strong. It is very strong.
It is a very competitive market.There's a lot of completely
florists that are like, very, very talented.
Do you find inspiration from anywhere that kind of
Absolutely, yeah. Like talk to me about it.
So, you know, at the moment, I think the biggest inspirations

(01:01:38):
going through obviously, you know, from Russia, from
Thailand, surprisingly a lot of Asian country now, you know,
they come up with a lot of new cool things.
And then, you know, we, we obviously we have the
opportunity to see all that to be able to pick them and, and
put into our market because our market from the beginning to now

(01:01:58):
we're quite competitive. But still, we're quite, you
know, like some people like to stay quite classic, you know,
and to we're able to get out there, but not too out there
because again, like Bloomberg Alsaid, you want to create
something that in 10 year you look back and you not feel like,
Oh my God, why could I do something like that?
You know, so you want to be creative.

(01:02:19):
You don't want to be something that people look trying to 10
years and and then thinking, Oh my God, why could I do something
like this? It's so silly.
But you know, we're such a competitive market where
everybody at the moment trying to be different.
And I don't even know when the limit of the different will will

(01:02:40):
start because everyone's trying to be so different person.
I'm so different, I'm so different, different.
And then it's just like it's keep going on And sometimes
like, hello, can we just come back to the basic a little bit,
you know, because I think we start going too far from how how
different can we go? And then, you know, we we start
bringing too many thing into oneevents.

(01:03:02):
You know, like like sometime youcan see a quite a simple, but
you know, you you like it because this feel like it's so
airy and then something you see,some even have so many different
things element. You couldn't look any because
you just couldn't. Distracting 100%.
Distracting but I I feel like itjust how everything evolving.

(01:03:24):
Sometimes I actually really likethe events that have like 1
floral like one colour. George, we need to do business
too, you know. Oh.
Yeah, sorry. No, but I mean like if it's like
just like, you know, like a volume of something, it always
looks like really. That's why I say people always
so conscious about budget and I feel like people got scared
because, oh, you know, I want tolook beautiful, but I don't have

(01:03:45):
a budget for it. I always tell people, look, we
can work with any budget. You have to understand, not
everybody have to spend so much money.
You, you just have a set budget in mind and we create something
beautiful for you. But you have to understand you
cannot have this budget and you want this vision.
You have to understand you have this budget.
I do something beautiful for youin this vision, OK?

(01:04:07):
It needs to be balanced. Yeah, Yeah.
So I feel like you're pretty good working with budgets in
terms of like being honest aboutit because I have this from that
client perspective, right. But how do you, how do you ever
like be open and honest with your customers where you they're
like, I want to spend, I don't know.
I don't know what the average is, right?
If they're like, I want to spend$10,000, but I want it to look

(01:04:30):
really, really good. I'm just saying hypothetically
that you're like, did you ever just tell them?
Like it's just not going to happen.
I did. I do have to step down and say,
look, I can do something beautiful in your budget, but it
will not be this because in the end of the day, I don't want
them to rock up in their weddingand say, oh, this is not what I
paid for. Do you know what I mean?
You need to let them know what they're having beforehand so

(01:04:52):
they'll accept it. He's like, look, I would do
something beautiful in 10,000, but you cannot rock up and
expect to see 20,000 because it's not going to happen.
How do you communicate that though?
Because I've actually shot weddings where couples walk in
and they're like, not that you went the florist, but they walk
in. And then I just want to make
that clear because it's talking on a podcast, but like they walk

(01:05:12):
in and they're like really disappointed.
Like you, obviously it's not as common.
It's very, very rare. And you've seen majority of
couples are very, very happy with the overall outcome.
How do you communicate that through that through to them?
So most of the time people will like to see somewhat of what
they're getting, you know, like they, they want to see like

(01:05:33):
this, you know, can can I show them a bit of some further of
what they are going to have. Yeah, visual representation.
But I, I feel like most of my couple are very lovely.
You know what I mean? Like if I tell them, look, you
know what, I'm, I'm happy to reduce this here or this there,
but then you're going to know that's what you're going to
have. And most of the time I tell
people, concentrate your budget in where is being taken photo or

(01:05:57):
being seen Moss like your bride table.
If you have less budget, then maybe don't just spread it
everywhere, like not those, you know, table at the back or not
the round table, you know, be high.
But yeah, they they really. So pretend that like I'm a
customer that you're talking to that's never really like dealt
with you before. How do you communicate Come?

(01:06:19):
Back to the very first time. Yeah, that's right.
Let's go back to the very first time.
I know, but people listening might not know.
Do you show them mock ups? Do you draw?
Do you physically make a mock? Like what do you do with wedding
clients or event clients? So at the moment most of the
people will send you photo of what they want.
If they want me to do something different, they can always ask

(01:06:40):
for a digital sketch. So I do the digital sketch so
that they can kind of have a good photo of what they are
going to have. Like I can design on computer,
you know, I make exactly how theplacement of what flowers is
going to give them on the day ifpeople are that specific.
But we only do mock up if they actually request.

(01:07:04):
Because, you know, sometime it'syeah, we do do mock up sometime,
yeah. Yeah.
But. Do you feel like it's easier
when you work with a stylist because they deal with the
communications and they're more experienced?
Look, it's just because. The budgeting things that they
come to you, they do the hard work when it comes to.
That I feel like when you work with stylists, everything is a

(01:07:26):
lot more organised because they're there to make sure
everybody, you know, follow a schedule or you know, there's a
brief that they come up with andyou just, you know, you legally
just have to be part of the teamand look, it's it's a it's a lot
harder to like for example, yeah, if I take 1 private

(01:07:47):
client, our email would be back and forth about 50 times to come
to one things right. But lucky that if I work with
stylist, they handle all of thatcommunications and I don't have
to go through a line through process.
And then sometime when you receive email from client, you
go back and forth fifty time, but they're just shopping

(01:08:08):
around. They're not booked.
You you see the amount of time you wasted on all of that email
back and forth with it just yeah, it just sometimes very,
very. Different.
What do you think would be reasonable or like a good budget
if people ever wondering to set for florals for a nice wedding?
I'll depend on how big is a wedding, but I say categorise

(01:08:30):
and peaceful weddings. Categorise it by like maybe like
packs, like the amount of people.
No, I feel like probably about 30,000 is a nice and tasteful
wedding. You do want extravagant.
It's a different things, but youknow, like that's like the
amount of money you want to cover a beautiful bride table,
you know, like some nice beautiful flowers on king
tables, you know, like maybe a bit of a backdrops.

(01:08:55):
But if you start touching the hanging installation, the price
will change because that very labour intensive ceiling will
always cost you more than a backdrop.
Yeah. Ceiling installation's always so
like yeah, production wise, mechanics is just wild.
Do you ever struggle? I'm really going to.
I'm finally questions it here. I'm not like giving you a minute
to even breathe, but do you findthat there's ever struggles

(01:09:18):
between different venues or haveyou experienced like certain
challenges with different venuesas like a person does bump in
and bump out? Totally, yeah.
So some veneuge is so easy like from parking, parking sometime
is is very hard where venue thatin the city you know you need to
actually unload everything and try to find parking but.
Then they will have loading docks.

(01:09:39):
Yeah, but then you need to get out immediately.
As soon as you set your everything out, you need to get
out like right now it just you need to find another parking
spot or put your car in a in a parking, but sometime hit the
truck. You cannot fit into any parking.
You need to go and try to find street parking.
And you know how difficult it isto park on the street in the
city It is. It is hard and then something

(01:10:01):
new just so easy like just really just stopped there and
and walked in. They are right there.
They have all the parking and things and something new is a
lot easier in terms of giving you plenty of bumming time.
But some is so strict. Like you have two hours like you
have nothing beforehand but the bride didn't pay extra for it.
Like so like even I. Hate that?

(01:10:22):
Yeah, like can you just let it in like a little bit beforehand,
just so and not everybody's so rushing.
I never understand it that I have an event before and they're
like they're so strict with the bump in and bump out people.
Yeah. And then bum out.
You were like, you have one hourbum out.
I was like, did you see what we have?
Yeah. Like one hour bum out is not
going to be enough. And we need to take five people
to bum out because it's, you know, you need to be out in one

(01:10:42):
hour. It's like, hurry up.
Yeah. Yeah, it's so tough.
That would be so annoying. I'm so glad I'm not part of the
bump in and bump out team. That freaking suck.
You only have your camera there,so.
No, it's just like I could neverdeal with like unexplained
rudeness, you know what I mean? Like if it's not justified that
that I can't process. I can handle learning thing when
someone just like it's not reasonable.

(01:11:04):
It's very difficult for my brainto process it.
Like it's like, why not give youmore time?
Yeah. Is there anything career wise
that you're still chasing that you want to achieve?
Look, I feel I'm really the, thebest position of my life.
You know, the, the kids are settled, I'm settled.

(01:11:26):
You know, I, I, I feel like I have tried most.
I wanted to try like I want to try retail.
I did I want to teaching. I did.
And then now I'm I, I want a special event wedding and I am
doing very well. You're.
Killing it. I'm I'm very, I'm very, I'm very
blessed. So you.
Know you deserve that, Tina. Yeah.
Thank you, but I feel like at the moment in my life, I I just

(01:11:50):
probably I I don't know when is all of this will will slow down
don't. Think about it just.
Don't think about it just. Work do you and just worry about
it when it comes? What's the point of thinking
about it and planning for it? Right now.
But you know, I mean, I feel like, no, no, what I'm trying to
say is I'm, I'm asking myself, in what point of my life will I

(01:12:11):
stop doing what? I'm talking to you.
Know what I mean? And then sometime I said to
myself, maybe even when I try toon my deathbed trying to do my
own Kaskova because I couldn't, I could be so paid to somebody.
I'll do it. And it's not how I want it.
You know, I was like, that's a bit too far.
But you that is. A bit too far.
You are so funny, man. That is hilarious.

(01:12:33):
Yeah, yeah. See, I'll definitely want to do
my photo. You know what?
I want to edit it and make sure I look.
Good, but you can do it in advance.
But I do fresh flower, George. Yeah, see, it's true.
Like 2 weeks in I'm like let's sit let me make my cask over and
put in the the fridge and save it there for me.
Put into sleep and like. Put that into sleep and put it
on my the casket. When it's, it's Tom.
Oh my God, you're so funny. I can't even say my next

(01:12:57):
question seriously because you make me laugh.
If you were to ever relive an event that you created just to
feel it again because you just, what would it be?
Like in the future or in the past?
Yeah, if you could to relive it because you just were like so
proud. Or you say, I don't know, you
could relive any moment. Look, I love every single event
I did because they all differentand they I, I always try my

(01:13:20):
hardest, you know, I put my heart in every single thing.
So if I had to redo it, it's toomany of them.
But you know, sometime I feel like this could be nice if we
can ever attend one of them because we got kicked out at
4:00 PM. You know, we never attended
events. And then sometime it's quite
nice just to one day we can sit there and actually enjoy, you

(01:13:41):
know, like what is bring like how is make people feel?
But yeah, we we generally do talk kick that way too early.
OK, can I flip it? Yes.
If you were to like, never go back to a moment, 'cause it's so
tough. Look, it's tough, but then I
like challenging. So it's not really a moment I

(01:14:03):
get back and I could not do it again.
You know, even like that, the time I told you it went to wrong
venue, I couldn't do it again, was fun.
Like I was. That's it.
Let me rise. Yeah.
And then my sister got nervous. I wasn't.
I was like, yeah. And I look, I was like, let's
let's do this. I got this.
You know, I have 30 minutes leftif I make to the venue at 11:30,
you know, even start at 12, like30 minutes, I can do this 30.

(01:14:26):
Seconds. You know you like to push it.
See where you can get to. Yeah.
Where do you want, where do you want to see wedding and florals
go to? Like what would you love to
happen in the next, I don't know, let's say six months a
year? Like if you were to say or pitch
an idea, like just something you're like, I've really wanted
it to like start to look this way.

(01:14:47):
I feel like sometime I like low key weddings.
I like more, you know, beautifulscene.
So, you know, some of like, likein Australia we don't do a lot
of outdoor weddings. No, we don't.
No, because yeah, it's such a shame of we have.
In Sydney. The most beautiful, you know,
like like like sightseeing, likewhen bitches so beautiful, but

(01:15:10):
it's barely, you know, any partythat happened, you know, in such
space. I agree.
So, you know, I, I saw, I saw one of them happened in Italy
where they do it just like in what somebody like like go
garden a walkway and it was so beautiful.
But I feel like in Australia we just stuck up in inside the
venue. Yeah, we don't really play with

(01:15:31):
Mother Nature. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I think a lot of people get scared over the weather that
they don't want to take that risk planning so much.
Maybe the next wedding should should move to the jungle and
then we make shelter in case it's raining.
You should open up a jungle venue, Jurassic Park.
Yeah, and then you know what I went to Bali for, for one of my
husband wedding, I mean my husband friend's wedding.

(01:15:52):
One of your husband's wedding. My bad.
And it was so beautiful. The Chapel was like, you walk in
water and then you go straight to the sea.
And I said how how come we don'thave it here in Australia?
Yeah, it's like, it's like a dream.
Like I was so amazed of how beautiful it is.
It's feel like a. Dream most of those weddings to
get. I feel like when you're Sydney

(01:16:13):
based is in like Hunter Valley Barrel, Southern Highlands, like
you kind of get that feeling where they kind of push it, but
they still don't do it in a marquee.
But there's nothing like being outdoors.
It's just so good. It's so refreshing.
What's one thing that you've never said out loud, but you
wish people knew about you? George, I'm a very loud person.

(01:16:36):
I always say it out loud. So.
True. Like when when you get to the
venue, the first thing you hear is my voice.
Yeah. So you know, when you get to
this, I'm I'm a very simple person, but I would say whatever
I think out I I never keep anything for myself.
So yeah. Do you ever say no?
Like when a client contacts you?Like when I'm when I'm

(01:16:58):
contacting you the day before I need something?
Do you ever say no? Because you know I I never get a
no from you. I know.
Look, I don't say no to a lot ofpeople.
I only say when I absolutely have to.
Yeah, you know, that that was like, I absolutely over book or
I couldn't do it anymore and I had to say no.
But I feel like every event is very special to them.

(01:17:18):
You know, it's, it's important that they they can get what they
want, you know, and I don't wantto be the reason why they feel
like, Oh my God, but I want thatflower.
She didn't want to do it. You know, it's it's, it's, it's,
it's doesn't matter about how much they spend or, you know, it
it, it, it doesn't matter about what what they want.
But I feel like if they want me to be part of the diet, it's

(01:17:40):
very rude or very like sad if I just cannot do it.
Yeah, yeah. So but I do have to say no
sometime and I feel absolutely terrible.
I'm sure it's if I have to say no.
Yeah, do. You want to play this game?
Oh my God, what's that? She walked in and she's like,
what are they? Saying.
Like, you know what they Are youready?

(01:18:00):
You're going to pick a card and you're going to read it out
loud. I shuffled it.
Oh yeah, go, go for it. I.
Suppose have to go deep, who makes you feel good about
yourself? Well, that's a nice question.
It's a very nice question. It's so many people.

(01:18:23):
If I have to really pull them all out, it's the list is gone.
Even the first person, probably you because you're the first
person who who picked me out, you know, like, and then I have
a very good support from my husband.
He always look after the kid forme so I can work during the
weekend. And you know, all the people I
work with, you know, they give me the opportunity to be part of

(01:18:46):
the events I'm I'm, I'm there for.
And I'm forever grateful, you know, the client that picked me,
the stylist that chose me or thevendor that I work with, We have
so much fun, like has more from Elite Danslov.
We always make fun, We always love so much, you know, all the
people who helped me, you know, like throughout my channel, I

(01:19:09):
have, you know, go through so many people by faith or, you
know, just random, but you know,they, they mean a lot to me.
They shape who I am, you know? Well, we love you, Tina.
I can speak on behalf of everyone that we work with that
would be listening to this. We love you so much.
You are literally like the best person to be around.
Thank you. And you're always like, such a

(01:19:30):
fresh kind of reminder of, like,why we do what we do.
It's always good to see you on the floor.
Thank you. And it's a chance for me to
thank you every week. Like what do you mean killing it
and dealing with me? I love that.
I love that because, you know, like I literally have the
opportunity to do something else.
Yeah, rather than trying to justaway like a wedding away bride
table, you know what I mean? But this is like, Oh yeah, I got

(01:19:51):
to do something else. And I, I feel like, oh, I want
to do this. I want to do that and I have no
limit. It's like you'll give me all the
freedom. I like just just go have fun.
Just everyone fun. Well, I love you.
Thank you for coming. Thank you so much for having me,
it's an honour. And thanks for finally, you
know, giving us a chance to havethe honour of thank you, adding
you to the crew table, the list of people that's been.

(01:20:11):
On Thank You, Thank You Joe. It's a rap.

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027. MONTANA FLORA [VIDEO]

On Purpose with Jay Shetty