The Blossoming Entrepreneurship of Lavender Haze

In this engaging episode of "Skirts Up," host Melissa takes the reins and is joined by guest Simona Davidson, an inspiring entrepreneur with a unique story.

Dive into their candid conversation about the highs and lows of starting and running a mobile flower truck business. Simona shares her incredible journey from the Czech Republic to the United States, overcoming challenges and finding her passion in the floral industry. She discusses the importance of supporting local businesses, the underestimated hard work behind maintaining a successful business, and offers practical tips for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Melissa and Simona also explore topics like the impact of community support, the reality of balancing dreams with financial stability, and the value of authentic customer relationships. This episode is a treasure trove of insights for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, floral artistry, and the power of persistence. Don't miss out on Simona's invaluable advice and Melissa's thoughtful takeaways.

Tune in to get inspired and motivated to chase your own dreams, no matter how big or small. Join the Skirts Up squad and be part of a community that celebrates both failures and triumphs.

Oh, and don't worry, Samantha will be back next week. She was just busy being lost in... where ever she was with her hubs. - that's a story for next week.

• Join our Athena party at One Soul Boudoir Studio - July 13th at 8pm

Party with us in studio or virtually! Sign Up here and the link to join will be provided. Those who attend will get entered to win a VERY special luxury photoshoot at One Soul. Another lucky winner will win an Athena item, on us!

• Don't forget to listen to us on your favorite podcasting app
• Looking to become art in your own home? Check out our friends at One Soul, and be sure to use our special code.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hey, you.
You're tuned in to the Skirtsup show with Samantha and Melissa.
Join our mission to normalizefailure, but still uncover the positives
at every twist and turn.
Skirts up, but keep yourpanties on.
Hey, Skirts up squad.
It is Melissa today.
And I have with me Simona.

(00:22):
Hello.
She has.
She's somebody that I met.
We're gonna get into itbecause she's our guest today.
Today as well.
But.
Okay.
Sam's not here today.
She's okay.
She's good.
She is just in Tennesseeliving her best life this weekend.
And Simone is laughing at me because.

(00:43):
Okay, this is what happened.
You know, we always start withthe fail because.
Why?
What?
It means we're learning.
We're learning, you guys.
We recorded a whole hour.
Well, we actually did not record.
That's the problem.
We talked for a whole hour.
We did.
We're like.
That was such a good episode.

(01:04):
Sam's gonna be so proud.
And we did so well.
I have to say.
I think we did really well.
I thought so.
Thank you.
And then we tried to play itback, and it did not.
It did not play back.
So I basically had thesettings on incorrectly.
And we.
Okay, this is the even worsepart, the worst part is that we did
a test.

(01:25):
Yeah.
And we heard it, but not great.
It was really quiet.
And Simona was like, you sureit's supposed to be that quiet?
I was like, yeah, my volume'sjust down.
Oh, my gosh, you guys.
We recorded a whole hour'sworth, and it was.
It was nothing.
So here we are.
That's my fail.
Yeah, that's my fail for today.
So that makes it real easy.

(01:47):
So shall we skirt on in?
Let's cur.
All right, so, Simona, just tointroduce her, what's your last name?
Or if you want to share.
Well, do you want my marriedname or my maiden name?
I was just gonna.
However you wanted to beintroduced by.
Oh, I'm Davidson.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
All right.
So, Simona Davidson.
I actually.

(02:08):
We've been talking.
I feel like we're old friends.
Yes.
And I'm just learning.
Yeah.
Okay.
We're learning.
And we are really close now.
I know.
And we know a lot about each other.
We do.
We do.
So, okay, what happened is.
This is how it happened.
I went to Stillfire Brewery acouple months ago, and she was there,
and she had this gorgeousflower truck, and I found out that

(02:30):
she does a mobile flower business.
Yes.
So I was like, okay, we needto have her on.
And honestly, that a mobileflower business is cool in my Mind,
I thought, okay, we'll kind oftalk about, you know, women.
How'd you get here?
You're powering through and,you know, kind of things that we
like to talk about on this episode.
Or are these podcasts?

(02:51):
But then when she got heretoday and we just started talking,
I would say we talked forabout an hour, even before the failed
recording of.
An hour.
Yes.
So we should have recordedthat one.
Well, we should have recorded.
It wouldn't have recordedbecause I didn't know what I was
doing.
But as we were talking, it waslike, okay, wow.
We were meant to meet and wewere meant to have this conversation

(03:14):
because she has such a.
Like a rich history, how shegot where she is.
And then she has some reallyneat tips in the end, too.
I think about that maybe,maybe going.
Maybe I could share some tips.
I would love it.
I'm still learning, remember?
We're still learning.
That's our.
That is the motto for today.
Okay, so let's.

(03:36):
Let's start with.
Since we're re recording.
We did really good the first.
We sure did, you guys.
It was amazing.
Just kidding.
No, hang in it.
It's amazing here, too.
So basically, you grew up inthe Czech Republic.
It used to be Czechoslovakia.
Yeah.
But now it's Czech Republic.
Okay.
Used to be Czechoslovakia.
Yeah.

(03:56):
But after the.
After the revolution there.
Well, I was actually going toa college, but it was pretty common
for kids take like a year offand go experience some Western cultures.
And so the most popular to goin America, some people went to Germany.
So this is what I decided.

(04:16):
And I decided I was going togo through student agency that, you
know, would find my hostfamily, and then I would have a brief
conversation with them, andthen that's it.
I would just pack up my bags.
And go and go.
But it was not as easy, actually.
Yeah, it never is.
It was.
No.
But I was originally I wasgoing to just finish my college back

(04:37):
home.
What were you majoring in?
It was economics, which is thecomplete opposite from where I am
now.
Yeah, exactly.
But my parents just kind ofdecided this would be the route for
me to go.
Okay.
And so I just listened and Ijust went until I could not pass
an exam.

(05:00):
And I was already fed up and Iwas going home to my bus station.
And I passed right.
Right by the student agency.
Okay.
And I just walked in andfilled up paperwork.
And so out of curiosity, wasit like an.
It was an agency on campus?
No, no, no.
It's an agency in my almost hometown.

(05:23):
Okay.
Yeah.
It's a It's a town agency, but.
It'S a student agency.
Cuz it's like, oh, you're taking.
They call it student agencybecause you have to be a student
and certain age to actuallyapply for the programs that they
have.
So you coming here on aculture exchange program that has
a certain visa tied to it.
Oh, okay.
So.
And I know that you came overto be an au pair.

(05:45):
Yes.
Do they have other programs?
You could come as a student also.
But then for that you have tohave certain amount of funds to fund
your schooling.
And so when you come as an aupair, you living with the family,
you're getting paid like a.
They maybe like a pocket money.
They call it 140.

(06:06):
Back then it was $140 and 29cents and per week while you're taking
care of the kids and householdand you live with the family.
Okay.
And they're required to payfor your language course and a nearby
school.
But.
Okay.
So I kind of.
Okay, I'm gonna try and put inperspective again again, because.

(06:28):
Because we've done it already.
Yeah, but like I was a nannyin Cleveland, Ohio, in 1999.
You were an au pair in 2001.
2001, yes.
What state did they send you to?
New Jersey.
New Jersey.
You would think there wouldn'tbe much of a difference.
Like you were both living witha family.

(06:48):
We're working full time.
I made $400 a week, plus I hadroom and board and a car.
And it's just like, wow.
I just.
It kind of blew my mind whenyou told me that you made $140 a
week.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's how we come here.
With the understanding thatwe're not going to be making millions
of dollars.
Yeah.
While taking care of otherpeople's kids.

(07:09):
So it was, you know, youlearn, you learn, you learn, you
get somewhere, you learn.
You have to start somewhere, I guess.
Yeah.
But my family unfortunatelydidn't work out in New Jersey, so
I had to be looking for.
For someone else.
And I did not go through theagency, so I already had a friend
here in Atlanta and she justkind of suggested, well, just come

(07:31):
here and we'll find somebodyfor you.
And I just didn't want to come here.
And what if it doesn't work out?
So coincidentally I registered on.
On a website for nannies and Ifound a family there that responded
to me and they were fromAtlanta, so.
Oh, that's kind of where youwanted to be.
Kind of like worked out and Ididn't know anything about them.

(07:55):
I just jumped on the plane,came here.
They had twins.
Who.
I was laughing because youwere saying you were interviewing
with the dad the whole time.
Yeah, I only was interviewingwith the dad.
He sent me a picture of themom and everything just kind of like,
sounded okay.
And then I said, how am Igonna find you at the airport?
And he goes, well, we're gonnabe the only family with twins.

(08:17):
Which is funny because now yousee twins everywhere.
Multiples are everywhere.
And I did find them like this.
And now I'm thinking about this.
You know, you're older, soyou're thinking.
Well, would I send my daughterjust to meet some people?
Exactly.
Would they live in your basement?
I don't know.
And so I had a.
I had a whole unit in thebasement also.

(08:39):
Like, you're talking with thedad the whole time.
What if it was some pretty.
And it didn't really cross mymind, you know, you have to be really
young and naive to not reallythink what else can happen if.
If things don't turn out theway you think they're going to turn
out.
Luckily they did.
Luckily they did.
I was going to ask, sorry,really quick what was happening with

(08:59):
the family in New Jersey thatjust kind of made you go, wait, this
isn't happening for me.
It's just I don't think wewere a good match.
And I think, you know, when wetalked, when.
When you first come throughthe agency here, they put you with
all the other girls in thehotel for a week to kind of learn.

(09:21):
It's like a culture shock,maybe, for people.
Sure.
To learn the culture and howyou treat the kids here.
And are you with other peoplefrom your same country or other countries?
No, there were othercountries, too.
There were girls from Austria, Germany.
There was some Russian girls,I think.
So.
I think the student agency iskind of worldwide, and they don't

(09:44):
only send girls to United States.
They.
There.
There was also Canada at that time.
There was Germany, Austria.
Okay.
I don't remember anymore, butyeah, it's not just united, but America
is just the most popular.
At that time, we just allwanted to come here.
Yeah, America has a really good.

(10:07):
I don't want to saypropaganda, but it is.
You don't hear all the.
Once you live here, it's alittle bit different, but you only
hear the good things.
The American dream.
The American dream.
You come here, expenses.
But yeah.
Yeah, we're still allstruggling too, I suppose.
You know, even when I talk tomy family now, they're always like,

(10:30):
well, but you guys Cannotcompare because your pays are a little
bit higher there.
I'm like, y.
Let me put in perspective.
There's the insurance that wehave to pay, and all of these are,
you know, education.
And we were talking about theother stuff a day.
Yeah.
You said daycare, medical.
You free.
Call it not free, but.
Well, it's almost free whenyou put it in a perspective.

(10:52):
Compare here is, you know,education is free.
College, especially back home.
So there's a lot of things people.
Maternity leave, you know, wedon't have any of that here.
And then over there, there'sstill a lot of.
Yes.
Tell them how much.
Yeah.
I mean, so if you're in checkfor now, I know they will probably
cut it soon because of what isgoing on, but it is that you will

(11:18):
get maternity leaves.
So it's for three or four years.
If you're staying at home, youcan decide on how you're gonna get
it paid out.
If you stay for three years,you get bigger chunks, money every
month.
If for four years, then it's smaller.
But what I didn't mention,also, your job is guaranteed after.
Wow.
After your maternity leave ends.

(11:40):
That's amazing.
Yeah.
Also, it just kind of makes methink that there's a lot of value
on, like, education and the individual.
Like, I'm thinking a child whocan have his parents home with them
or her.
Yeah.
And it definitely helpsbecause, you know, the first years
are very important.
Yeah.
The way I see it here, a lotof moms are stressed out because

(12:02):
they have to go to work tomake the ends meet after they deliver
a baby, and they can't even beat home.
Yeah.
With a newborn.
Right.
Which is very stressful.
And then, of course,everyone's different.
But it's optional even, right?
Yeah, it's true.
If they want to go back towork, they can go back to work.
Yeah.
But.
Yeah.
Oh, that was interesting to me.
So.

(12:22):
Okay, so you.
It wasn't really working outwith the family in New Jersey.
I found family here, and Iended up here.
And then I kind of.
The circle became my job, so Iworked for that family.
But then I have other jobs andfor other families, and then always
was for families with multiples.

(12:43):
So they all had twins.
I had triplets.
I had quadruplets.
Whoa.
Yeah.
Those were my nighttime jobs.
When you were kind of doing,like, a night nurse when people need
more help overnight and theycan get some sleep.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
It's kind of funny how thatworked out, because I always worked
with multiples, and then Iended up having girls.

(13:03):
Yeah.
Twin girls.
So that's so amazing.
So we talked.
It wasn't that amazing for methe first time because I was so scared.
She's like, stop.
You already know.
I was so scared to have twinson my.
I knew what to do.
But it's just, you know, when you.
Work, you're like, what ishappening to.
Me is that it rubbed off too much.

(13:24):
Oh, no.
But now I can't imagine itthat way.
So.
Yeah, it worked out.
It's all good.
Yeah.
Wow.
That's so funny though.
Yeah.
But, you know, I met myhusband here.
And how'd you guys meet?
We met at the gym.
Okay.
A whole another story becauseI would never meet any meatheads.

(13:46):
So it took him a long time toactually for me to agree to go on
a date.
Oh, really?
It was like six months.
That's a long time.
And he did not give up.
He did not give up?
No, he.
He did not give up.
I think that was like a challenge.
You know how guys like.
Challenge.
Yeah, that's true.
I think the more, more I wassaying it's never going to happen,

(14:07):
the more it was like, no, I.
Interesting.
So what did he do to like,finally get you to go out with them?
I don't know.
I think the main thing, wewere talking.
We, we, we, we were just kindof like friend talking.
And then 9, 11 happened and hehad to go from, from his work, he

(14:29):
had to go help to New York.
And he was there for a good, Ithink, five or six months.
That's when I realized, oh, Imiss him.
Oh, that's right.
So we started dating after that.
We want what we can't have.
Yeah, that's kind of how ithappens sometimes, isn't it?
Yeah.
Yeah, it is, actually.

(14:49):
Yeah.
So that's my story.
Okay.
Okay.
So you got married, you hadthe twins.
So I guess you were kind ofalso talking about being a stay at
home mom.
I was a stay at home mom.
And then, you know, as soon asyou're a stay at home mom, you start
kind of like thinking, how amI going to keep myself busy and,

(15:10):
you know, do something for myself?
I realized I really enjoyphotography and taking pictures,
and in the beginning it wasjust for myself and, you know, taking
pictures, my kids.
But then a couple of peoplesaid, you really have a good eye
for it and would you do photoshoots for us?
And that's how I just kind oflike started.
Okay.
And then I realized, well,maybe I could just do it for myself.

(15:33):
Yeah.
And so I was Doing photography?
Yeah.
Did you ever think that youhad, like, an artistic.
Did you feel like you were anartistic person before?
Well, back then, I really.
When I was young, I reallydidn't know.
I mean, I always liked doingcrafty things and things like that
for myself.
And my mom is pretty artistic.
What is she like?
She sews.

(15:53):
Oh, yeah.
She does a lot of crafty things.
And then she was a really good singer.
I think that if she, you know,took it further than she could have
made it somewhere.
But it's just the life wasn'tset up, you know, that way at that
moment.
Right.
So that part, I think, comesfrom her.
And so then I just startedkind of like experimenting with things.

(16:16):
And then I really love thephotography, but I also feel like
over the years, and I think alot of photographers agree now, is
that the appreciation for thephotography, the art itself is kind
of diminishing.
And people just, you know,they slap.
They have apps, they slap afilter on their pictures, and they
love it the way it is.

(16:37):
They don't really care.
It's kind of true.
Nobody prints pictures anymore.
You know, everybody's justeverything digital.
So, yeah, it's.
It's not the same.
So I've heard even a lot frommy friends who did photography that
they're saying that it sloweda lot for them, so a lot of them
returned back.
Oh, that's so sad.
Yeah.
A lot of people were doing itas a living, and now they can really

(17:00):
support themselves.
I know.
Yeah.
Because I feel like we weretalking about how people.
We feel like sometimes peopledon't really appreciate the arts.
Like, things that all goes into.
Exactly.
It's not just what you see.
It's the idea.
It's, you know.
Yes.
It's.
You got to take all of thewhole package into the consideration.

(17:21):
Right.
And sometimes, like.
And sometimes what you see.
And we're going to talk aboutthis more because when I talk about
your flower truck, but there'sso much more that goes into it behind
the scenes and some.
Something that's not asbeautiful and flattering.
Exactly.
Exciting.
Exactly.
You see, like, the finalproducts, right?

(17:42):
Yeah.
Right.
And it's funny because I doget a lot of people that come in
the shop and be like, oh, mygosh, you're so lucky.
You're living your dream.
I hear that all the time onthe truck.
Oh, this is my dream.
I want to do this.
I always wanted to do this.
And then you tell them, I hadthis party that I was hosting, and
the girl comes out and she'smaybe 17.

(18:07):
And she's like, oh, my gosh,this is what I've always wanted to
do.
I'm gonna do Florida truck tomorrow.
And I just looked at her and Isaid, that's great.
I said, but let me just tellyou all the other things that go
with it.
Maybe you'll reconsider.
And after I told her, she waslike, oh, maybe not.
What did you tell her?

(18:27):
Well, I did tell her that it'slike a true sweating behind the scenes.
Not just like people say,sweating blood, sweat and tears,
but it's true sweating becausethere's so much work.
You always have to clean thebuckets, fill the buckets, the water,
put the flower food in there.
Then when I bring the flowershome, I have to strip them off, all

(18:47):
the leaves, prep them, hydratethem, give them a new cut.
Oh, there is so much when Icome home.
And then that's on top ofdriving to all the farms and if I
go to wholesaler, but mostlythe farms, they're all, you know,
about an hour away from me.
So it's always going back and forth.
I try to plan my routes so Ican, like, have them on the way,

(19:10):
but they're not really on the way.
Right.
So it's.
It's not what it looks like.
It's.
It's a lot of work.
I would, I would even argue tosay venture to say that most businesses
aren't.
No, right.
No, I agree.
And that's on top.
And then you have all theaccounting and all the business part.
Yeah.
That I really don't like,which is why I didn't finish.

(19:35):
Sometimes I regret it.
I was like, it'd be nice tohave a degree.
Yeah.
Right.
Yeah, I do too.
Yeah.
But I guess things happen fora reason.
Yeah.
I.
I still kick myself sometimesand I don't even know why.
I guess it's just the societalpart of it.
It is.
We talked about it.
Yeah.
Sometimes people look down atyou because.
Yes.
You did not.

(19:56):
I mean, you can be supertalented and have an amazing business
and do all of these things,but then when you say that you didn't
do college or you didn'tfinish college, they're like, oh.
I actually had a lady come inonce and it was when I was in the
Suwanee location.
So I was in like a small 650square foot space.

(20:19):
Swanee is a special place.
Like, it used to be different.
I feel like we're headed adirection that I don't like.
Oh, no, it's just there's Alot of, you know, people who.
It's.
It reminds me of Alpharettanow, when our.
Our grew, the people justchanged in the city.
We were more down to earth.

(20:39):
I don't.
A little bit of that, like,trying to keep up with the Joneses
and.
A lot of that.
Put on a.
Like a front.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So that's kind of what kind ofa person had come in.
No, you're right.
That's actually goes into itperfectly because this person was
kind of like that.
She.

(20:59):
For some reason, she reallytied her identity to her career.
Yeah.
And she kept talking about her career.
Her career, her career.
And I was like, I.
Okay, yeah, that was great.
I didn't actually thinkanything about it until she said,
yeah, sometimes when peoplefind out and I make quilts, they
want me to make me one.
And then they say, oh, youshould do this for a living.
And she's like, no, I justtell them I have, like, an actual

(21:24):
job.
Like, I have a real job.
Yeah.
And then you're standing there.
The person who was providingservice to her, she came to your
shop.
Yeah.
I don't think people realize alot of times what they're saying,
yeah.
Oh, my gosh.
But, yeah, I was floored.
I was like, so for a long timeafter that, and probably too long,
because I let it make me salty.

(21:45):
Oh, I was a little salty about it.
I would joke to Michelle.
Right.
I know.
I always like, you know, my non.
Real job.
Exactly.
I would say to Michelle, I'dbe like, well, you know, if it was
a real career.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
People just don't realize.
I hear the same thing.
They're like, oh, you have aflower shark.
Well, that's not a real thing.
Yep.
Yeah.

(22:05):
It's just like.
And I do have to say, youknow, I'm just starting it out.
But I've heard from other people.
It's.
I mean, there's people whomake living this way, so you have
to start somewhere.
Exactly.
And hopefully it's going totake off.
You never know where it canbring you, but hopefully it's going
to take off and I can make itmy job.
Exactly.

(22:25):
Well.
And even.
Because you were saying, like,meeting with the people at the town
hall, they even were kind oflike, no, you need a peddler's license.
They didn't even see it.
They gave me a regularbusiness license.
And then they were trying totell me, I need another license.
Then I had a meeting, and Iwas told, no, that license that I
have is all good.
But I Think the problem isthat it's mobile business.

(22:47):
Okay.
And they don't know how tonavigate it.
So they basically put meeither in a peddler category, which
is not correct because I'm nota seasonal seller and I don't have,
like a little plastic.
Table stands outside, like.
Exactly.
If you can do this.
Because now there's so manyregulations and they have so many

(23:07):
festivals and markets whereyou can be.
Where you have to actually payfor yourself to be there.
So that's a whole anotherthing is that I feel like it's so
hard for vendors or smallbusinesses to even make themselves
visible because it's soexpensive to enter those festivals.
It really is.

(23:28):
And you might not get anythingout of it.
Right.
You might not get even oneclient out of it.
So you might not even makeyour money back.
No, you probably won't.
I don't think you can.
And then the flower trucksalso get lumped up together with
the food trucks.
So that's a whole anotherthing category.
Which they're not even close.
It's not.
And then food trucks are moreinvolved and they're more expensive.

(23:50):
So I think that's like theunknown category.
And the city didn't know whatto do with it.
So they just basically toldme, you have the license that you
have is fine, but now good luck.
Yeah, you have to go.
Because I was trying to alsosee if I could find maybe a way where
they could give me a spotmaybe in that new park where it's

(24:12):
right behind my neighborhoodwhere everybody asks me where I'm
going to be.
Yeah.
But unless I pay myself intomarkets or events, I can't be anywhere.
Right.
That's kind of how it is.
Yeah.
You get ticketed just forselling, sitting on the street.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's.
That's the problem.
Yeah.
And I don't want to be thatbecause the.
The way I also want to run thebusiness is more like an event experience.

(24:36):
Yeah.
So I don't know if farmersmarket is even good for my truck
because, you know, at thefarmer's market, you have farmers
who are selling their flowers,and I won't be able to match their
price.
Oh.
Anyway.
Is that what.
See, I didn't think aboutfarmers market having so there.
Okay.
Sorry.
And a lot of times, if they'realready selling flowers there, they

(24:58):
will tell you we don't needany more flower vendors.
That's true, too.
The funny thing is, I'dactually never seen any flower vendors
at a farmer's market until I was.
This was My brother lives inBlacksburg, Virginia, and I was visiting
him and his family, and wewent to their market, and it was
just the most quaint little,kind of like yours, flower booth

(25:19):
set up, and you could build abouquet and they would put it together
for you or whatever.
And I was like, wow, that's genius.
Because you want to, like,leave with something beautiful to
remind you of the.
Day, and it's different.
But like, like you said, it'sthe experience and it's beautiful,
and then they do all of thethings for you, but you just need
somebody who values it,because people don't value that kind

(25:43):
of.
They don't see what everythinggoes into it.
They see the flowers there,and then everything is priced by
stem.
Then they see the price, andall of a sudden it's like, oh, my
gosh, $5.
Yeah, but if you look atKroger, KRoger is selling $5 per
stamp, too.
It's just really tiny bouquets.

(26:04):
Tiny bouquets.
But.
And then you pay $20 for that.
But it's, you know, it's notthe same.
No.
I have seasonal flowers that Itake from the.
That I bring from the growers,local growers.
That is something I love thatyou support the local businesses,
too.
And then it should be thisway, right?
And then they love that theirflowers are displayed, played on.

(26:25):
On people's trucks.
I mean, most of the flowertrucks that we have here, that they
do that.
Some of them, they grow theirown flowers.
Okay.
I don't have my farm yet.
Maybe Sam and I both want a farm.
So it sounds like you're withus, huh?
I would love a farm.
I don't think my husband is tourist.

(26:46):
He could just live in thefront and like, I think he's afraid.
I think he's afraid of the work.
He's not into stuff like that.
So I'm.
But I'm like, grass.
A mowing.
That's like.
They would be like a therapyfor, you know, just put the earbuds
in or not.
Yeah.
Just drive the little thingyfor sure.
And just keep mowing.

(27:07):
I used to mow at this farmthat I worked on, and I.
I loved it.
I know it sounds dumb, butwith it.
But I mean, I don't think he.
He sees a lot of work with it, so.
Yeah, and there is.
There is.
He does help me with thetruck, I have to say.
He's, like, very helpful.
And he always follows me.
Just.
He does.
It breaks down somewhere.

(27:27):
That' Sweet.
Where did you find your track,by the way?
Yeah, we didn't even talkabout that.
All right, so my journey forTrek was.
I mean, it's probably not long.
People look for their trucksfor years, maybe or even a year.
But I wanted just to start thebusiness, so I was eager and I thought,
it's gonna happen really fast.

(27:47):
And it wasn't because I.
There's a lot of differentflower trucks out there that people
go with.
They have the mini trx.
They have maybe classicChevys, like, old ones from, you
know, 1940s.
But I am from Europe, so Iwanted something European.
And then I started seeingthese flower trucks.

(28:07):
They're full swag and flower trucks.
And I was like, well, thiswould be perfect.
It would go, like, with this.
That's me.
That's definitely your aesthetic.
Yes, and it's me.
And A, price was a big dealbecause they're so expensive.
They are very expensive.
And B, if you find them, theycould be beaters.

(28:28):
They look like.
Yeah, you might still have todo work on them.
So it takes time.
So I traveled to several.
It was different states.
I traveled, just rented.
And I went.
I'm like, I'm going, guys, Igotta go see this flower tr.
So it was interesting for mebecause it was just something I was
just doing on my own.

(28:49):
And I've seen.
I've seen, really some good ones.
But the pricing sometimes wasmore than I wanted to.
So then it came to negotiation.
Then I also went to Charleston.
There's a flower truck there,which I didn't even know there was
a.
The truck that I went to seewas a flower truck business owner.
Oh.

(29:09):
And I follow her on Instagram.
But I found out when I wasthere, like, oh, my.
Telling me.
He was like, yeah.
You know, my wife does aflower truck business.
I go, why didn't she tell me?
I mean, we're talking thiswhole time.
He's like, I didn't know ifshe wanted people, strangers, to
know if you're gonna show up.
So we talked, and she wassuper sweet.

(29:30):
But I ended up not buyingtheir truck because I felt like I
would still have to do work onthat, and I didn't have the money
to put on it.
So then, coincidentally, I own Marketplace.
I found my truck.
No way.
Like, years.
Which was nerve wracking.
No.
Because it was in New York.
Okay.
And he.

(29:51):
It was a car collector.
He has so many different cars,and I think his wife wanted him to
downsize.
So he was selling some of his cars.
And it was an older guy andsuper sweet on the phone, you know,
like, in Today's world, it's.
I mean, I was so scared I'mgonna get scammed.
Yeah.

(30:12):
So it comes to the price andwe negotiated the price.
He was very, very.
I got a great price.
He was happy that I'm gon usethe truck for what I'm using it.
Do you send him pictures?
Yeah, he just wanted to go totruck somebody.
He didn't want somebody to buyit and then six months later sell
it for profit again.
Because these trucks are very.

(30:32):
You can sell them for verygood price in the condition like
the right person it was meantto be.
And so what happened is I hadto, it came today, I had to pay for
it.
And so I went to the bank andI was going to do the transfer and
the bank was telling me, no,we're not doing this.
You're getting sick.
Scammed.

(30:53):
I didn't know this can happen.
Oh, and I go, they justdecided for you?
Well, they're like, we've seenso many cases like this.
You know, people come herelater and they're crying because
they sent all this money.
Okay.
Cuz, you know, it's like$30,000 and they sent all this money
and now they don't have thecar and they don't have the money
and there's nothing we can do.

(31:13):
So we're trying to protect you.
That's nice at least.
I go, yeah, but you know, we.
The funny part is because I'ma girl, right?
First thing.
Was that what they said intoday's world?
They said, have you talked toyour husband?
No.
No.
I was speechless.
I was like, excuse me.

(31:34):
Not that you should know, butyes, he does know because he knows
that I'm doing this business.
We talked about it.
So you're right in today's world.
And today.
So yeah.
Have you talked to yourhusband Virus?
Like, you know, as a woman,you can't do anything with a husband.
Yeah.
And so they made sure fourtimes that.

(31:54):
Are you sure?
Are you sure?
Are you sure?
I said I'm sure.
I mean, I was freaking outinside because I was like, what if,
if that, then that's, that's it.
But I mean, I talked to theguy, I had his address, I had his
driver's license.
It probably doesn't meananything, but I mean, I felt, I had
the feeling sometimes you haveto go with your God.
And so I send the money.

(32:16):
And then, you know, I calledhim right after that and he was kind
of laughing on the phone.
I was like, shh.
If I am getting scammed, he'slike, well, how are you feeling now?
How are you feeling now?
What a stinker.
I know.
He was making fun of the wholeprocess, but it worked out.
I mean, he had to mail me thetitle and the keys.

(32:40):
And what happened is he mailedit overnight and the post office
lost it somewhere.
And I was like, for sure I'mgetting scammed.
I did not.
Yeah, that was the whole storyabout getting the truck.
I got it, they located it andI got it later.
And wait, how did the truckget to you?
So I had to have a guy.

(33:00):
He had a.
He lived in a small town inJasper, New York.
And that's what I named thetruck, Jasper.
I was trying to find out whatthe name for the truck, but nothing
was really like sticking tothe story.
And I said, well, wait, likeJasper, Jasper?
Yeah, it's from New York.
Jasper, New York.
So it will work out.
It's adorable.
But he, in his little town, hehad a guy who had a truck who transport

(33:25):
his classic cars before.
So he brought it down herebecause that was a whole nother thing.
I was trying to find like agood price because I already spent
so much money.
Sure.
But going through thecompanies, you never know how long
it's gonna take for the truckto get here, how many times they're
gonna take it off and put itback on.
Because they might have likeeight different cars on.

(33:46):
On the trailer.
So this guy just basicallydelivered to me straight from New
York.
Just my.
That's awesome.
And you knew you.
Oh, see, I was hoping you weregonna say that.
The guy who sold you the truck.
Said it for you.
I mean, he already gave me areally good deal because the truck
was more expensive and I was,I was negotiating with him.

(34:07):
So basically what I saved thenI put back in the.
Okay.
And but I mean I neededsomebody who knows and is gonna.
Because you know, if they'regonna be just sleeping somewhere
or driving around with it, Inever know when it can get here.
True.
It could be, it could be tricky.
So I mean he loaded up at night.
At night at 8:00pm and then hewas at 2:00 clock, he was already

(34:31):
in my house.
Wow.
So it was, it was, it worked out.
So this is the, the truck story.
And then I got it and I waslooking at it and I was like, wow,
I couldn't believe it.
That, that I got it and thenfeel like surreal.
It was very surreal.
But then I started looking atit because it was not still a flower
truck.

(34:51):
Right.
So then I needed to do thewhole Construction for the.
For the bed so we can hold the canvas.
And that was a whole anotherthing that we had to figure it out
because my truck is rebuiltand the bed of the truck and they
come as trucks.
Okay.
It's not like a redone bus.
Sure.

(35:11):
It's a truck.
Because I actually thought it was.
A lot of people actually asksme how.
How had you, like, convertedit to this?
And I said, no, they.
They are factory single caps.
They call them single caps or.
Or sometimes transporters orthey have crew caps.
The crew caps are very hard tofind, and I went to see one in Florida,

(35:34):
and I loved it.
But the bed is much shorter,so I wouldn't be able to fill that
many flowers in there.
So I didn't go.
But it was a beautiful truck.
Yeah.
Your truck is.
Jasper is beautiful.
Jasper.
Yeah.
I always wanted the windows inthe front.
They open safari windows.
So hard to find.

(35:54):
And it's usually the trucksthey have it are very expensive because
it's like a one thing that people.
And then I want the front withthe giant vw.
Yeah.
So I didn't think I was gonnafind it.
That was, like, on my list.
And then I started, you know,once you have list and then you can
find.
You start saying, well, maybeI don't have to have this and maybe
I don't have to have that.
Yeah.
I wasn't going for a bluecolor, but everybody loves the blue.

(36:18):
I love it too.
So since I love it, I'm just kidding.
That's right.
Yeah.
I mean, I was gonna.
I was so stupid that I waseven thinking, well, maybe I have
it repainted.
But then when I heard the quotes.
Of like, nope, I can't imagine it's.
Saying it's like $12,000.
No, that's how much a car costs.
Yeah, I know.

(36:39):
All my money is in it right now.
You're like, no, there is no.
There is no room.
So speaking of, in today'sworld, how.
Did you ask your husband?
That's what I was thinking.
I was going to ask.
Well, I was going to ask you,how did you go from, like, photography
to, like, I want to open a business.
And how did you get, like, howwas the support from your husband?

(37:01):
So my husband was all on board.
He's always like, I'm the onewho analyzes everything.
And I'm like, well, what if.
And this is gonna be.
So he probably trusted you.
Yeah.
He was like, well, if itdoesn't work out, you can always
sell the truck.
It'll always gonna sell youknow, it's not like you will not
be able to recoup the money.
Okay.
But my idea, or I was kind of,like, put on this path, is because

(37:27):
I worked for Flower truck last year.
Oh, yeah.
So it just kind of came out of nowhere.
I met the owners in the parkwith my dogs, and they were taking
pictures.
I have three German shepherds.
Oh.
So they were taking pictures.
Sam has German shepherds.
Oh, really?
Oh, my gosh.
I'm gonna have to talk to her.
Yeah, yeah.
I have long coats.

(37:48):
Okay.
Beautiful.
But they were just takingpictures of the truck and the dogs.
And then we talked, and then Ithink the owner mentioned that he's
going to have another truckand he needs somebody to drive it.
And, you know, not everybodyknows how to drive stick.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
I said.
And then at the time, theirtruck is a mini truck, so the seats

(38:11):
are on the right side.
So a lot of people not.
They're not comfortable driving.
They get confused.
Yeah.
So I said, well, I'll try it.
I mean, he goes, you would.
So I did.
I mean, and I clicked.
And I worked for them for.
For a year almost, and.
But I knew it's just kind of temporary.
But, I mean, that kind oflike, gave me the in onto the.

(38:34):
And on a flower, you know,sometimes you have to be exposed
to it, so you can realize, oh,this is really something I want.
I enjoy, and I really love the.
I'm not a really people person.
Like, I like my space, and Ilike to be on my own, but at the
track.
I really like the people andthe stories.
Everybody's so happy.

(38:55):
Well, because, you know, howcan you not.
I know people enjoy theflowers, and you smell it.
Sensory.
Yes, people smell it, and theytouch the flowers and everything.
So I was like, yeah, this isreally fun.
And then when I was notworking for them anymore, I missed
it.
So everybody was saying, well,just start your own.

(39:15):
Just start your own.
I was like, I don't even knowwhere to start with this.
It's like, you can do it.
You can.
You can make it your own, andthen it can be the way that you want
it to be.
And then I started thinkingabout it.
I was like, what was.
I can't do it.
So, yeah.
So then I started looking forthe truck and all this stuff, you
know, they start realizing.

(39:35):
I mean, the insurance for the truck.
I'm gonna.
The business license, like,all of the things started rolling
in.
So there were, like.
There were moments in thejourney when I was like, this is
not worth it.
But I guess I did it all andnow I in it.
And there's a lot more behindthe scenes.
Like we talked about, just,you know, seeing beautiful flowers

(39:58):
and you living my dreams.
Yes, yes, there is.
I am laughing because you'retalking about, like, the business
license and all that.
One of the things thathappened to me, and I love how I'm
just like.
Like, it happened to me.
It's not something I did exactly.

(40:18):
When I first opened up mybusiness, it took me a few months
before, like, there werepeople telling me, you need to get
an accountant.
This is just.
You've got to, like, let go ofsome things.
And so I finally did talk toan accountant, and she was like,
okay, so tell me what you're.
Where you are in the process.
Like, And I'd already been open.
My business has already open,probably three or four months.

(40:40):
And I was in Suwanee, downtownSuwanee, right across from the city
hall.
She goes, do you have, like,all your licensing?
And I was like, yeah, yeah.
And she goes, okay, well, I see.
And I sent her all this stuff.
And I was like, yeah.
So I was like, yeah.
So I've got my what, my einnumber with the federal government.

(41:01):
I've got my sales tax thingwith the.
You know, and I've got.
My LLC is built.
She's like, well, what?
Okay, great.
And so you.
You pro.
You have your city license.
And I was like, what do you.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Well, I'm sure I do.
I'm sure I do.
And then she's like, well, youhave a license to practice.
Like, not.
Not to practice, but to workin the city of Shawnee.

(41:25):
And I was like, I don't know.
She's like, well, did you goto the city hall?
And I was like, no, but that'sthe thing.
Like, it's not.
There's not really a clearwrite up of what you.
There's not to do all of it.
I mean, as we were talking, Imean, I.
I was lucky enough to talk toEmma's flower truck in.
In Marriott.
I reached out to her and Iasked her all these questions, and

(41:47):
she was very transparent.
But even between the differentcities is different laws.
Like, I had to do more on inSwanee than she had to do in Maryland.
It's different there than it'sin Swanee.
Really?
Yeah.
She didn't need all of that.
Interesting.
And it's.
And it's hard.
And so I think it's amazingthat you were talking about how,

(42:09):
like, you had Emma to helpEmma right?
I.
I think.
Yeah.
Okay, well, maybe her nametoday Amelia.
And, yeah, maybe.
Okay, Amelia.
But you had her help, and youhad all these people, too, also saying,
like, you can do this.
And I feel like that's kind of.
Well, for me, it was imperative.
I wouldn't have opened myquilt because.

(42:30):
Every other day you want to quit.
Yeah.
I know that very well.
Yeah.
And it's like, when it getshard, you're like, well, it's not
worth it.
What am I doing?
I'm gonna have to.
For me, it's like, I'm gonnahave to get a real job now to support.
Right.
My dream job so I can pay forthe losses and things that I had.
You know, it's so sad andscary and true.

(42:50):
It is.
People don't realize it.
They see that truck, and thenthey see that you're selling things.
They're like, you making somuch money.
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, it is not.
And at least not now it is, because.
Yeah.
You know, and everybody tells you.
So I'm talking even to thegrowers and the farmers and stem
and Quill in Suwanee, actually.
She's so sweet.
We were talking, and she goes,well, you're just starting.

(43:13):
You're learning.
You're learning.
She goes, I was there, understand?
And she goes, you have to.
Like, in the beginning, it'svery, very hard, but just keep going.
And I said, beginning?
What do you mean?
She goes, like, the firstthree years.
That's what my brother said.
I go, three years.
I don't know if I can lastthree years.
You can.

(43:33):
You can.
So my brother was a business major.
Now he's a dentist.
But he says, three to survive,five to thrive.
Oh, wow.
And I know it sounds so longin the beginning.
You're in the beginning, andthat's okay.
Like, but just remind your.
Like, try not to look at itas, like, a marathon that you're
only just in the beginning of,but more like, okay.

(43:54):
It's okay to be at this stagewhere I'm not.
Yeah.
It's like, you know, I guess Ihad two high expectations.
Like, I had the plans, and I'mlike, it's got to go this way, but
you truly never know whereit's gonna take you.
And I might not be able to dowhat I wanted to do, but hopefully
other doors are gonna open andI can.
You just never know what canhappen with the truck.

(44:15):
Exactly.
So.
Okay.
Well, then that brings me to wondering.
When you say might not be ableto do what I wanted to do, what did
you envision where did youfeel like you should be right now?
So eventually, I mean, thefirst time I was kind of like going
by the model that I see seenwith the Trek before.
Right.
And then they do a lot ofmarkets and like different like events
that they go to, like but once festivals.

(44:38):
But once you're in it, Irealized that it.
There's a great cost that youhave to invest to be in a festival
or at the market and it's, youknow, have a perishable goods and.
And so that's on top of what,what I have to.
If I, if I lose it, I lose it.
So that it's hard to get yourfoot in the door sometimes.

(44:59):
Exactly, exactly.
And it's, you know, they mightsay, you know, we already have a
florist or we already have a flower.
And then, so then you're goingby that they think maybe she can
do it for free the first timebecause she's new.
And then.
So I fell for that trap too.
Yes.
Where, you know, I've donefree events and that's what I'm saying

(45:23):
that now I have.
And now I have to get a job topay for, you know, for someone else's
event.
Yeah, I paid for someone Ididn't get paid and I paid for their
flowers.
Did they say, oh look, we'llpromote you.
Yeah, free.
So that's a lot of it.
It's always like, we are gonnablast you on social media and we're

(45:45):
gonna share and get so manyfollowers and guess what?
Nothing.
Not happening.
So I also know, like, somepeople say be patient because, you
know, your business is, is, is events.
So you know, people might nothave the event right now, but maybe
they're gonna remember you.
But that's not guarantee.
Right.

(46:05):
And then that's not howbusiness really can work.
I can just sit and wait andsee if somebody, A lot of people,
you know, people are excitedabout the business.
They're like, this is so great.
We're gonna call you, we'regonna say something and then you
hear nothing.
So it's a lot of, you know, aswe talk, the, the, the networking

(46:28):
takes a lot of part of thebusiness and it's exhausting because
you're constantly trying tohype people up by your business.
And you are hyped up by yourbusiness for sure.
If you have to constantly, youknow, look, look, this can be this
and that, and then you don'tsee, really, the feedback is kind
of exhausting.
Well, and it's true too, likethat you're going to hit a lot of
rejection, unfortunately,because you have, like.

(46:50):
You have to knock on so manydoors, and then a lot of people don't
get it.
Like, you were talking, Right.
It's just a flower track.
They're like, huh?
And then you start talking.
They're like.
And then you show a pictureand like, oh.
Which we are gonna put apicture up because it's stunning.
Thank you.
Yeah, try.
Absolutely.

(47:11):
You know, we built the wholebag with the holders for the buckets
and then the canvas.
And there were a lot of peoplehelping me along way.
Yeah.
I want to mention that becausewithout them, it would be.
I would be probably stillworking on it.
No, I understand.
That's how I feel.
So you do need people whobelieve in you to help you along
the way.
I agree.

(47:32):
I think that that's kind ofwhat helps a lot of us go.
Like, it just kind of helpsthe world go around.
We need to, like, lift eachother up, I think.
I watch.
There are some people maybewho might be gatekeepers where they're
like, yeah, I see you as competition.
I'm not going to help you.
Yes.
But I think we all have ourown personalities.

(47:53):
We all bring our own things tothe world.
And the market is so big for everyone.
Like, even when you thinkabout your business or my business,
like with the flower truck.
You want flower truck?
You can only be at that oneevent at this.
At one time.
You can be splitting yourself.
Maybe you can have a stand,and then you can have somebody else
being somewhere else.

(48:14):
You can have two events at thesame time, but, you know, there's
other people who can do it.
Yeah.
It doesn't mean that if I dodifferently, that I do it better.
It's just that might be fitfor somebody else.
Yeah, exactly.
And so I kind of like to say, like.
And you've.
They've all heard me say this before.
Rising time.
A rising tide lifts all boatsor all ships.

(48:35):
But that's like, you know, youhave even.
You look at the bigger stores,you have Starbucks, and next to you
have another coffee shop.
Everybody's making money.
You're right.
Exactly.
You have a bunch of different pizzerias.
It's true.
They're all selling pizza.
That's true.
So I don't know why, you know,I don't know how.
Flower truck.
That's in Suwanee that Iworked for.

(48:57):
They're looking at me rightnow because we're in the same area.
But the truth is.
Yeah, we're in Suwanee.
But the truth is, I Am notdoing a Suwanee.
I was thinking he was in.
At the Avalon.
He is at the Avalon.
Okay.
But he is based Swannie, Somost of his business comes in Swanee.
And, you know, and I don'texpect the, you know, take over because

(49:18):
he's already had the businessfor over four years.
Yeah.
So he's established.
People know of him.
And then.
So I'm trying to find my own niche.
Niche and where I'm going tobe and what I can do.
Yeah, exactly.
Because, you know, he has hiscustomer base.
So no matter what, like, thosecustomers are still going to go to
them.
Right.
It doesn't matter.
Right.

(49:39):
So I never really thought ofthem being a competition.
They were competition, but Idon't know what they think, so.
Right.
Like, that's the thing, too.
Like, I feel like you're not.
Yeah.
I just don't think it has tobe competition.
I really don't.
I don't see it.
I'm trying to, you know, Imean, and even with the other flower

(50:00):
tricks, somebody was tellingme, well, are you in Marietta?
Are you in Sandy Springs or Roswell?
I go, well, yes.
Have your flower trucks.
Yeah.
Like, yeah, we do, but you canbe there, too.
I said, I know, but we'retrying to, like, not step on each
other's.
Yes.
Unless it's like a prepaidevent where somebody really requests
me, then that's different thanfor me to just shop around.

(50:21):
Exactly.
Because, you know, you wantthem to grow, too.
Yeah.
It's kind of like we have asmall florist shop on the roundabout
in Suwanee.
It's like I would go and parkmy car by the station farm there.
I mean, you know, Florist.
Florist.
Oh, I know where that floristshop is.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
They've been there for so long.

(50:43):
So I'm not going to like, park the.
Car park front of there andask the business, hey, can I be here?
Because, you know, that's their.
Yeah.
Living their livelihood.
They've been there for so long.
So I try to be alwaysrespectful or that, but it's not
everybody's like that.
But hopefully that's going tobring the good karma.
I think so.
Right.
I do.

(51:03):
I do believe in that.
Honestly.
I just think that the goodthings will keep coming, like, if
you put it out there.
Hopefully.
Hopefully that's all we canhope for.
Yeah, exactly.
Man.
I wonder.
So I am actually, we are goingto try to work together in the future.
Yes.
I want to do that.
So badly do event we make.

(51:23):
Make your own reef orsomething for the holidays thing.
People will really enjoy that.
They can make it their own.
I think so too.
I can bring the truck and wecan do partially on the truck.
I.
It was.
Oh, that'd be so mean.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It would be so fun.
Yeah.
So yeah, we're gonna look andprobably we'll do it later.
Closer to Christmas, are you thinking?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so.

(51:44):
Yeah.
And I think, you know, it'sjust like that.
Like we said, it's like thewhole experience.
You know, people can take pictures.
We encourage them to go on atruck and, you know, take the pictures
with the windows open.
I regret it because the firsttime I met you, the weather was so
bad.
Well, it was.
But I took a picture of you,which is adorable.
Wow.
I know know.
But I will show it to you.

(52:04):
The hot mess, like sweating again.
All I do is sweat.
I know.
I bet with candle it outsidein the summer.
Okay, I won't talk about thatfor you.
It's.
It's bad.
Oh, I'm just mess in the summer.
The hair is like so big.
And then you constantlysweating in this humid and.
Yeah.

(52:24):
But I really wish that I hadgotten a picture with your truck
because it's so pretty.
I'll come next time.
That's right.
You do.
You do a picture.
Exactly.
So yeah, we're gonna have her here.
She's to do a class, kind ofteach us how to make our own wreaths.
So look for that kind in thecoming months.
But what are some of the like,have you pitfalls that you've fallen

(52:45):
into or run into that you'relike, okay, if anybody wants to start
a business, just kind of becareful of things like this?
Like.
Well, the main thing that wetalked about.
Just because you knew doesn'tmean you don't have experience.
You're just starting and thenyou trying to figure out what you
want to go.
But don't fall into the free bit.

(53:07):
Yeah.
When you're doing things for free.
I think that.
That I really regret becausein the beginning I wanted people
to know me and then get out there.
So it might take longer.
Yeah.
For you to get that other.
But I actually did not.
I'm not getting what I thoughtI was gonna get out of the free events.
Right, right.

(53:28):
And in the end, I mean, you'rethe one who's gonna suffer financially
from that because you put yourmoney in it.
But then if you don me return,then I would say for it's True.
I kind of learned that too,because I had a lot of there.
I mean, it's an art.
You put your time and effortinto it.
Are beautiful.

(53:48):
I keep looking at these littleJapanese girl, and they're beautiful.
Thank you.
But, yeah, like, you know,you'll get people in who don't really
know what goes into it, andthey're like, oh, it won't be a big
deal.
I'll just ask her if she can,you know, just do it for me.
Whip it out overnight or that.
Right, Exactly.

(54:09):
And so I've kind of learned,like, especially in the beginning,
one of the things that Ilearned was to actually itemize everything.
Right.
Yeah.
So, like, let them see on theinvoice, it was this much for this,
this much for this, this muchfor this.
This is the value of what I'm getting.
And that's the thing.
People don't look at the whole picture.
Right.
They see those flowers, andfor some reason they think that the

(54:31):
truck.
Which is just funny to me, thetruck should be cheaper.
The flowers should be cheaperthan Kroger's flowers.
Yeah.
Which a, small business cannot.
Cannot match the prices ofthese big, big stores, Xbox stores,
and B, is not the same quality.
And it's not the same.
I mean, I bring it.
Like I said, it's the experience.

(54:51):
Right.
So, you know, you're makingyour own bouquet.
Normally when you pick upbouquet from a store, it's already
made.
So you get what's in there.
Yeah.
Up on the truck, you can makewhat you like, what you see from
the selection that's there.
And that's the seasonalflowers from the growers that I have.
And it's different because Itry to have flowers there.
Usually not.
You don't usually see.

(55:12):
Right.
In the stores.
So that's one of those thingsthat people don't realize.
And like you say, they don'tsee all the work behind it, like
how you have to process theflowers, changing the water all the
time.
I have buckets and buckets.
It's constantly dumping,cleaning, and to clean the bucket
with the.
With the Clorox, because, youknow, it can grow bacteria and.

(55:34):
Yeah.
So there's so much.
So much.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean.
And also, you really have toknow your flowers.
And I know that sounds silly.
And when people will tell you,yeah, that's not a real job.
It's like, a lot.
It might not be to you, but itkind of seems real when you have
to do it all the time byyourself and you put so much effort

(55:55):
in it.
And Then somebody tells you, you.
Yeah, at that.
It's kind of like, you know,stay at home, mom.
Oh, well, you know, you don'tdo anything.
Oh, sure, I don't.
Sure.
Just don't do anything.
Nope.
Just to be a servant for my whole.
I know.
Don't even let me start on that.

(56:16):
Another.
Another free job.
Oh, right.
Another.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Another under.
Under appreciated.
Yeah, I guess is what youwould say.
I think that you just have tovalue yourself.
I think that it's important toalso just.
I guess I kind of.
What I'm really getting fromthis whole conversation is people

(56:37):
are supporting us and then wecan also support each other too.
That is true.
I agree to get us.
Yeah.
I just think that I wish therewas more out there.
Like when we talked together.
I mean, I did find.
I wish I remember whichbusiness posted it.
But there is one flower trackthat has a whole write up on the
website what you have to dobefore you start the business.

(56:57):
All the licenses, all thepermits, how many buckets of everything
you should have on the truckif you need all of that guidance.
So that was very helpful to mebecause at least, you know, you kind
of see the checklist of whatyou have.
That's amazing.
And then I forgot about the use.
Use.
No sales line.
Use tax.
Oh, yeah.

(57:18):
When I wanted to registermyself with the wholesaler and they're
like, well, we're gonna needthis number.
I'm like, like.
So I was giving them my, mytax ID for the, for the taxes.
And they're like, well, that'snot that you need a sales.
I go, where do I go for this?
I had no idea.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So now, now I have a bunch ofdifferent numbers.

(57:40):
I don't even know what I'mgonna do with it when tax year comes.
Oh my gosh, it's gonna be interesting.
And then the wholesale stacksis a whole nother thing.
Yeah, it's a lot.
It can be really daunting.
They don't have.
It's not.
Not clear.
The site is so terrible.
So I'll give you a tip.
I'll give you the number later.
Because I did get through tosomebody and she walked me through
what to.
Say so because I did send apayment for March, but it's now they're

(58:06):
saying that they're going toput me through collection agencies
because.
Because I didn't file.
So I called today, the generic number.
She goes, well, you didn't,you didn't submit the paper.
And I said, but I paid.
It came through my account.
I said, why are you guystalking collection agencies when
it's.
It's paid?
She goes, but you have to fillout the form.
Oh, I'll help you.
Yeah, but I did that.

(58:26):
I did that for the other ones.
It just, for some reason, didnot register for the march one.
Because when I did the march,it looked different from the April.
They changed the site.
Something happened.
I thought so, too.
Yes, they changed it.
So the march looked different.
So I don't know why it didn'ttranslate in the whole thing, but

(58:47):
it was so annoying.
And then they.
She talked to me like I'm anidiot today.
Oh, I hate that.
I'm so sorry.
Well, you didn't.
I'm like, but if I startfilling it up, you guys gonna want
me to pay again, right?
That is not true, ma' am.
And when somebody startsmamming me, that's no for me.
Please don't mind me.

(59:08):
Right.
I also don't love the man.
Even though I know we're herein the South.
I know.
It's so mad me here.
I don't like that.
I just find it so condescending.
Like when they talk, especially.
Bless your heart.
I feel the same.
The same thing.
I feel the same.
Yeah.
That's hilarious.
So maybe that's because I'mnot from.

(59:28):
The south, but, yeah, same.
Yeah.
All right, ma' am.
Okay, ma' am, let's see if werecord it.
That's right.
And you.
All right, you guys.
So I hope that you were ableto just enjoy our conversation today.
I was really grateful to haveyou here.
So much in common.

(59:49):
Yeah.
Kind of funny.
I loved it.
Their paths are very similar.
Yeah, weirdly.
Yeah, for sure.
This was meant to be.
It was.
Yes.
Well, thank you so much, Simona.
Thank you so much, Melissa.
And we'll talk to you later.
You and I will talk.
And for you guys, skirts out.
Bye.
Bye.

(01:00:11):
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