Today I'm talking with Robin. Robin's family has established a flower business in Canada. How are you today?
I'm good. How are you?
Good, thanks. So do you want to briefly tell us how you started in your business?
Okay. We started the business about seven to ten years ago. It was at this time that my parents had wanted to start a business of some type. In my mother's year book she had written that she had wanted to either, (a) become a sports car racer, or (b) own her own business. So because she couldn't attain sports car racing... Right. she decided to be a business owner. She was a florist at the time, so this would probably be the easiest business that we could open up, so we decided to first open up a grocery store or a corner store. That way we can grow the clientele to come and buy flowers, just because it's very difficult to, just to open a flower shop and make a lot of money, 'cause you had to get a reputation as a good florist. So we opened up a corner store. We got our clientele through cigarettes and through lottery, and through little things like that, like pops and chips. And once people came in to buy those things, they would see the flowers, see what great prices we had, and the lovely flowers that we had, and then they would buy that regularly, for flowers and for funerals, and for weddings and other occasions.
So eventually you developed a regular customer client base.
Yes.
Alright. So, for someone coming into Canada, would you say that it all just kind of starts with like a good dream, with a concept, and then ?
I think you have to start yeah with some sort of concept as to what type of business that you want, be able to market it, advertise it to the community around you, and especially get your clientele or whatever - get regulars that will come in and advertise for you - who will tell other people what a great business you are and what a wonderful service that you offer.
So from your experience you're saying that you really have to get to know the community that you're putting the business in. I think so. If you are seen in your community as helping it out in some sort of way, more people are going to come to you and help support your business, if you're supporting their community. So in general terms, what ways could someone promote themselves within the community?
Be active in community activities. Like, if there's sort of like a Canada Day or something you can and there's a big festival, you can have a booth there, like selling our flowers if we wanted to do that. Or if there is a big dance festival, you can offer flowers or donate something to them. If many of these, like rec centres or other places know that you're donating to them or offering your service free of charge, they're going to come to you and buy things to you with money so So, in terms of having a small business, it's a matter of, I guess, getting used to Canada and in the smallest ways start by getting to know your neighbours and getting to know the people around you and forging relationships that way. Exactly.
Well thank you so much for talking with me today.
You're welcome. Bye now!
