Flower power! - The florist

Thursday 6th March 2008

Siân Merrylees meets three women who have made a blooming career out of floristry

Sue Giacomet, 40, lives in Acton, west London with her husband and business partner Reno, 38.

Old job: Events organiser at a ban
New job: Florist
Start-up costs: About £30,000
First year's turnover: A £15,000 loss. We had to pay six months' rent for the shop in advance
Current turnover: It was £85,000 in 2006. The projected turnover for 2007 is estimated to be at least £100,000
Top tip: Thoroughly investigate what you are going to do before you start so you know what's involved
Best move: Investing in branding – it really helped promote our style
Worst mistake: We massively over-ordered for our first Mother's Day

“Ignorance is bliss! I'm glad I didn't know what starting up a florist would really entail because the first year was exhausting. I can be at the flower market at 5am, working all day, then go on to create a display for an event that needs to be taken down afterwards at 1am.

Going from a sedentary life to lugging flowers around meant I lost two stone in 12 months!

After Reno and I got married in 2004 we spent two weeks on a remote African island and had time to chat through what I really wanted to do. I thought I might have an eye for floristry.

When we returned home I gave six months' notice and spent that time planning. I enrolled on a five-week course at McQueens Floristry School and started looking for a shop.

We used savings to set up the business – we had a budget of around £30,000. While I was driving to the course one morning I noticed a shop. It was perfect – all it needed was a lick of paint.

The local papers featured us when we first opened, but apart from that we didn't really promote the business. Most of our orders come over the phone (through recommendations) or through our website that Reno designed.

I knew how important it was to create a brand, so we spent about £8,000 coming up with a logo for stationery, the shop front and van. It was worth it because projecting a professional and upmarket image has brought in lots of work.

I do sometimes miss the expense-account lunches I enjoyed when I was in banking, but I get a real buzz from the creativity of what I do now – plus I love the control of being my own boss. We've provided table decorations for a charity event hosted by the Pakistan cricket team, decorated a ballroom at Kensington Palace for the Netherlands Embassy and recently spent all morning floating 550 gerbera heads in a swimming pool at a central London hotel for a press launch. I love my new career.”

• The florist
• The flower farmer
• The gardening company