We sat down with Meraki's very own Sam Leenman. Not only is she the Co- Founder and Art Director of Meraki but is also the owner of Willow Flowers by Design.
WHEN DID YOUR PASSION FOR ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL AND AESTHTICALLY PLEASING BEGIN?
It really has evolved over time but I guess it was noticed by my parents who would find me rearranging my room or the living room at least once a month. I always knew I wasn’t the most academic student at school but hadn’t fully discovered my creativity until a couple of years after high school. I was interested in Graphic Design so the creativity was there, but it wasn’t until I went to TAFE and studied Floristry that I began to discover the skills I had and the love I had for all things beautiful.
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES IN STARTING YOUR BUSINESS?
At times I felt like I needed to prove myself to be a good florist so gaining confidence was something I struggled with, but the more I pushed through that the more confident I became in my creativity. Also, just your usual business protocol lost me a little but finding the right support and guidance helped a lot.
HOW DID WILLOW COME INTO EXISTENCE?
Willow was actually a mock business I had to do for TAFE during my Floristry course. We had to do a 5 year business plan so since I had that I thought I would give it a go. From there my first job actually ended up being two jobs. Two weddings on the same day in opposite directions. Best to start out with a bang and then anything is possible from there on.
S I T T I N G D O W N W I T H
W I L L O W F L O W E R S
026//SITTING DOWN WITH
JOSH HENRY & KAYLA WILSON