Over twenty years ago Re:creation was born. Whilst many small businesses do not survive 5 years, Sarah, the owner of the independent florists Re:creation, has been successfully running her business since 2001. This was a big change for Sarah who previously had a role working as a financial options trader in the city, but she told me that she no longer wanted to work in an office and wanted the challenge of being her own boss. So following her love of gardening, she undertook to complete a national diploma in floristry. Sarah told me that running your own business has its challenges, saying, “I have to be an expert in everything, flowers, social media, web designing, cleaner and accountant.” What she didn’t say is that she also has to be mum to  four boys, which in itself is a challenging role, although as they have grown older they have been known to help with deliveries, as well as some much needed technical support! 

Sarah is very knowledgeable about how to take care of your flowers. I asked her if there was a flower that was particularly popular with customers and she immediately said, “Roses”. Her own favourite is a Gladioli, because of its striking elegance and simplicity. Being a florist takes creativity and skill, something that Sarah clearly has. One of her selling points is the personal service that she offers, resulting in a high return of repeat customers. Her skills range from transforming wedding venues with striking blooms to a range of tributes in memory of loved ones. Some of the strangest orders Sarah has received are sourcing black gothic wedding flowers and creating a set of full sized drums for a funeral.

Sarah believes being eco-friendly is also very important. She tries to be as eco-friendly as possible, despite it being costly. Sarah uses biodegradable oasis and tries to reduce packaging, for example, wrapping in paper rather than cellophane. This is a positive way of being more sustainable and another selling point that she highlights to her customers. A small business constantly needs to refresh itself and Sarah has embraced technology. Recently she went live on Facebook to promote her business and products.

So what makes a successful small business? When questioned, Sarah said, “I'm very determined, hardworking and have lots of help from my family.” She also gave me the impression that she loves what she does; so Re:creation keeps creating.