Hey, you.

You're tuned in to the Skirts up show with Samantha and Melissa.

Join our mission to normalize failure, but still uncover the positives at every twist and turn.

Skirts up, but keep your panties on.

Hey, Skirts up squad.

It is Melissa today.

And I have with me Simona.

Hello.

She has.

She's somebody that I met.

We're gonna get into it because 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 Tennessee living her best life this weekend.

And Simone is laughing at me because.

Okay, this is what happened.

You know, we always start with the 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.

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 it back, and it did not.

It did not play back.

So I basically had the settings on incorrectly.

And we.

Okay, this is the even worse part, the worst part is that we did a test.

Yeah.

And we heard it, but not great.

It was really quiet.

And Simona was like, you sure it's supposed to be that quiet?

I was like, yeah, my volume's just down.

Oh, my gosh, you guys.

We recorded a whole hour's worth, 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.

So shall we skirt on in?

Let's cur.

All right, so, Simona, just to introduce her, what's your last name?

Or if you want to share.

Well, do you want my married name or my maiden name?

I was just gonna.

However you wanted to be introduced by.

Oh, I'm Davidson.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

So, Simona Davidson.

I actually.

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 a couple months ago, and she was there, and she had this gorgeous flower truck, and I found out that she does a mobile flower business.

Yes.

So I was like, okay, we need to have her on.

And honestly, that a mobile flower business is cool in my Mind, I thought, okay, we'll kind of talk 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?

But then when she got here today and we just started talking, I would say we talked for about an hour, even before the failed recording of.

An hour.

Yes.

So we should have recorded that one.

Well, we should have recorded.

It wouldn't have recorded because I didn't know what I was doing.

But as we were talking, it was like, okay, wow.

We were meant to meet and we were meant to have this conversation because she has such a.

Like a rich history, how she got where she is.

And then she has some really neat 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.

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 in the Czech Republic.

It used to be Czechoslovakia.

Yeah.

But now it's Czech Republic.

Okay.

Used to be Czechoslovakia.

Yeah.

But after the.

After the revolution there.

Well, I was actually going to a college, but it was pretty common for kids take like a year off and go experience some Western cultures.

And so the most popular to go in America, some people went to Germany.

So this is what I decided.

And I decided I was going to go through student agency that, you know, would find my host family, and then I would have a brief conversation with them, and then 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 was going to just finish my college back home.

What were you majoring in?

It was economics, which is the complete opposite from where I am now.

Yeah, exactly.

But my parents just kind of decided this would be the route for me to go.

Okay.

And so I just listened and I just went until I could not pass an exam.

And I was already fed up and I was going home to my bus station.

And I passed right.

Right by the student agency.

Okay.

And I just walked in and filled up paperwork.

And so out of curiosity, was it like an.

It was an agency on campus?

No, no, no.

It's an agency in my almost hometown.

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 agency because you have to be a student and certain age to actually apply for the programs that they have.

So you coming here on a culture exchange program that has a certain visa tied to it.

Oh, okay.

So.

And I know that you came over to be an au pair.

Yes.

Do they have other programs?

You could come as a student also.

But then for that you have to have certain amount of funds to fund your schooling.

And so when you come as an au pair, you living with the family, you're getting paid like a.

They maybe like a pocket money.

They call it 140.

Back then it was $140 and 29 cents and per week while you're taking care of the kids and household and you live with the family.

Okay.

And they're required to pay for your language course and a nearby school.

But.

Okay.

So I kind of.

Okay, I'm gonna try and put in perspective again again, because.

Because we've done it already.

Yeah, but like I was a nanny in 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't be much of a difference.

Like you were both living with a family.

We're working full time.

I made $400 a week, plus I had room and board and a car.

And it's just like, wow.

I just.

It kind of blew my mind when you told me that you made $140 a week.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's how we come here.

With the understanding that we're not going to be making millions of dollars.

Yeah.

While taking care of other people's kids.

So it was, you know, you learn, you learn, you learn, you get somewhere, you learn.

You have to start somewhere, I guess.

Yeah.

But my family unfortunately didn't work out in New Jersey, so I had to be looking for.

For someone else.

And I did not go through the agency, so I already had a friend here in Atlanta and she just kind of suggested, well, just come here and we'll find somebody for 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 I found a family there that responded to me and they were from Atlanta, so.

Oh, that's kind of where you wanted to be.

Kind of like worked out and I didn't know anything about them.

I just jumped on the plane, came here.

They had twins.

Who.

I was laughing because you were saying you were interviewing with the dad the whole time.

Yeah, I only was interviewing with the dad.

He sent me a picture of the mom and everything just kind of like, sounded okay.

And then I said, how am I gonna find you at the airport?

And he goes, well, we're gonna be the only family with twins.

Which is funny because now you see twins everywhere.

Multiples are everywhere.

And I did find them like this.

And now I'm thinking about this.

You know, you're older, so you're thinking.

Well, would I send my daughter just 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 the basement also.

Like, you're talking with the dad the whole time.

What if it was some pretty.

And it didn't really cross my mind, you know, you have to be really young and naive to not really think what else can happen if.

If things don't turn out the way 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 the family in New Jersey that just kind of made you go, wait, this isn't happening for me.

It's just I don't think we were a good match.

And I think, you know, when we talked, when.

When you first come through the agency here, they put you with all the other girls in the hotel for a week to kind of learn.

It's like a culture shock, maybe, for people.

Sure.

To learn the culture and how you treat the kids here.

And are you with other people from your same country or other countries?

No, there were other countries, too.

There were girls from Austria, Germany.

There was some Russian girls, I think.

So.

I think the student agency is kind of worldwide, and they don't 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, but yeah, it's not just united, but America is just the most popular.

At that time, we just all wanted to come here.

Yeah, America has a really good.

I don't want to say propaganda, but it is.

You don't hear all the.

Once you live here, it's a little 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 all struggling too, I suppose.

You know, even when I talk to my family now, they're always like, well, but you guys Cannot compare because your pays are a little bit higher there.

I'm like, y.

Let me put in perspective.

There's the insurance that we have to pay, and all of these are, you know, education.

And we were talking about the other stuff a day.

Yeah.

You said daycare, medical.

You free.

Call it not free, but.

Well, it's almost free when you put it in a perspective.

Compare here is, you know, education is free.

College, especially back home.

So there's a lot of things people.

Maternity leave, you know, we don't have any of that here.

And then over there, there's still a lot of.

Yes.

Tell them how much.

Yeah.

I mean, so if you're in check for now, I know they will probably cut it soon because of what is going on, but it is that you will get maternity leaves.

So it's for three or four years.

If you're staying at home, you can 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.

That's amazing.

Yeah.

Also, it just kind of makes me think that there's a lot of value on, like, education and the individual.

Like, I'm thinking a child who can have his parents home with them or her.

Yeah.

And it definitely helps because, you know, the first years are very important.

Yeah.

The way I see it here, a lot of moms are stressed out because they have to go to work to make the ends meet after they deliver a baby, and they can't even be at 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 to work, they can go back to work.

Yeah.

But.

Yeah.

Oh, that was interesting to me.

So.

Okay, so you.

It wasn't really working out with the family in New Jersey.

I found family here, and I ended up here.

And then I kind of.

The circle became my job, so I worked for that family.

But then I have other jobs and for other families, and then always was for families with multiples.

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 they can get some sleep.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

It's kind of funny how that worked out, because I always worked with multiples, and then I ended up having girls.

Yeah.

Twin girls.

So that's so amazing.

So we talked.

It wasn't that amazing for me the first time because I was so scared.

She's like, stop.

You already know.

I was so scared to have twins on my.

I knew what to do.

But it's just, you know, when you.

Work, you're like, what is happening to.

Me is that it rubbed off too much.

Oh, no.

But now I can't imagine it that way.

So.

Yeah, it worked out.

It's all good.

Yeah.

Wow.

That's so funny though.

Yeah.

But, you know, I met my husband here.

And how'd you guys meet?

We met at the gym.

Okay.

A whole another story because I would never meet any meatheads.

So it took him a long time to actually 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 was saying it's never going to happen, 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, we were talking.

We, we, we, we were just kind of like friend talking.

And then 9, 11 happened and he had to go from, from his work, he had to go help to New York.

And he was there for a good, I think, five or six months.

That's when I realized, oh, I miss him.

Oh, that's right.

So we started dating after that.

We want what we can't have.

Yeah, that's kind of how it happens sometimes, isn't it?

Yeah.

Yeah, it is, actually.

Yeah.

So that's my story.

Okay.

Okay.

So you got married, you had the twins.

So I guess you were kind of also talking about being a stay at home mom.

I was a stay at home mom.

And then, you know, as soon as you're a stay at home mom, you start kind of like thinking, how am I going to keep myself busy and, you know, do something for myself?

I realized I really enjoy photography and taking pictures, and in the beginning it was just for myself and, you know, taking pictures, my kids.

But then a couple of people said, you really have a good eye for it and would you do photo shoots for us?

And that's how I just kind of like started.

Okay.

And then I realized, well, maybe I could just do it for myself.

Yeah.

And so I was Doing photography?

Yeah.

Did you ever think that you had, like, an artistic.

Did you feel like you were an artistic person before?

Well, back then, I really.

When I was young, I really didn't know.

I mean, I always liked doing crafty things and things like that for myself.

And my mom is pretty artistic.

What is she like?

She sews.

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't set up, you know, that way at that moment.

Right.

So that part, I think, comes from her.

And so then I just started kind of like experimenting with things.

And then I really love the photography, but I also feel like over the years, and I think a lot of photographers agree now, is that the appreciation for the photography, the art itself is kind of diminishing.

And people just, you know, they slap.

They have apps, they slap a filter on their pictures, and they love it the way it is.

They don't really care.

It's kind of true.

Nobody prints pictures anymore.

You know, everybody's just everything digital.

So, yeah, it's.

It's not the same.

So I've heard even a lot from my friends who did photography that they're saying that it slowed a lot for them, so a lot of them returned back.

Oh, that's so sad.

Yeah.

A lot of people were doing it as a living, and now they can really support themselves.

I know.

Yeah.

Because I feel like we were talking about how people.

We feel like sometimes people don'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 the whole package into the consideration.

Right.

And sometimes, like.

And sometimes what you see.

And we're going to talk about this more because when I talk about your flower truck, but there's so much more that goes into it behind the scenes and some.

Something that's not as beautiful and flattering.

Exactly.

Exciting.

Exactly.

You see, like, the final products, right?

Yeah.

Right.

And it's funny because I do get a lot of people that come in the shop and be like, oh, my gosh, you're so lucky.

You're living your dream.

I hear that all the time on the truck.

Oh, this is my dream.

I want to do this.

I always wanted to do this.

And then you tell them, I had this party that I was hosting, and the girl comes out and she's maybe 17.

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 I said, that's great.

I said, but let me just tell you all the other things that go with it.

Maybe you'll reconsider.

And after I told her, she was like, oh, maybe not.

What did you tell her?

Well, I did tell her that it's like a true sweating behind the scenes.

Not just like people say, sweating blood, sweat and tears, but it's true sweating because there's so much work.

You always have to clean the buckets, fill the buckets, the water, put the flower food in there.

Then when I bring the flowers home, I have to strip them off, all the leaves, prep them, hydrate them, give them a new cut.

Oh, there is so much when I come home.

And then that's on top of driving to all the farms and if I go to wholesaler, but mostly the 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 I can, like, have them on the way, 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 to say venture to say that most businesses aren't.

No, right.

No, I agree.

And that's on top.

And then you have all the accounting and all the business part.

Yeah.

That I really don't like, which is why I didn't finish.

Sometimes I regret it.

I was like, it'd be nice to have a degree.

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah, I do too.

Yeah.

But I guess things happen for a reason.

Yeah.

I.

I still kick myself sometimes and I don't even know why.

I guess it's just the societal part of it.

It is.

We talked about it.

Yeah.

Sometimes people look down at you because.

Yes.

You did not.

I mean, you can be super talented 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't finish college, they're like, oh.

I actually had a lady come in once and it was when I was in the Suwanee location.

So I was in like a small 650 square foot space.

Swanee is a special place.

Like, it used to be different.

I feel like we're headed a direction that I don't like.

Oh, no, it's just there's A lot of, you know, people who.

It's.

It reminds me of Alpharetta now, when our.

Our grew, the people just changed in the city.

We were more down to earth.

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 of a person had come in.

No, you're right.

That's actually goes into it perfectly because this person was kind of like that.

She.

For some reason, she really tied 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 think anything about it until she said, yeah, sometimes when people find out and I make quilts, they want me to make me one.

And then they say, oh, you should do this for a living.

And she's like, no, I just tell them I have, like, an actual job.

Like, I have a real job.

Yeah.

And then you're standing there.

The person who was providing service to her, she came to your shop.

Yeah.

I don't think people realize a lot of times what they're saying, yeah.

Oh, my gosh.

But, yeah, I was floored.

I was like, so for a long time after that, and probably too long, because I let it make me salty.

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'd be 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 a flower shark.

Well, that's not a real thing.

Yep.

Yeah.

It's just like.

And I do have to say, you know, I'm just starting it out.

But I've heard from other people.

It's.

I mean, there's people who make living this way, so you have to start somewhere.

Exactly.

And hopefully it's going to take off.

You never know where it can bring you, but hopefully it's going to take off and I can make it my job.

Exactly.

Well.

And even.

Because you were saying, like, meeting with the people at the town hall, they even were kind of like, no, you need a peddler's license.

They didn't even see it.

They gave me a regular business license.

And then they were trying to tell me, I need another license.

Then I had a meeting, and I was told, no, that license that I have is all good.

But I Think the problem is that it's mobile business.

Okay.

And they don't know how to navigate it.

So they basically put me either in a peddler category, which is not correct because I'm not a 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 many regulations and they have so many festivals and markets where you can be.

Where you have to actually pay for yourself to be there.

So that's a whole another thing is that I feel like it's so hard for vendors or small businesses to even make themselves visible because it's so expensive to enter those festivals.

It really is.

And you might not get anything out of it.

Right.

You might not get even one client out of it.

So you might not even make your money back.

No, you probably won't.

I don't think you can.

And then the flower trucks also get lumped up together with the food trucks.

So that's a whole another thing category.

Which they're not even close.

It's not.

And then food trucks are more involved and they're more expensive.

So I think that's like the unknown category.

And the city didn't know what to do with it.

So they just basically told me, you have the license that you have is fine, but now good luck.

Yeah, you have to go.

Because I was trying to also see if I could find maybe a way where they could give me a spot maybe in that new park where it's right behind my neighborhood where everybody asks me where I'm going to be.

Yeah.

But unless I pay myself into markets or events, I can't be anywhere.

Right.

That's kind of how it is.

Yeah.

You get ticketed just for selling, sitting on the street.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's.

That's the problem.

Yeah.

And I don't want to be that because the.

The way I also want to run the business is more like an event experience.

Yeah.

So I don't know if farmers market is even good for my truck because, you know, at the farmer'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 about farmers market having so there.

Okay.

Sorry.

And a lot of times, if they're already selling flowers there, they will tell you we don't need any more flower vendors.

That's true, too.

The funny thing is, I'd actually never seen any flower vendors at a farmer's market until I was.

This was My brother lives in Blacksburg, Virginia, and I was visiting him and his family, and we went to their market, and it was just the most quaint little, kind of like yours, flower booth set up, and you could build a bouquet 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's the experience and it's beautiful, and then they do all of the things for you, but you just need somebody who values it, because people don't value that kind of.

They don't see what everything goes into it.

They see the flowers there, and then everything is priced by stem.

Then they see the price, and all of a sudden it's like, oh, my gosh, $5.

Yeah, but if you look at Kroger, KRoger is selling $5 per stamp, too.

It's just really tiny bouquets.

Tiny bouquets.

But.

And then you pay $20 for that.

But it's, you know, it's not the same.

No.

I have seasonal flowers that I take from the.

That I bring from the growers, local growers.

That is something I love that you support the local businesses, too.

And then it should be this way, right?

And then they love that their flowers are displayed, played on.

On people's trucks.

I mean, most of the flower trucks that we have here, that they do that.

Some of them, they grow their own flowers.

Okay.

I don't have my farm yet.

Maybe Sam and I both want a farm.

So it sounds like you're with us, huh?

I would love a farm.

I don't think my husband is tourist.

He could just live in the front 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 therapy for, you know, just put the earbuds in or not.

Yeah.

Just drive the little thingy for sure.

And just keep mowing.

I used to mow at this farm that I worked on, and I.

I loved it.

I know it sounds dumb, but with 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 the truck, I have to say.

He's, like, very helpful.

And he always follows me.

Just.

He does.

It breaks down somewhere.

That' Sweet.

Where did you find your track, by the way?

Yeah, we didn't even talk about that.

All right, so my journey for Trek was.

I mean, it's probably not long.

People look for their trucks for years, maybe or even a year.

But I wanted just to start the business, so I was eager and I thought, it's gonna happen really fast.

And it wasn't because I.

There's a lot of different flower trucks out there that people go with.

They have the mini trx.

They have maybe classic Chevys, like, old ones from, you know, 1940s.

But I am from Europe, so I wanted something European.

And then I started seeing these flower trucks.

They're full swag and flower trucks.

And I was like, well, this would 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 deal because they're so expensive.

They are very expensive.

And B, if you find them, they could be beaters.

They look like.

Yeah, you might still have to do 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, I gotta go see this flower tr.

So it was interesting for me because it was just something I was just doing on my own.

And I've seen.

I've seen, really some good ones.

But the pricing sometimes was more 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 see was a flower truck business owner.

Oh.

And I follow her on Instagram.

But I found out when I was there, like, oh, my.

Telling me.

He was like, yeah.

You know, my wife does a flower truck business.

I go, why didn't she tell me?

I mean, we're talking this whole time.

He's like, I didn't know if she wanted people, strangers, to know if you're gonna show up.

So we talked, and she was super sweet.

But I ended up not buying their truck because I felt like I would still have to do work on that, 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.

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 and super sweet on the phone, you know, like, in Today's world, it's.

I mean, I was so scared I'm gonna get scammed.

Yeah.

So it comes to the price and we negotiated the price.

He was very, very.

I got a great price.

He was happy that I'm gon use the truck for what I'm using it.

Do you send him pictures?

Yeah, he just wanted to go to truck somebody.

He didn't want somebody to buy it and then six months later sell it for profit again.

Because these trucks are very.

You can sell them for very good price in the condition like the right person it was meant to be.

And so what happened is I had to, it came today, I had to pay for it.

And so I went to the bank and I was going to do the transfer and the bank was telling me, no, we're not doing this.

You're getting sick.

Scammed.

I didn't know this can happen.

Oh, and I go, they just decided for you?

Well, they're like, we've seen so many cases like this.

You know, people come here later 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 the car and they don't have the money and there's nothing we can do.

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'm a girl, right?

First thing.

Was that what they said in today's world?

They said, have you talked to your husband?

No.

No.

I was speechless.

I was like, excuse me.

Not that you should know, but yes, 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 your husband Virus?

Like, you know, as a woman, you can't do anything with a husband.

Yeah.

And so they made sure four times that.

Are you sure?

Are you sure?

Are you sure?

I said I'm sure.

I mean, I was freaking out inside because I was like, what if, if that, then that's, that's it.

But I mean, I talked to the guy, I had his address, I had his driver's license.

It probably doesn't mean anything, but I mean, I felt, I had the feeling sometimes you have to go with your God.

And so I send the money.

And then, you know, I called him right after that and he was kind of laughing on the phone.

I was like, shh.

If I am getting scammed, he's like, well, how are you feeling now?

How are you feeling now?

What a stinker.

I know.

He was making fun of the whole process, but it worked out.

I mean, he had to mail me the title and the keys.

And what happened is he mailed it overnight and the post office lost it somewhere.

And I was like, for sure I'm getting scammed.

I did not.

Yeah, that was the whole story about getting the truck.

I got it, they located it and I got it later.

And wait, how did the truck get to you?

So I had to have a guy.

He had a.

He lived in a small town in Jasper, New York.

And that's what I named the truck, Jasper.

I was trying to find out what the name for the truck, but nothing was really like sticking to the story.

And I said, well, wait, like Jasper, Jasper?

Yeah, it's from New York.

Jasper, New York.

So it will work out.

It's adorable.

But he, in his little town, he had a guy who had a truck who transport his classic cars before.

So he brought it down here because that was a whole nother thing.

I was trying to find like a good price because I already spent so much money.

Sure.

But going through the companies, you never know how long it's gonna take for the truck to get here, how many times they're gonna take it off and put it back on.

Because they might have like eight different cars on.

On the trailer.

So this guy just basically delivered to me straight from New York.

Just my.

That's awesome.

And you knew you.

Oh, see, I was hoping you were gonna say that.

The guy who sold you the truck.

Said it for you.

I mean, he already gave me a really good deal because the truck was more expensive and I was, I was negotiating with him.

So basically what I saved then I put back in the.

Okay.

And but I mean I needed somebody who knows and is gonna.

Because you know, if they're gonna be just sleeping somewhere or driving around with it, I never 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 he was at 2:00 clock, he was already 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 was looking at it and I was like, wow, I couldn't believe it.

That, that I got it and then feel like surreal.

It was very surreal.

But then I started looking at it because it was not still a flower truck.

Right.

So then I needed to do the whole Construction for the.

For the bed so we can hold the canvas.

And that was a whole another thing that we had to figure it out because my truck is rebuilt and the bed of the truck and they come as trucks.

Okay.

It's not like a redone bus.

Sure.

It's a truck.

Because I actually thought it was.

A lot of people actually asks me how.

How had you, like, converted it to this?

And I said, no, they.

They are factory single caps.

They call them single caps or.

Or sometimes transporters or they have crew caps.

The crew caps are very hard to find, and I went to see one in Florida, 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 in the front.

They open safari windows.

So hard to find.

And it's usually the trucks they have it are very expensive because it's like a one thing that people.

And then I want the front with the giant vw.

Yeah.

So I didn't think I was gonna find 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, maybe I don't have to have this and maybe I don't have to have that.

Yeah.

I wasn't going for a blue color, but everybody loves the blue.

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 was even 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.

All my money is in it right now.

You're like, no, there is no.

There is no room.

So speaking of, in today's world, 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, how was the support from your husband?

So my husband was all on board.

He's always like, I'm the one who 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 it doesn't work out, you can always sell the truck.

It'll always gonna sell you know, 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 I worked for Flower truck last year.

Oh, yeah.

So it just kind of came out of nowhere.

I met the owners in the park with 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.

Okay.

Beautiful.

But they were just taking pictures of the truck and the dogs.

And then we talked, and then I think the owner mentioned that he's going to have another truck and he needs somebody to drive it.

And, you know, not everybody knows how to drive stick.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

I said.

And then at the time, their truck is a mini truck, so the seats 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 of like, gave me the in onto the.

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 I like to be on my own, but at the track.

I really like the people and the stories.

Everybody's so happy.

Well, because, you know, how can you not.

I know people enjoy the flowers, and you smell it.

Sensory.

Yes, people smell it, and they touch the flowers and everything.

So I was like, yeah, this is really fun.

And then when I was not working for them anymore, I missed it.

So everybody was saying, well, just start your own.

Just start your own.

I was like, I don't even know where to start with this.

It's like, you can do it.

You can.

You can make it your own, and then it can be the way that you want it to be.

And then I started thinking about it.

I was like, what was.

I can't do it.

So, yeah.

So then I started looking for the truck and all this stuff, you know, they start realizing.

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 the journey when I was like, this is not worth it.

But I guess I did it all and now I in it.

And there's a lot more behind the scenes.

Like we talked about, just, you know, seeing beautiful flowers and you living my dreams.

Yes, yes, there is.

I am laughing because you're talking about, like, the business license and all that.

One of the things that happened to me, and I love how I'm just like.

Like, it happened to me.

It's not something I did exactly.

When I first opened up my business, it took me a few months before, like, there were people telling me, you need to get an accountant.

This is just.

You've got to, like, let go of some things.

And so I finally did talk to an 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.

And I was in Suwanee, downtown Suwanee, 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 ein number with the federal government.

I've got my sales tax thing with 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, you have a license to practice.

Like, not.

Not to practice, but to work in the city of Shawnee.

And I was like, I don't know.

She's like, well, did you go to the city hall?

And I was like, no, but that's the thing.

Like, it's not.

There's not really a clear write up of what you.

There's not to do all of it.

I mean, as we were talking, I mean, I.

I was lucky enough to talk to Emma's flower truck in.

In Marriott.

I reached out to her and I asked her all these questions, and she was very transparent.

But even between the different cities is different laws.

Like, I had to do more on in Swanee than she had to do in Maryland.

It's different there than it's in Swanee.

Really?

Yeah.

She didn't need all of that.

Interesting.

And it's.

And it's hard.

And so I think it's amazing that you were talking about how, like, you had Emma to help Emma right?

I.

I think.

Yeah.

Okay, well, maybe her name today Amelia.

And, yeah, maybe.

Okay, Amelia.

But you had her help, and you had 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 my quilt because.

Every other day you want to quit.

Yeah.

I know that very well.

Yeah.

And it's like, when it gets hard, 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 gonna have to get a real job now to support.

Right.

My dream job so I can pay for the losses and things that I had.

You know, it's so sad and scary and true.

It is.

People don't realize it.

They see that truck, and then they see that you're selling things.

They're like, you making so much 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 the growers 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.

You're learning.

You're learning.

She goes, I was there, understand?

And she goes, you have to.

Like, in the beginning, it's very, very hard, but just keep going.

And I said, beginning?

What do you mean?

She goes, like, the first three years.

That's what my brother said.

I go, three years.

I don't know if I can last three years.

You can.

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 long in the beginning.

You're in the beginning, and that's okay.

Like, but just remind your.

Like, try not to look at it as, like, a marathon that you're only just in the beginning of, but more like, okay.

It's okay to be at this stage where I'm not.

Yeah.

It's like, you know, I guess I had two high expectations.

Like, I had the plans, and I'm like, it's got to go this way, but you truly never know where it's gonna take you.

And I might not be able to do what I wanted to do, but hopefully other doors are gonna open and I can.

You just never know what can happen with the truck.

Exactly.

So.

Okay.

Well, then that brings me to wondering.

When you say might not be able to do what I wanted to do, what did you envision where did you feel like you should be right now?

So eventually, I mean, the first time I was kind of like going by the model that I see seen with the Trek before.

Right.

And then they do a lot of markets and like different like events that they go to, like but once festivals.

But once you're in it, I realized that it.

There's a great cost that you have to invest to be in a festival or at the market and it's, you know, 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 your foot in the door sometimes.

Exactly, exactly.

And it's, you know, they might say, you know, we already have a florist or we already have a flower.

And then, so then you're going by that they think maybe she can do it for free the first time because she's new.

And then.

So I fell for that trap too.

Yes.

Where, you know, I've done free events and that's what I'm saying that now I have.

And now I have to get a job to pay for, you know, for someone else's event.

Yeah, I paid for someone I didn't get paid and I paid for their flowers.

Did they say, oh look, we'll promote you.

Yeah, free.

So that's a lot of it.

It's always like, we are gonna blast you on social media and we're gonna share and get so many followers and guess what?

Nothing.

Not happening.

So I also know, like, some people say be patient because, you know, your business is, is, is events.

So you know, people might not have the event right now, but maybe they're gonna remember you.

But that's not guarantee.

Right.

And then that's not how business really can work.

I can just sit and wait and see if somebody, A lot of people, you know, people are excited about the business.

They're like, this is so great.

We're gonna call you, we're gonna say something and then you hear nothing.

So it's a lot of, you know, as we talk, the, the, the networking takes a lot of part of the business and it's exhausting because you're constantly trying to hype people up by your business.

And you are hyped up by your business for sure.

If you have to constantly, you know, look, look, this can be this and that, and then you don't see, really, the feedback is kind of exhausting.

Well, and it's true too, like that you're going to hit a lot of rejection, unfortunately, because you have, like.

You have to knock on so many doors, 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 picture and like, oh.

Which we are gonna put a picture up because it's stunning.

Thank you.

Yeah, try.

Absolutely.

You know, we built the whole bag with the holders for the buckets and then the canvas.

And there were a lot of people helping me along way.

Yeah.

I want to mention that because without them, it would be.

I would be probably still working on it.

No, I understand.

That's how I feel.

So you do need people who believe in you to help you along the way.

I agree.

I think that that's kind of what helps a lot of us go.

Like, it just kind of helps the world go around.

We need to, like, lift each other up, I think.

I watch.

There are some people maybe who 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 our own personalities.

We all bring our own things to the world.

And the market is so big for everyone.

Like, even when you think about your business or my business, like with the flower truck.

You want flower truck?

You can only be at that one event 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.

You can have two events at the same time, but, you know, there's other people who can do it.

Yeah.

It doesn't mean that if I do differently, that I do it better.

It's just that might be fit for 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 boats or all ships.

But that's like, you know, you have 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 I worked for.

They're looking at me right now because we're in the same area.

But the truth is.

Yeah, we're in Suwanee.

But the truth is, I Am not doing a Suwanee.

I was thinking he was in.

At the Avalon.

He is at the Avalon.

Okay.

But he is based Swannie, So most of his business comes in Swanee.

And, you know, and I don't expect the, you know, take over because he's already had the business for 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 to be and what I can do.

Yeah, exactly.

Because, you know, he has his customer base.

So no matter what, like, those customers are still going to go to them.

Right.

It doesn't matter.

Right.

So I never really thought of them being a competition.

They were competition, but I don'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 to be competition.

I really don't.

I don't see it.

I'm trying to, you know, I mean, and even with the other flower tricks, somebody was telling me, 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 can be there, too.

I said, I know, but we're trying to, like, not step on each other's.

Yes.

Unless it's like a prepaid event where somebody really requests me, then that's different than for me to just shop around.

Exactly.

Because, you know, you want them to grow, too.

Yeah.

It's kind of like we have a small florist shop on the roundabout in Suwanee.

It's like I would go and park my car by the station farm there.

I mean, you know, Florist.

Florist.

Oh, I know where that florist shop is.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

They've been there for so long.

So I'm not going to like, park the.

Car park front of there and ask 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 always respectful or that, but it's not everybody's like that.

But hopefully that's going to bring the good karma.

I think so.

Right.

I do.

I do believe in that.

Honestly.

I just think that the good things will keep coming, like, if you put it out there.

Hopefully.

Hopefully that's all we can hope for.

Yeah, exactly.

Man.

I wonder.

So I am actually, we are going to try to work together in the future.

Yes.

I want to do that.

So badly do event we make.

Make your own reef or something 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 we can 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 and probably we'll do it later.

Closer to Christmas, are you thinking?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so.

Yeah.

And I think, you know, it's just like that.

Like we said, it's like the whole experience.

You know, people can take pictures.

We encourage them to go on a truck and, you know, take the pictures with the windows open.

I regret it because the first time 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.

The hot mess, like sweating again.

All I do is sweat.

I know.

I bet with candle it outside in the summer.

Okay, I won't talk about that for you.

It's.

It's bad.

Oh, I'm just mess in the summer.

The hair is like so big.

And then you constantly sweating in this humid and.

Yeah.

But I really wish that I had gotten 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 of teach us how to make our own wreaths.

So look for that kind in the coming months.

But what are some of the like, have you pitfalls that you've fallen into or run into that you're like, okay, if anybody wants to start a business, just kind of be careful of things like this?

Like.

Well, the main thing that we talked about.

Just because you knew doesn't mean you don't have experience.

You're just starting and then you trying to figure out what you want to go.

But don't fall into the free bit.

Yeah.

When you're doing things for free.

I think that.

That I really regret because in 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 thought I was gonna get out of the free events.

Right, right.

And in the end, I mean, you're the one who's gonna suffer financially from that because you put your money 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 effort into it.

Are beautiful.

I keep looking at these little Japanese 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, and they'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.

And so I've kind of learned, like, especially in the beginning, one of the things that I learned was to actually itemize everything.

Right.

Yeah.

So, like, let them see on the invoice, it was this much for this, this much for this, this much for 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, and for some reason they think that the truck.

Which is just funny to me, the truck should be cheaper.

The flowers should be cheaper than Kroger's flowers.

Yeah.

Which a, small business cannot.

Cannot match the prices of these 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.

Right.

So, you know, you're making your own bouquet.

Normally when you pick up bouquet from a store, it's already made.

So you get what's in there.

Yeah.

Up on the truck, you can make what you like, what you see from the selection that's there.

And that's the seasonal flowers from the growers that I have.

And it's different because I try to have flowers there.

Usually not.

You don't usually see.

Right.

In the stores.

So that's one of those things that people don't realize.

And like you say, they don't see all the work behind it, like how you have to process the flowers, 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, you know, it can grow bacteria and.

Yeah.

So there's so much.

So much.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean.

And also, you really have to know 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 it kind of seems real when you have to do it all the time by yourself and you put so much effort 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't do 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.

Another.

Another free job.

Oh, right.

Another.

Exactly.

Yeah.

Another under.

Under appreciated.

Yeah, I guess is what you would say.

I think that you just have to value yourself.

I think that it's important to also just.

I guess I kind of.

What I'm really getting from this whole conversation is people are supporting us and then we can also support each other too.

That is true.

I agree to get us.

Yeah.

I just think that I wish there was more out there.

Like when we talked together.

I mean, I did find.

I wish I remember which business posted it.

But there is one flower track that has a whole write up on the website what you have to do before you start the business.

All the licenses, all the permits, how many buckets of everything you should have on the truck if you need all of that guidance.

So that was very helpful to me because at least, you know, you kind of see the checklist of what you have.

That's amazing.

And then I forgot about the use.

Use.

No sales line.

Use tax.

Oh, yeah.

When I wanted to register myself with the wholesaler and they're like, well, we're gonna need this number.

I'm like, like.

So I was giving them my, my tax ID for the, for the taxes.

And they're like, well, that's not 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 of different numbers.

I don't even know what I'm gonna do with it when tax year comes.

Oh my gosh, it's gonna be interesting.

And then the wholesale stacks is 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 to somebody and she walked me through what to.

Say so because I did send a payment for March, but it's now they're saying that they're going to put 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 guys talking collection agencies when it's.

It's paid?

She goes, but you have to fill out the form.

Oh, I'll help you.

Yeah, but I did that.

I did that for the other ones.

It just, for some reason, did not 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't translate in the whole thing, but it was so annoying.

And then they.

She talked to me like I'm an idiot today.

Oh, I hate that.

I'm so sorry.

Well, you didn't.

I'm like, but if I start filling it up, you guys gonna want me to pay again, right?

That is not true, ma' am.

And when somebody starts mamming me, that's no for me.

Please don't mind me.

Right.

I also don't love the man.

Even though I know we're here in 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'm not from.

The south, but, yeah, same.

Yeah.

All right, ma' am.

Okay, ma' am, let's see if we record it.

That's right.

And you.

All right, you guys.

So I hope that you were able to just enjoy our conversation today.

I was really grateful to have you here.

So much in common.

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.

Did you like the episode that you heard today?

Great.

Share it with a friend.

And don't forget to rate and review.