How luxury gifting company Venus et Fleur is disrupting flower retail
Wife-and-husband duo Seema Bansal Chadha and Sunny Chadha’s journey to launching one of the floral industry’s most talked-about brands started from a romantic gesture gone wrong.
The entrepreneurial couple spoke with Inside Retail about launching their luxury gifting company, plans for building up the brand in the year ahead, and how they maintain a peaceful work-life balance.
Inside Retail: How did you come up with the concept for Venus e Fleur?
Seema Bansal Chadha: When we first started dating, Sunny sent me flowers for Valentine’s Day and what I received wasn’t what he had ordered, despite the effort and research he did prior. We realised there was a huge gap in the industry for quality luxurious florals so we created Venus et Fleur, the first-ever floral brand specialising in florals that last an entire year without the need for water. We partnered with a family farm in Ecuador that specialises in the growth and preservation of our florals and we still work closely with them today.
IR: Where are the current white spaces in this field and how is Venus et Fleur helping fill them in?
SBC: Innovating the floral space, constantly developing new florals that last a year, birthing stores in new places, and creating experiences with our florals.
IR: What have been the biggest highlights and setbacks you’ve experienced in building the business thus far?
SBC: We are the first of its kind. We truly don’t have any other brands to look at who have done the same thing so we are paving the way, investing in the category, and creating a new thought process for consumers. I think there have been multiple learnings and setbacks but also many rewards and blessings, it’s part of the journey!
IR: What does a typical day look like for you?
SBC: We both work out of our production facility which also has an office. We like to be hands-on and work with our team.
IR: What is your approach to work/life balance?
SBC: We realise there may never be a true balance but we try to juggle it all. We love what we do but we know that we need to take time for ourselves, our relationship and desires. We truly enjoy speaking about work and sharing our dreams with each other but find we need time to reset when we have time. For Sunny, that’s playing golf and for myself, it’s connecting with my spirituality and having quiet time.
IR: What are your top priorities/areas of focus for the brand over the next 12 months?
SBC: Our focus is our brand. Our priorities are building out more brand awareness, and storytelling along with our brand strategy. 2024 is all about the brand!
IR: What is a piece of advice you wish you had gotten at the beginning of your brand journey?
SBC: Documenting everything. It’s so easy to get lost in the everyday life and consumption of being a founder but you forget about some of the learnings that make you grow as a leader as well as the entire journey!
IR: Where would you like to see your company in the next five years?
SBC: We would love to do more brand real-life experiences, global retail doors, new product categories, and bigger collaborations.
IR: Let’s do a lightning round. I’m currently feeling…
SBC: Good! Focusing on a positive mindset but also not taking no for an answer and finding ways to get things done efficiently and effectively.
IR: My best time management tip is…
SBC: What works very well for me is to write everything down on a to-do list and physically cross it off. Time blocking in the calendar is a great way to manage time and get tasks done. This helps with procrastinating situations.
IR: The items in my toolbox that make me feel prepared are…
SBC: To-do lists, meditation, time blocking.
IR: One thing I wish I knew when I was younger…
SBC: The best thing you can do is believe in yourself, otherwise no one else will.
IR: Outside of work, I’m passionate about…
SBC: Travel, design, family and spirituality.
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