Today we’d like to introduce you to Mariia Yatsura.
Hi Mariia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hello!
I’m happy to share my story. I’ll keep it short and cover the main moments.
I started working as a florist back in Ukraine when I was a student. It was just a part-time job at first, but I fell in love with it and decided to do it full-time while continuing my classes. I was incredibly lucky with my team, and I’ll always be grateful to them for seeing my potential, giving me a chance with no experience, and teaching me everything from scratch. We were always super busy because our shop was right in the heart of my hometown, next to a popular pedestrian street and lots of cafes.
But shortly after I went full-time, the war in Ukraine started. I’ll never forget that morning. Like everyone else, I was panicking and completely lost. But I still went to work under the sound of sirens because I knew we had pre-ordered bouquets that needed to be sent out. Of course, when we called the customers, they said they didn’t need them anymore because they were evacuating. The shop closed that day for an unknown period. But about two months later, we reopened, and slowly things started getting busy again. The most emotional part for me was making bouquets ordered by soldiers. They would message us online from the front lines, asking us to deliver flowers to their moms or wives because they were protecting our country and unfortunately couldn’t do it themselves.
Later on, life changed, and I moved to the US. Full of excitement, I started looking for a job at local flower shops. I sent my resume and portfolio everywhere, but I didn’t get a single reply.
Instead of giving up, I got inspired to start my own flower brand. At first, I was just making bouquets for friends, then for friends of friends, and step by step, new customers started reaching out to me with orders.
Right now, I’m trying to find the best way to adapt the European style of bouquets for local customers. I want to show them something new but also make sure it feels comfortable and not too unusual for them.
My favorite part is getting feedback from my customers and hearing how much they love their bouquets, especially from brides. Knowing that they trusted me with such an important day in their lives and that I was able to bring their vision to life means so much to me. It’s incredibly inspiring and reminds me that I’m on the right path.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think the hardest part for me was moving to the USA. I came here with my boyfriend at the time, leaving my family and friends back home. Starting a new life in a new country was definitely not easy.
After we moved, we had to deal with many of the same things most people experience when starting over in a new country: finding a job, finding a place to live, making new friends, and learning how everything works here. We were figuring everything out together and supporting each other along the way.
But I wouldn’t really call these things problems. They were simply different life situations that I had to go through and learn from. I’m really happy that this part of my life is behind me now and that I can put my energy and effort into my floral work and something I truly love. I’m also very thankful to my husband for always supporting me along the way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At the moment, my main specialty is European-style wrapped bouquets. I also create bridal bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages, as well as floral arrangements and decor for weddings. I especially love working on weddings, when brides come to me with their ideas and wishes. I enjoy talking everything through with them, understanding what they envision, and then bringing that vision to life. Seeing the final result and knowing that I helped make their special day even more beautiful makes me incredibly happy.
I think one thing that sets me apart is that I’m naturally a bit of a perfectionist, and I bring that into my work as well. I pay close attention to even the smallest details and always try to make everything as perfect as possible. Every bouquet I create is custom, and I’m always happy to work with my clients’ ideas and requests. If they have a specific color palette or a particular type of flower in mind, I’ll do my best to make it happen. Custom orders do require some advance planning and pre-ordering, but I’m always happy to help bring my clients’ ideas to life.
For me, it’s important to be more than just a flower shop that provides a service. I want to be someone my customers can trust and rely on for some of the most important days of their lives, whether it’s a birthday, a proposal, a wedding, or any other special celebration. I want them to feel comfortable coming back to me again and again, knowing that I’ll always do my best for them.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I think the most important lesson I’ve learned is that success doesn’t always depend on how hard or how much you work. Patience is just as important.
You can’t have new ideas, motivation, and energy 24/7. There will be days, or even weeks, when you feel like nothing is working and you’ve run out of ideas. I’ve learned to be patient and understand that these moments will pass. Maybe it takes a day, a few days, or even a week, but I know I’ll feel inspired and full of new ideas again.
I also see patience as understanding that big businesses and big dreams start with small steps. I recently heard an interesting saying that many great American companies started their journey in a small garage. A good example is Apple, with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, who, by the way, has Ukrainian roots. They started Apple in a garage in California and worked on their early computer project there. It really made me think about my own journey.
I honestly hope that one day I’ll be able to say that my successful business started in a small garage.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blossom.garden.nc?igsh=MWV3OTZsaTJ2cGhmNA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560217053325
