In the first year of Fleur, I was really trying to understand two things at the same time: our customers and the flowers themselves. Not every flower works well for retail. Some blooms are absolutely stunning, but they require so much care or they fade so quickly that they simply aren’t practical for everyday bouquets. So in the beginning, a big part of my learning process was figuring out which flowers lasted well and which ones customers loved receiving.

Even though there were many small moments along the way where I realized Fleur was becoming something real, I still found ways to doubt it. Even when something exciting happened, my mind would immediately say, “No, I need to do more.” Or “No, it’s not enough.” Or even “It’s just a flower shop.” Looking back, I realize I had become my own worst critic. Instead of letting those moments affirm the dream, I kept moving the goalpost forward.

When I sit back and try to reminisce about the first year of Fleur, it almost feels like a lifetime ago. I sat there alone from 10am–6pm, and later 12–6pm, believing in a dream with zero customers for days at a time.