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Extra Features and Video Online FloristsReview.com R E A D O N L I N E 13 FR : What advice can you give to someone starting in the floral industry? AIV: You have to create the types of designs and the types of things you want, and you need to be paid for them. And, even if you don't think anyone is watching, they are. I've often wondered how people have heard about us, but we've found that if you are doing something good and people see the work and your passion, there are going to be opportunities. Education is super important, and we couldn't have grown without it. ere's a confidence that education gives you. You may know something, but it's not until you see how it works for someone else and how they do it that you know you can do it. If money is an issue, you don't have to pay to join a class and, instead, use YouTube and follow the stories of others. We are always teaching. Oh, and it is important to have a marketing budget. Even though we didn't have the cash to put into ads, every time we did something for an event, we figured out how much of something we could gift. We used to send flower crowns for free to influencers in hopes of growing our brand. FR : What has it been like working with your daughter at Aniska Creations? AIV: When Anais was singing in Venezuela, I traveled with her because she was so young and the entourage was male dominated. It was a good experience for both of us. She says I helped her be in the spotlight. So, we already had that dynamic of working together. At Aniska Creations, she trusts me 100 percent with the design, and I trust her to get the flowers and handle the business end of things. Anais selects all the flowers and does the budgeting and scheduling, ensuring that my creativity has a successful outlet. Working as a team has been much easier to run a successful business than if it was just me in charge of everything. FR : What do you see for Aniska Creations in the future? AIV: We're working on getting a warehouse for our event business, which is also growing. We're also building a new online teaching platform where we're going to be doing a lot of content. More education opportunities, bigger events, more staff and more creative things that can keep excited about this business. at's key for us. We're so excited that we want to work 24/7, and all we talk about for hours is the business. When we left Venezuela years ago, we didn't know what we were going to do, but we knew we would be safe. is is a new life that we didn't think we were going to have, but we love it. We're grateful to everyone who helped us, and we try to do the same for others.

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