At a time when many businesses were sent reeling by the coronavirus pandemic, floral designer Debbi Weiss made the unusual move of launching her first retail shop, selling flowers and showcasing the works of local artists.
Ms Weiss is among a number of Sydney business owners who have launched or expanded a business despite the additional risks and uncertainties brought on by the pandemic.She said downsizing from her house - where she had space to run her Dragonfly Floral Design business - to an apartment was the main trigger to pursue her retail dreams, but the uptick in online sales had convinced her it was the right move.
"The biggest challenge has been with event planning and the moving goalposts,” she said. "I have couples whose guest numbers have changed from 40 to 70 to 110, and that has had flow-on effects … I’ve had to reorganise several times."Despite the extra hurdles, she believes small business owners who persevere through the hard times will do well in the future.
"If our stuff hadn't already left, there would've been massive delays and it would've been a real nightmare," Jack Masel, manager of the new 9 Degrees in Waterloo, said. Co-owner Luke Heard said they started working on Acre Artarmon two years ago. And within a year they were fully committed to the project: a 2000-square metre, greenhouse-like venue with gardens, a playground and a chicken coop.“The [months before our opening] were extremely challenging ... we were fortunate to have a good development partner who was flexible,” he said.
EstherHjHan Great to hear similar stories. We created our signature hot air balloon during the iso - an orchid inside a balloon which lasts for 6 months.