City Flowers by Ioana - Every bouquet, a joy

Blog
23.01.2020
City Flowers by Ioana - Every bouquet, a joy
23.01.2020

Ioana Nechifor is the founder of the City Flowers by Ioana company in Sibiu and the Romanian champion in floral art. Through her talent, work and passion for this field, Ioana managed to develop a very successful business and to become more and more known through her impeccable services and special floral arrangements.

Hello, Ioana. We are glad that you have agreed to be part of our „People of Sibiu” project and that you want to tell us about your successful City Flowers project.
With great pleasure, I enjoy talking about it. City Flowers is already part of my life, it's not just a project.

1. Tell us how the story of City Flowers started and where the idea for this business originated.
More than 10 years ago I came in contact with this field in the magic shop of Darius Dadoo, who had at that time the most beautiful flower shop in Sibiu. Since then I have fallen hopelessly in love with flowers and then I realized that I don't see myself doing anything else in life, even though I had been studying music for 15 years and had been a piano teacher for about 3 years.
I never considered myself a businesswoman, but because I had to somehow earn a living while working in this field, I learned step by step what it means to turn your passion into a business.
At first I worked as a volunteer, because I was fascinated by this field and I really wanted to learn, then I was hired, then I was an associate, then followed a wonderful experience in London where I worked for half a year with great florists. About 7 years ago I returned to Sibiu to open City Flowers by Ioana, excited about everything I had learned there.

2. Do you have mentors in the field who inspire you?
The one to whom I owe the first emotions related to flowers and who actually put a bouquet in my hand for the first time was Darius Dadoo. I am grateful to life that I had the privilege of knowing him, working with him for so many years and learning what it means to be truly passionate. I stayed awake with him for the first time in my life for 72 hours to prepare for all the weddings that weekend, and the fatigue seemed to have other dimensions because the adrenaline and the pleasure I worked with anesthetized my senses. Darius has now passed away, but he will exist forever in my soul and will live through all the flowers that pass through my hand every day.
Currently, the Romanian florist I admire the most is Nicu Bocancea, the one who together with his family owns the Iris flower shops in Bucharest. He is an example of determination, work, professionalism and talent. I consider him the best Romanian florist at the moment and very valuable internationally. He is an inexhaustible source of inspiration and he responded positively, with joy, whenever I asked him for advice, and meetings with him are always an impulse for my work. I learned a lot from him and he continues to amaze me with every project of his.

3. Why Sibiu? In your opinion, what makes Sibiu „HOME”?
Because my family is here, my friends, this is where I went to school, I grew up and this is where most of the valuable people in my life are. In addition, Sibiu has developed a lot lately and from an economic, touristic, cultural point of view it is among the most appreciated cities in Romania. Although I received several proposals to move to Bucharest, I always chose, without hesitation, Sibiu.

4. Have you always been passionate about this field, or did the idea come in time?
Since I was little, I was attracted to activities that involved creativity. I liked going to the Students' Club in Cisnădie for courses in applied art, painting, weaving, ceramics, music. In 5th grade, my parents enrolled me at the Art Lyceum and until the end of the faculty I studied music, then becoming a teacher at the Sibiu Art Lyceum. During all this time I was making natural fiber braids, various Christmas decorations, „mărțișoare” (traditional Romanian trinkets/tessels) and I got involved in volunteering activities with children, holding various workshops.
Music will forever hold a special place in my life, but the moment I discovered flowers I felt that all my searches were over!

5. If you were to tell us in three words what City Flowers means to you, what would those words be?
Life, Joy, Work.

6. What makes City Flowers different from the rest of the businesses in the field?
From the beginning I knew that City Flowers is a crazy passion, in which I invested a lot of money, a huge amount of work, sleepless nights, efforts that to some would seem inhuman, the sacrifice of time with loved ones.
I didn't regard City Flowers from the beginning as a business, which wasn't to my advantage, if I judged objectively. Every time I earned something, I invested everything in courses with great designers, I participated in exhibitions, competitions and I was present at the most important international floristic events.
But, I think that this passion without discernment, together with the help of the people who were by my side, led to the way City Flowers is perceived now in Sibiu.

7. You work in a creative environment, how do you find your inspiration in everyday life?
I often get this question... for me, inspiration is such a simple and natural thing... it doesn't seem to me that we have to look for it, or learn it, or force it, it exists in us.
When all our attention is turned to phones, televisions, or the unpleasant things around us, the inspiration disappears.
It's so simple ... look at the sky, in the eyes of children, walk through nature, travel, love and inspiration comes.

8. How did you promote yourself?
Promotion was generally another aspect of the business that I did not give due importance to. I let things flow naturally and along the way I began to understand that something has to be done in this regard as well.
First, I created a Facebook page on which I posted pictures of my works, then I worked a lot on the first presentation site, which became „obsolete” quite quickly. There were short reports and interviews from various events, I wrote articles on the blog, I reinvested in a newer and better performing site, I bought a new camera, I took photography and Photoshop courses so I could prepare the promotion materials on my own.
We are currently working on the fourth version of the site, with an online store, preparing promotional campaigns on Google, collaborating with a photographer and videographer for the materials which are to be published and we have a marketing specialist who is building a long-term strategy.
However, I believe that the most valuable method of promotion is our own work. When people receive flowers from us and like them, they look at the label and contact us to make someone else happy, too, by ordering flowers for a loved one.

9. We know that you won the Romanian Cup of Floral Art and the first place at the National Contest of Floral Arrangements in Bucharest and we want to ask you what it was that determined you to participate every year, until you obtained the much desired result.
The Romanian Cup is a complex competition with an international jury and very complex and demanding judging criteria. Such a contest stimulates the creativity of a florist to the maximum, it is a challenge that you do not encounter in everyday life at a flower shop. So, I accepted the challenge and made the most of this experience.
I participated in the National Contest about 5-6 times until I won because I had to fulfill a „promise”. Darius Dadoo was the winner of the second edition and when I called him to congratulate him, he said: „Ioana, you must also come next year to win this contest!”. I was on the podium every time, but I was never first. Last time I decided to participate as many times as needed until I would win. The following year I won first place and the Popularity Award offered by the Dutch Ambassador in Bucharest.

10. What do you want for City Flowers in the future and what are your future projects?
I want the new headquarters we moved in to become a well-known place, where people can come with pleasure and leave happy. I also want to develop the team with passionate, serious and involved people who want to support the development of this project. Soon, I will also start a series of accredited courses for adults, but also workshops for children in which I want to participate as many flower lovers as possible.
We also have other plans, bigger and bolder, but you know how it is… it's good to keep them „in house” until they are fulfilled.



11. What would you pass on to those who would like to open a small business out of their passion? What is the secret to success in this field?
I think the first step they need to take is education. It is essential to take a few courses to get things right from the start. Own mistakes and learning along the way are also a good teacher, but generate huge losses of money, clients and time. A qualification course costs much less than a possible mistake at an event.
Perhaps the most important thing is to have a team by your side, the right people to help you. Alone, you will never succeed!

There is no secret to success, because success is relative for everyone. A lot, a lot of work, a crazy passion and the desire to succeed were my „secrets”, I think.

12. Finally, tell us where your clients can find you and how they can contact you.
You can find us at 18 Turismului Street, always with flowers in your arms..., on Facebook: City Flowers by Ioana, instagram: cityflowersbyioana, by phone 0749089656 and on www.city-flowers.ro

Thank you for your time and for the beautiful things you do for our city!
Thank you for your patience and interest, with which you listened to me!
Photo by: City Flowers by Ioana