May 09, 2016
FLORIST KIERAN BIRCHALL
“When you start any business it’s 50 per cent gut instinct and 50 per cent free fall,” says Kieran Birchall, the florist and creative director behind MyFlowerMan. “You can crunch numbers for days but until you’re up and running and reacting to your customers whilst still being true to your creative vision then you can’t get a true sense of feeling like you’re on the right path.”
After working as a real estate agent for many years, a trip to the flower markets in Flemington, Sydney sparked an idea to consider a career in floristry. “But the whole idea was that I wanted to offer a different style and option compared with the more traditional concepts of a florist,” he says. MyFlowerMan, with a focus on native and natural arrangements, started as a side business about 18 months ago but has recently opened a physical store in Sydney’s Paddington.
“The support we have received from the beginning is something I get blown away by,” says Kieran, who grew up in Yamba, a town in Northern NSW. As well as selling flowers, and creating arrangements for clients such as fashion brands Bassike and Tigerlily, he sells floral-inspired artworks in his shop, such as the artwork by Vicki Lee and Ted O’Donnell, pictured above.
Which five words best describe you? This is tough!
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I really took a leap starting MyFlowerMan and thankfully it’s paying off.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Try to work with those who share the same ethos as you. It makes for a much more constructive, interesting and satisfying outcome.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Honestly opening our store in Paddington. It’s amazing how seeing something so tangible with your brand on it makes everything seem real and allows you to reflect on how cool it is to create something from nothing or a very simple idea at least.
What’s been your best decision? Taking a risk to do something I really enjoy.
Who inspires you? Every small business owner. Since launching I have a new-found appreciation for all business owners or anyone how has taken the plunge. Let’s just say I’m shop locally kinda guy.
What are you passionate about? The ocean.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Michael Jordan – to shoot some hoops.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Buying a house or a farm or just somewhere I can tinker and potter around when I’m old. Maybe that’s a country thing?
What are you reading? Sadly nothing at the moment, mostly just reading emails.
images courtesy of kieran birchall; photography elise hassey