Welcome back to The Bloom-Print Podcast.

In this episode we're talking about boundaries and schedules as we head back into the wedding & event season. And I don’t mean the boundaries we set for our clients, although that’s an important conversation too. I'm talking about the boundaries we need to set for ourselves.

During a recent Bloom-Print Members call one of our members was having trouble setting her work schedule.

And it was such a great question because it seems like a simple thing: You do the work to build the business.

But when you’re used to working in a job where there are set hours, set expectations, set KPIs, set deadlines, even set work, moving into entrepreneurship where it’s all on you, up to you and on your timeframe can actually feel a little unsettling.

What should I actually be working on?

When should I be doing it?

How much should I be getting done?

And importantly, how do I schedule it amongst the rest of life and home?

That's what we're diving into today!

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Keen to get more of this in your life?

The Bloom-Print Membership is, it’s my coaching container and mastermind for florists and wedding and event business owners in the first five years of business who are ready to strap in, take their business more seriously and shortcut their way to success.

You get access to all the resources, tools, processes and expert advice I’ve garnered over the last 10 years in this business, plus our mastermind sessions where we work through the actual issues you’re facing in real time so you can get results faster.

We’re talking wedding processes, consultation formats, staffing, budgeting, terms and conditions, marketing strategies, business planning and so much more.

Join now - let's shortcut to success! 

This episode, I'm joined by a very special guest, introducing an incredible product that I truly believe is going to change the landscape of the floral design industry - for real!

We are all very aware of the foam-free conversation, of sustainability amongst an indusrtry that starts with a very natural product, and over in the most remote city in the world here in Perth, accessing those great foam free alternatives, also presents challenges. 

Enter Kristina. 

Kristina Bircsak is a floral designer, eco artist and innovator, and she’s a WA girl - born in Busselton and raised in the Pilbara. Although now living and creating on the East Coast.

With a lifelong love of floristry, art and the natural world, Kristina was influenced from an early age by her mother and grandmother — both passionate gardeners, painters and elders of the South West . Their influence instilled in her a deep appreciation for the relationship between people, land and creativity.

Today, Kristina combines her creative practice with her scientific background and growing passion for sustainability. As the creator of NATRAFORM™, she is developing innovative, plant-based floral mechanics using mycelium and hemp, with a vision to reduce the floristry industry's reliance on traditional floral foam.

NATRAFORM™ is launching across the country very soon - and if you want to get on the waitlist to get a sample of this incredible product head to: https://www.myconetsolutions.com.au/products/natraform-sample-pack

Follow Kristina at: https://www.instagram.com/natraform/ for all the latest and to see how this product is getting put to use by florists all around the country. 

Hello my loves, and welcome back to another episode of The Bloom Print Podcast.

I got to play with flowers last week, actually a couple of times during the week and it felt so good!

That might sound really strange to you for a florist to say that, but the thing is, I haven’t actually touched flowers much the last few weeks, even the last few months.

I’ve spent the off season in the business development space and my days have been consultation focused and admin focused. I can’t tell you how many proposals I’ve done over the last few weeks but it’s been a lot, which is amazing. The admin load has been really heavy, which is THE BEST problem to have, having enquiries to get back to, proposals and moodboards to create and quotes to cost. 

So while I’ve been very laptop focussed lately, there are a few things that have been working really well for me at the moment.

Not necessarily massive strategies or groundbreaking business ideas. Just little changes I’ve made that I’m noticing are having a really positive impact.

So in this episode I'm sharing a few of those with you, because maybe there’s something in here that you can take into your own business.

None of them are particularly complicated.

I'm not talking about a new piece of software or some groundbreaking marketing funnel or a complete overhaul of the business.

They're actually all about removing friction.

In this episode, I'm joined by Norman Yap - Perth-based wedding photographer with close to a decade of experience documenting weddings throughout Australia and around the world.

We dive deep on building a luxury brand in the wedding industry, nurturing a team and managing the work-life flow while creating a sustainable business. 

About Norman Yap

Before photography he spent almost fifteen years working as a paramedic in emergency care - a chapter that taught him to remain calm when emotions are heightened, to think methodically under pressure and if you’ve ever witnessed Norman on the job, you’ll see how this has transferred into his photography work as a calm and reassuring presence at a wedding.

Beyond photography, however, he is first and foremost a son, a husband and a father. Moving through each of these stages of life has changed the way he see people, relationships and the significance of the moments we often take for granted. It has shaped not only the person he has become, but also the artist he continues to grow into.

His approach to weddings is deeply relationship-based. Taking the time to genuinely know the people he photographs to create images that feel honest, considered and true to who they are.

Norman believes weddings are not simply events to be photographed, they are reminders of where we have come from, who has helped shape us and the people we have chosen to walk beside as we move through the chapters of our lives. 

Follow Norman on instagram @normanyapphotography and @nobleandyours

Discover Norman Yap's beautiful work https://normanyap.com.au/ and https://nobleandyours.com.au/

Hello my loves! As you know if you’ve been listening the last few weeks, I've found myself in a bit of a state of reflection lately on just how much my thinking around business has changed over the past decade of doing this. 

There are things I was absolutely convinced were true when I first started that I don't believe anymore.

And there are opinions I hold today that 30-year-old El would've probably argued with.

So in this episode I wanted to share some of those.

They're not all cold hard facts.

They're not rules as such, although some of them are definitely rules I biz by. 

And they certainly won't be everyone's experience. And that’s ok. 

They're simply the business opinions I've formed after ten years of building, making mistakes, trying and testing things, changing my mind and expanding my thinking. 

And if these resonate with you, perhaps you're in the right place and perhaps you need a little bit of help navigating them in your own business. I'm here for that! Join me in The Bloom-Print Membership and let's turn your side hustle into your soul-income! (and I mean that double entendre, it's totally intentional). 

Can we all agree that July is a funny time of year?

January gets all the attention. New goals. New calendars. New planners. New energy.

But July? In Australia?

It's cold and winter somehow makes everything feel just a little slower... 

What I do think, is that this time of year is the perfect time for a checkpoint.

Not a reset. A checkpoint. Because there's a big difference.

A reset suggests something's gone wrong.

A checkpoint simply asks, "Am I still heading where I wanted to go?"

And I think that's one of the most valuable things we can do as business owners.

Because the second half of the year rarely falls apart because of one big decision.

It quietly slips away through a thousand small, unfocussed ones.

So this episode is a little morsel - because I’m leaving you with homework that only you can answer.

Get out your notebook, pull out your January goals and let's reassess what January you wanted for the year, what July you actually needs now and what December you will be grateful you did. 

And if you're feeling like what July you might actually need is more support in you business - my love, I would adore to be of assistance. You can explore 1:1 mentoring to help you really kick those business goals and The Bloom-Print Membership for something a little more self-paced mentorship. 

This episode feels a little bit special because this month marks 10 years in business for Maple & Wren. We’re celebrating, we’re reflecting, I’m getting a bit nostalgic. So, this episode isn’t going to be another 10-year recap. Instead, I started asking myself a different questions when I was putting this episode together. 

What actually changed my business?

When I look back over the last decade, it wasn't one huge moment. It wasn't an award, or a viral Instagram Reel, or one dream wedding.

It was decisions. 

Some of them felt exciting.
Some of them felt terrifying.
Some of them were all knowing game changers.

Some of them didn't even seem like that big of a deal at the time.

But looking back now, I can see each one of the key decisions I’m going to share with you in this episode quietly changed the direction of the business and changed me as a creative and a business owner.

So in this episode I want to share the 10 decisions that, in hindsight, built Maple & Wren and built me as a business owner. 

If you want to hear about 2016 vs 2026 for me - you can go back and listen to Episode 82 - 2016: More than just a trend.

And if this has got you wondering what the next 10 years could look like for your business - perhaps it's time to invest in some support. Join The Bloom-Print Membership and join an intimate group of Australian florists and wedding business owners pushing towards the next level in their businesses. I can't wait to see you in there! 

Yes, you did read that right, and no, it's actually not just for clickbait. 

It’s the first week of July, we’ve just begun a new Financial year and I want to take you behind the scenes on the numbers of my business for the 25/26 financial year.  Because I want to talk about what it means to make a loss in your business, and why that might not be the worst thing in the world, wether you’re in the early years, or you’re 10 years in like I am. 

Now I didn’t set out to make a loss this financial year, and when I first got the tax planning email from my accountant, my first reaction wasn’t to be thrilled at seeing a sizeable loss recorded against a business I’ve worked really hard in for 10 years. But then I reminded myself that this didn't happen to us—it happened because of decisions we made on purpose. We chose to invest. We knew it would affect this year's numbers. Now the job is to make sure those investments actually pay off.

In this episode I'm talking about the real numbers of my business this year, playing the long game, investing in growth and the measures of success... plus we talk a bit about tax benefits and what making a loss actually means in a positive sense. Oh yes, you best believe there are always silver linings when you run your own business and I'm sharing them with you! 

I want to talk about “doing it all.”

I’ve had a few people recently — friends, clients, people I work with — ask me, “How do you do it all?”

And honestly? I don’t.

I really want to unpack that, because I think we throw this phrase around constantly, especially around women in business. Like doing it all is somehow the goal. Or the benchmark of success.

But the truth is, I’m not doing it all.

I have an incredible team who does a lot of it with me. I have a really supportive family who help with my kids when I need it. I have people around me who carry parts of the load. And in this episode I'm sharing what that looks like with you, and how it might look for you too. 

But mostly, I'm using this episode to help you ask a different question. Not 'how can I do it all' but 'Who can help me get there'.

In this episode, I'm giving you a shake up for free. Well, actually, not me, exactly.  In this episode I'm joined by one of my favourite humans the one and only Candice Harvey. The QUEEN of shake ups.

I met Candice back in 2021 in a coaching container and since then, we’ve been right in each other’s corners. Candice Harvey is the woman you call when your people, leaders, or entire organisation needs a serious shake up - the kind that drives real action and better results.

Through high-impact workshops, keynotes, and event facilitation, Candice works with teams and leaders to cut through the noise, get clear on what matters, and actually follow through - not just talk about it.

Candice is a performance coach and she understands human behaviour inside out - why people do what they do… and why they don’t do what they know they should.

She’s direct, downright hilarious and so freaking engaging. Not only that, Candice is now also an Amazon Best Selling Author of The Shake Up and host of The Shake Up Podcast.

In this episdoe we're chatting how to spot when you need a shake up, banning the word busy, setting boundaries and going all in. 

Trust me, you're going to love this chat!