Ferdinando de Freitas in his Sydney shop, Garlands. Photo: Edwina Pickles
A relationship break-up and getting dizzy going around in circles was enough to drive Ferdinando de Freitas from a career as a monorail driver to a florist.
Not without its "side benefits", de Freitas did, however, enjoy a seat that gave him a bird's-eye view of the changing city landscape. "I just didn't feel that doing circles all day was my destiny," he laughs.
"It was an easy ride. I didn't need previous experience at all except for a driver's licence, though that doesn't get you far on the monorail ... for starters, there's no gears."
Before monorails, de Freitas ran his own milk delivery business for several years.
He now runs his own florist, Garlands Florist."Looking back, I'd always wanted to be a florist, so when the opportunity presented itself, I made the switch," he says.
De Freitas got started by taking up a course in floristry. "I did my training at Pearsons School of Floristry," he says.
"It was around the same time a friend had opened a florist shop down the road, so I worked there to gain hands-on experience."
It worked out better than expected and he ended up taking over the business.
Along the way, de Freitas has learnt about everything to do with flowers. "Obviously, there is more to being a florist than just flowers," he says. "Running the business has been exciting, though challenging. I mean, it's demanding with all those early starts, deadlines and lots of organisation ... but it's a creative heaven."
According to de Freitas, you need a solid foundation to launch your own floristry business. "I got most of that from the curriculum at the school of floristry," he says.
"Apart from the theory, a determination to succeed, good customer skills and a never-say-die attitude has kept me going."
The milk run and his time as a monorail driver also contributed to his business acumen.
"Owning my own business back then gave me an idea about what's involved, while working on the monorail provided me with sound customer service skills," he says.
The hardest parts remain finances and establishing a brand. "Copying someone else will get you nowhere," he warns.
"Success in any field is a mindset ... if you are truly passionate about what you do, you will always come out on top."
Owning a florist has also provided de Freitas with some interesting moments. "One day I watched in pure amazement as this guy came into the shop on a bicycle," he laughs. "He did a lap around the store and left before I could get the chance to ask what kind of flowers he was looking for."
On the plus side , the freedom of creativity and being his own boss are equally as attractive.
"It sure beats going around in circles all day," he laughs.
"But boy, when you deal with the public day in, day out, you certainly see some odd things."
