Why do I do what I do?

As the general manager of Parfum Flower Company I often get questions like: why do you do what you do? Why do you specialize in these roses? How did you get started?

When I started as ‘the sales guy’ from Parfum Flower Company many people told me I was crazy. “The roses are of bad quality and very limited in numbers. There’s no profit in them. Every single flower has damages and the vase life is very poor.” This is what I was told many times by the rose buyers from wholesale and export companies in the industry. What I also heard a lot was that it is not possible to cool store the roses, so nobody in the flower industry would be really interested.
Yes, it was hard in the beginning, but I always had to laugh a bit. Because I learned quite quickly that once you have roses in your hands and you smell them, you’re hooked. Like a guilt-free drug.
When writing this, I think about the day I gave my wife scented roses for the first time. Going back to that memory makes me remembering the scent I smelled that day. It became a vivid memory. That is what scent does to the brain, it is a strong memory maker, even stronger than taste, vision and touch.

It was summer 2011, end of July and the first shipment of scented roses arrived from Africa. No name cards were attached and the packaging was awful. Together with some friends and colleagues from other companies we took a critical look at the flowers. They were very dry and looked very sad. We hydrated the flowers for a couple of hours and then I took some home. Still doubting, is this good enough? Where the naysayers right?

But then I saw the face of my wife who smelled the roses for the first time. Also those of my parents. I will never forget this moment. They started to smile and shine.
How beautiful they said the roses were, and the scents. Incredible. I can still see the expression on their faces.

Now to today, 6 years ahead from this memory. From a 1 person business to a grown company with 11 employees. And more to come this year. Constantly seeking for the most beautiful roses, not just in Africa, but everywhere in the world. We source flowers from many countries now, and tell the world that truly amazing and exquisite roses not only exist, but are available too! And we do so many other cool things, so many projects have been done and are underway. New varieties of roses, from new growers and breeders, are added almost weekly. We start to sell potted rose plants this spring. How great it is to have a beautiful rose in your wedding bouquet and the same rose plant in your garden?

I wish it was already summer so I can see the first happy faces of people smelling our roses on the plants. I wish I could see the look of the bride one year after her wedding, smelling the roses in her garden. Remembering her best day even more vivid because of the scent of the roses in her wedding bouquet. Just like I will never forget the day I gave my wife the first scented roses 6 years ago.

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