Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Sara-lee Sinclair-Smith

Summary

  • I am a highly driven creative who has an innate natural passion for all formats of design.
  • 20+ years experience in the floral event and design industry.
  • I pride myself on being a diverse communicator who enjoys assisting clients to help bring their visions or spaces to life.
  • Work effectively and productively with all clients, suppliers + colleagues.
  • I have worked advantageously in many unique professional creative environments, from the florist shop floor, onsite + destination events, weddings, corporate installments, homeware design, interior styling for both personal clients and commercial projects.
  • Super yacht interior to crew style projects, events + providore.
  • From working within these creative industries and my own floral design + homewares stores to homestyling / open home staging and garden business I have obtained extensive experience in logistical planning for all design projects and events.
  • Retail management, administration, client appraisals, quotations, design look books and mock setups.
  • With a natural creative eye for detail, a hands on creative approach with the ability to understand the importance of genuine customer service and being loyal to help drive a business to success.
  • I have how-too intelligence to acquire new skills efficiently and quickly.
  • I cope well under timeline pressures with a friendly honest and outgoing disposition.
  • Marketing + business strategy to drive a business forward.
  • Collaborating with industry peers with communication, inspiration and a dynamic passion for projects and genuine daily obligations.
  • Communicating + sourcing perishable products from beautiful florals + plants, event styling products.
  • Liaising logistics + timelines.

Overview

36
36
years of professional experience

Work History

Florist and Interior Stylist

Contract At Cordony Group + Others
09.2022 - Current

For the last year and half I have been working as the florist manager for a large high end styling company.

Within this role I styled and designed for multiple high end homes and apartments across Sydney.

It was a diverse range as I would be creating, picking, planning, quoting to then designing onsite.

I have also been freelancing with interior styling for clients in the inner west area of Sydney and also as an event florist.

I feel I have gained so much knowledge with doing this in the aspect of working with a client and their environment.

I relocated to Sydney in September 22' to initially take an opportunity of a well known florist brand as the florist manager of their stores and online warehouse.



Freelance Florist / Interior + Garden Design

Auckland | Christchurch | Nelson | Blenheim
02.2012 - 09.2022
  • Over this 10 year timeline I have been active with a diverse range of projects from self employment and contract jobs.
  • I started Miss FlowerGirl initially from a homebase studio catering to online orders, weddings and events in the Nelson / Marlborough regions.
  • I undertook creating workshops hosting alongside beautiful venues + sponsors.
  • Regularly over these years I would be contracted to style homes in the area for photoshoots.
  • Nelson Arts Festival 2011 - 2016. I was also the floral + event designer to work collectively with other professionals at creating the unusual theatrical spaces.
  • In 2016 I opened a pop up florist + homeware store with a cafe.
  • Within this space I renovated an inner city apartment for my daughters and I also to live. It was an empty shell that over a few months was turned into a hub of creativity leasing to other professionals working from this space. Such as a jeweler, graphic designer, marketing, architect.
  • Halfway through 2017 I was employed on contract to re brand and design the new interiors and style for Tussie Mussie Florist situated in in Auckland. This was from a new takeover. I was tasked with rebranding / styling / product sourcing / product creation / marketing /staff training and management.
  • This lead me to purchasing Twig and Bloom.
  • Being back near Auckland this business had a diverse role in the wider community.
  • We were the go to florist, weddings and events were a large part of the year and I started to restyle interiors for customers either for their on houses or for resale open homes.
  • Dealing with contractors and real estate agents on the objective to get the best price possible.
  • I also diversified into my love of gardening and soon had numerous weekly gardens to service and design.
  • I took on a 5 month contract with an event company as their senior stylist to help them with the busy season and their large weddings and galas.
  • They were also a company that hard a wholesale department for flowers and creating a style that was then distributed to supermarkets Auckland wide.


Florist Proprietor

Earthbloom Flowerstore Nelson
03.2011 - 12.2012
  • I purchased Earthbloom Flowerstore in Nelson in 2011 retuning there after the Christchurch earthquakes.
  • I rebranded, relocated and refurbished a beautiful corner store which is one of Nelson heritage sites.
  • This became a very busy and popular florist instantly with wedding and events.
  • I hosted events within the space and also co-created a space where I allowed other creatives to work also such as a jeweler an interior designer, artists and graphic designers.
  • This had a modern vibrant vibe.
  • I worked on many photoshoots, charity events between Nelson and Blenheim and followed on with my connection in Christchurch I would travel regularly between Queenstown, Wanaka, Tekapo and Canterbury for weddings and events.
  • I created a new online shopify website and employed staff who really wanted to enter into the world of flowers.
  • One junior won NZ apprentice of the year.
  • Within this time frame I won the 'NZ's Peoples Choice Award" as florist of the year and was runner up in 12'.
  • I hosted workshops in-store and at different venues collaborating with other creatives and giving floral demonstrations.
  • I also worked on the creative team for Nelson Arts Festival.
  • During the busy season I would also come to Auckland and host a 3 day workshop for Asia Pacific SuperYachts and cater to their clients onboard.
  • I sold this business at it's height as my girls were little and needing more of my time.
  • I continued to freelance and work around their needs.

Event Resource Manager

Perfect Day Floral + Events
12.2007 - 02.2011
  • Perfect Day Floral + Event Design Christchurch, At this point in time I relocated to Christchurch and worked being around being a Mum of 2 little girls.
  • Perfect Floral + Event Design was a home-based business where I catered to weddings, events and charity functions.
  • I worked all over the south island, from Nelson down to Queenstown and would have solid booked out wedding seasons.
  • I also would come up to Auckland and help Flowers After Hours over their busy times and continued to cater to Asia Pacific Super Yachts, Integrated Marine and Reid Yacht Services with hosting my 3 day workshop for crew and also creating florals for on board and their private clients.
  • Over this period I also became involved in the detailing of the yachts from the soft furnishings and finishing touches.
  • To sourcing and suppling such things as high quality linen to dinner sets, glassware, vases etc.
  • In 2010 I took on a role with Continental Catering as their Resource Manager which was essentially the logistics staff manager of over a 100 staff and also managing various events from Kaikoura Food Fest to Michael Hill Golf in Wanaka to large destination weddings and events.
  • However the Earthquakes happened and with 2 toddlers I decided to let this role go.
  • Over this period in 09' + 10' I won the NZ's Peoples Choice Award for best Florist.
  • I worked on installations at both the Auckland and Christchurch for the Ellerslie Flower Shows.

Florist

Freelance Florist + Stylist
08.2002 - 03.2007
  • During this period I worked as a freelance contract florist and stylist for magazines around the Auckland region.
  • I was regularly working at Flowers After Hours, Wild Poppies, Flowers on Franklin, Toi Toi, Pick Me, and others.
  • At times managing / market buying / product sourcing / styling.
  • I also had a niche market with my own clients in the superyacht industry and in the seasons I would be employed to supply all florals on board and set design for soirees or events. I worked for Asia Pacific SuperYachts, Integrated Marine + Reid Yacht Services.
  • Over this time period I worked as an international freelancer. Destinations events and weddings.
  • Working internationally when sourcing products from florals to candles table settings - logistical communication was key.
  • During 2004 I had my first daughter + 2007 I had my second daughter.

Florist / Stylist

Botanicus Floral Studio + Gifts
03.2003 - 08.2004
  • Having returned from overseas and finishing up with the Americas cup in Auckland I purchased the Flower Room florist in Nelson and rebranded it into Botanicus.
  • It soon became a very popular busy store where I specialised in weddings at the top of the south.
  • This was at a time when online stores were at the beginning and I worked on establishing Botanicus onto an online platform.
  • In the store I sold beautiful modern homewares and gifts.
  • I worked with charities and hosted events and worked on the creative team of Nelson arts festival.
  • I sold this business onto a florist friend who continued to flourish it for many years, it's still operating today under a different name .

Florist + Interior Stylist

Nantucket Island
01.2000 - 01.2002
  • Trillium Florist - Robyn Berglund is one of Americas infamous designers florally and with interior design.
  • I was so fortunate to be accepted onto her team as an intermediate designer and stylist.
  • In this role we created amazing weddings of notoriety and weekly house flowers for some amazing clients.
  • Preparing holiday homes beautifully and styling.
  • Working on the Trillium team we traveled regularly to NYC where I would spend weeks working on large scale events.
  • Trillium the store it self was beautiful an interior design studio / florist / homewares and european antiques.
  • I had insight and hands on with all projects she undertook.
  • This is also where work with superyachts began.

Florist Manager

FlowerPower Christchurch
04.1999 - 04.2001
  • Flower Power back in the day was a beautiful modern florist situated in Merivale.
  • In this role I was lucky to be given management guidance on buying / sourcing and given free reign to let my young creative heart design.
  • It was a very busy popular florist with regular weekly corporates' and busy wedding seasons.
  • We worked on Lord of the Rings series with assisting floral design and some styling.
  • With this role I was fortunate enough that during the quieter months I would head off overseas working and travelling.
  • NB: Overseas Florist.

Variety of Employment

Varied
1995 - 2001

2001 - 2017

Super Yacht Stewardess

Varied over the years since


2009-2010 -Summer

Waitress / Cellar Door

Pegasus Bay Winery - Waipara


1999

KirKaldies & Stains - Wellington

Junior Window Dresser / stylist


Waitressing / cafe work Since I young teenage girls I have worked in many various restaurants and cafes for extra work and love the vibe and pace of the hospitality industry.

My Mother also had an art gallery and cafes at different periods that I would assist in working and creating with her.

Retail Assistant Manager

Living & Giving
01.1989 - 01.2001
  • This was a family business that my Mother was involved in.
  • I would assist her on and off with not only this business but others she opened.
  • This is where my love of design started and the starting up of the new stores as it launched slowly nationally.
  • Retail is in my blood and so is design.

Sydney + Melbourne

Freelance
01.1997 - 01.2000
  • When I finished my studies and having worked as an apprentice 2 years I spread my wings.
  • I started with Sydney where I soon become a multi store manager for Roses Only + Lush Flowers.
  • This company was owned by a family who had a multitude of business.
  • I enjoyed this diverse role as a young woman that had me going to the flower markets, setting stores up and working on weddings and events.
  • In this period I also assisted in opening the stores in Melbourne.
  • In this timeline they grew to being Australia's largest online florist and still are, I would buy at the market supply the stores, roster staff, wedding, events.
  • This florist delivered flowers nation wide.
  • NB: in this time period I would come back and forth between FlowerPower.

Education

NZ Florist of The Year
2009

Floristry + Horticulture Diploma

Waikato Polytechnic
1996

Skills

  • Sales and service-oriented
  • Floristry Management
  • Financial Budgets
  • Merchandising styling
  • Quality control
  • Website marketing
  • Floral retail store management
  • Workshop creator
  • Qualified Floral Tutor NZQA
  • Client communication
  • Interior visual design
  • Retail sales
  • Customer service
  • Staff management
  • Detail-oriented
  • Logistical planning
  • Positive and friendly
  • Planning and Organisational
  • Floral Event Design process
  • Budget projection
  • Creative merchandising and display
  • Client meetings
  • Personnel development
  • Goal-oriented
  • Floral Market buying product sourcing
  • Team Management
  • Strong analytical ability

Timeline

Florist and Interior Stylist

Contract At Cordony Group + Others
09.2022 - Current

Freelance Florist / Interior + Garden Design

Auckland | Christchurch | Nelson | Blenheim
02.2012 - 09.2022

Florist Proprietor

Earthbloom Flowerstore Nelson
03.2011 - 12.2012

Event Resource Manager

Perfect Day Floral + Events
12.2007 - 02.2011

Florist / Stylist

Botanicus Floral Studio + Gifts
03.2003 - 08.2004

Florist

Freelance Florist + Stylist
08.2002 - 03.2007

Florist + Interior Stylist

Nantucket Island
01.2000 - 01.2002

Florist Manager

FlowerPower Christchurch
04.1999 - 04.2001

Sydney + Melbourne

Freelance
01.1997 - 01.2000

Retail Assistant Manager

Living & Giving
01.1989 - 01.2001

Variety of Employment

Varied
1995 - 2001

NZ Florist of The Year

Floristry + Horticulture Diploma

Waikato Polytechnic
Sara-lee Sinclair-Smith