Afia Bayayi is vibrant and spirited—an energy which is replicated in the colourful floral compilations she has created to adorn intimate wedding celebrations for newly-weds, to store launches for Adidas.
Before finding her passion in floristry, Afia worked as a teacher. However, a DIY-approach to the floral design of her own wedding acted as a re-education for Afia and opened the door to a new life as a creative entrepreneur—and so began A F M E N A.
Afia recounts her experience of allowing her creative expression to bloom, shares the lessons she has learned along the way, and explains why bold should always be considered beautiful.
A budding creative
I began my journey with flowers at 18, crafting the floral arrangements for my own wedding in a simple DIY fashion. Seeing the fruition of a design I envisioned was immensely gratifying. Throughout my years of education, I never quite identified as a creative so taking on the responsibility of crafting my wedding arrangements was an awesome challenge.
As word spread, I found myself the designated florist for friends and family gatherings, all while teaching full-time. It brought me great joy to extend this service to loved ones but it was only during my maternity leave, after welcoming my first son, that the spark ignited. Inspired to create a home-based career, I decided to formalise my passion by registering it as a business. Thus, my hobby blossomed into a profession.
Upon returning from maternity leave, I resumed teaching while simultaneously managing my growing business. Balancing both roles was demanding, yet I remained driven by my aspiration to transition to full-time entrepreneurship. A year and a half later, with the arrival of my second son and another stint of maternity leave, I seized the opportunity to further propel the growth of my business. By the time my daughter was born approximately two years later, I made the bold decision to commit fully to my business endeavours and I’ve never looked back.
Lessons from the classroom
Transitioning into entrepreneurship, I've found many skills from my teaching career to be readily transferable. My ability to engage effectively with people—whether clients, prospective clients, fellow vendors, or staff—all stems from the strong interpersonal skills developed in the classroom.
Furthermore, effective communication is a cornerstone of teaching and I would say that directly translates into providing exceptional customer service.
Lastly, everyone knows that teachers are and need to be exceptionally organised. The organisational prowess essential for managing a household with three homeschooling children and juggling the myriad of responsibilities of running a business has proven extremely valuable.
We learn as we grow
Navigating my entrepreneurial journey solo presented its share of hurdles. Throughout the journey, I had to cultivate my business acumen—often through trial and error. Financial missteps were a common occurrence, which unfortunately led to wasted resources. Looking back, I realise the significance of closely monitoring the profitability of each project from the outset. In my early days, I sometimes found myself so immersed in bringing my creative designs to life that I neglected to prioritise profitability. I am passionate about my work and found every opportunity exciting, I now recognise the importance of ensuring that each endeavour is financially viable.
One significant challenge was the absence of a business partner to share the workload and brainstorm ideas with. Today, recognising and harnessing the creative strengths of each member of my team is vital. Granting ownership in areas that align with their strengths encourages a sense of empowerment. I place my trust in the creative judgment of my team which pushes them to excel in their contributions.
Additionally, grappling with imposter syndrome, particularly as a Black business owner, led me to shy away from being the visible face of my brand. However, I came to realise that personal connection plays a pivotal role in consumer engagement. By not stepping into that role, I inadvertently hindered the growth potential of my business. Embracing this realisation, I now understand the importance of being authentically present as the face behind my brand.
Bold is beautiful
As someone who embraces boldness and individuality, I aim to make a statement and leave a lasting impression, both personally and professionally—I'm your red lip, afro wearing, fabulous-earrings-always type of girl.
This essence defines who I am and I strive to embed my work with the same sense of flair. In my floral designs, I seek to strike a balance between my creations being clean and bold with the infusion of vibrant colours and playing with textures to create stunning arrangements. Just as I express myself boldly, I want my floral creations to speak volumes.
A word of advice
I'm recognised for presenting mixed florals as a choice to clients, a contemporary approach that is unique where we seamlessly merge fresh and silk flowers in our arrangements, aligning with our commitment to sustainability.
Focusing on a niche is crucial. Discover your distinct style and remain consistent. Avoid trying to cater to everyone. This strategy simplifies the process of attracting your target clients and enables them to find you more easily.
If I were a flower...
Anthurium. I love the tropical vibe.
