Kristin Topping

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[00:00] SPEAKER_00: It's Toronto's podcast on the Canada's podcast network.
[00:22] SPEAKER_02: Hi everyone, and Leslie, I'm the most on Canada's podcast here in Toronto.
[00:26] SPEAKER_02: Today we're talking to Kristen Popping. She's the owner of Sweet Life for a
[00:30] SPEAKER_02: an e-commerce retail store for tropical plants based out of Ottawa.
[00:35] SPEAKER_02: Kristen is also a veteran. She's served 21 years in the Canadian Armed Forces.
[00:40] SPEAKER_02: We're very happy to have her here on the show and excited that it comes to us
[00:46] SPEAKER_02: and that we're able to have her on the show just in time for Remembering
[00:49] SPEAKER_02: Stay. So Kristen, welcome to Canada's podcast and thank you for coming. Can you tell
[00:53] SPEAKER_02: us a little bit about your journey as an entrepreneur and who you are and what
[00:57] SPEAKER_00: you do? Sure. So I started out a little bit different than a lot of other
[01:01] SPEAKER_00: people. I joined the military when I was 17 right out of high school and I went
[01:07] SPEAKER_00: to military college. So at military college you've got all of your leadership and
[01:13] SPEAKER_00: education that you have to focus on and everything like that. So I got a really
[01:17] SPEAKER_00: great lead up into building skills that would make me a great entrepreneur.
[01:22] SPEAKER_00: Also my military background, I'm an engineer and a scientist. So most of the
[01:27] SPEAKER_00: time I spent at research centers and I taught at military college for about
[01:32] SPEAKER_00: seven years and then I did project management when I went to Ottawa. So I think
[01:38] SPEAKER_00: that as an officer in the Canadian Forces I've really gained the knowledge and
[01:43] SPEAKER_00: the leadership that I need to be able to have a successful business. And can you
[01:49] SPEAKER_02: tell us a little bit about why you actually chose to get started with
[01:53] SPEAKER_02: Sweet Life Flora? Like why you chose to go that direction? So Sweet Life Flora is
[01:58] SPEAKER_00: an e-commerce plant shop for rare, hard-to-find plants. We also sell some
[02:04] SPEAKER_00: regular plants that you would find out in our sure-your-green house but most of
[02:07] SPEAKER_00: it is like stuff that you have to like search for and you get the thrill of
[02:11] SPEAKER_00: the search. I got into this because I've really always been into plants like my
[02:18] SPEAKER_00: Nana growing up had so many African violets you couldn't even walk into her
[02:22] SPEAKER_00: house. My mom had this massive window with all of these plants so I'd really
[02:26] SPEAKER_00: grown up with it. And so my plants followed me from posting to posting. They were
[02:31] SPEAKER_00: like a centering thing for me. Like I was able to take come home for hard-to-work,
[02:36] SPEAKER_00: take care of my plants. So I have a history of concussions. I played rugby at
[02:41] SPEAKER_00: military college and then in 2016 I got a concussion that absolutely changed
[02:46] SPEAKER_00: my life. It changed fundamentally who I was, how I problem solved, how I hear,
[02:51] SPEAKER_00: how I see. It was a heartbreaking experience. But what actually saved me and made
[02:58] SPEAKER_00: me feel like I had purpose, was my plant collection. I started collecting
[03:03] SPEAKER_00: plants. I started keeping track of how I was taking care of them. And then my
[03:07] SPEAKER_00: plant collection got to a point where my husband was like, she'd do something
[03:11] SPEAKER_00: about this. We don't have a lot of space anymore. You're gonna have to like
[03:15] SPEAKER_00: start selling some of these and I was like, that's it. That's what I need to do.
[03:20] SPEAKER_00: Because prior to that my recovery wasn't going the best. I was pretty sure that
[03:25] SPEAKER_00: I was going to be medically released from the military and I felt
[03:29] SPEAKER_00: obligated to go out and find a job. So I was looking for jobs that were exactly
[03:34] SPEAKER_00: like what I couldn't do in the military anymore, which made no sense. A friend of mine
[03:40] SPEAKER_00: and my sister who's also in the military, both of them are in the military, had an
[03:44] SPEAKER_00: intervention with me in a very public place. And they were like, Chris, you have
[03:48] SPEAKER_00: this into us. You cannot go back and work the same type of job that you were just
[03:54] SPEAKER_00: doing that is causing you so much stress and heartache. So that's when
[03:58] SPEAKER_00: Princess Trust stepped in on Not for Profit, set up by Prince Charles, who really
[04:05] SPEAKER_00: trains military people and also medically releasing military people on how they
[04:11] SPEAKER_00: can use the skills they got in the military in order to become a successful
[04:14] SPEAKER_00: entrepreneur. So I've been taking part in that program and it's been phenomenal.
[04:20] SPEAKER_02: Is Princess Trust, it's across the country and is it across the globe as well?
[04:26] SPEAKER_00: So it's really a commonwealth thing. So there's a Princess Trust Canada, there's
[04:31] SPEAKER_00: a Princess Trust UK, and I believe there's a Princess Trust Australia as well.
[04:35] SPEAKER_00: So the focus is, they've got like a multi-tiered focus, but one of their primary
[04:39] SPEAKER_00: focuses is really entrepreneurship and getting military people out, starting
[04:44] SPEAKER_00: businesses becoming independent. It also really helps with your purpose as you're
[04:50] SPEAKER_00: leading a military, which is something that's really important to me because I've
[04:54] SPEAKER_00: been in since I was a teenager. I don't know what it's like to
[04:57] SPEAKER_00: add up to the real world without being in uniform.
[05:00] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, absolutely. So Princess Trust, I know we were talking a little bit
[05:04] SPEAKER_02: before we started the podcast, but it did help you with mentorship as well. Could you tell us a
[05:11] SPEAKER_00: little bit about that? Yeah, so there's three stages to the program. The first stage is like a one day
[05:18] SPEAKER_00: business introduction. Like this is something that you could do a familiarization.
[05:22] SPEAKER_00: You could become an entrepreneur when you leave the military. You don't necessarily have to go
[05:27] SPEAKER_00: out and get another government job. This is something that you have the skills to do.
[05:31] SPEAKER_00: And then folks who have a more developed idea and who are ready to take their business to
[05:37] SPEAKER_00: the next level are selected to go on different boot camps during the year. Now, the boot camp is
[05:42] SPEAKER_00: basically a five-day entrepreneurship workshop. And you go deep into, it's almost like a one semester
[05:51] SPEAKER_00: how to start your own business snapped into five days. It's phenomenal. And then after that,
[05:57] SPEAKER_00: people who are interested can join the mentorship program, which is they pair you with another person
[06:05] SPEAKER_00: who has business experience, finance experience, entrepreneurship experience. So you're really able
[06:11] SPEAKER_00: to get the whole experience from them and get assistance and advice and throw ideas off of them.
[06:18] SPEAKER_00: So my mentor has been absolutely wonderful. One of the best things I've ever done.
[06:23] SPEAKER_02: So your mentor is she in Ottawa because I know you're based out of Ottawa. Do they pair you with
[06:28] SPEAKER_00: somebody who's in your city? I actually specifically asked for someone that I could do
[06:34] SPEAKER_00: like over computer conversations with. So I'm paired with a gentleman from Toronto.
[06:40] SPEAKER_00: He has a lot of finance, corporate bank experience, but he's also a contractor. So he does,
[06:47] SPEAKER_00: his entrepreneur in his own way. And he's got a totally and completely different experience than
[06:53] SPEAKER_00: I do. So I'm able to bounce ideas off him stuff that I didn't think about before. Because as an
[06:58] SPEAKER_00: engineer, I'm pretty focused on thinking about technical specifications, the project management,
[07:04] SPEAKER_00: like bundle. But I don't think about things like legal or not. So he's really helped me with that.
[07:13] SPEAKER_02: In terms of being in Ottawa, like what do you do a lot of business in Ottawa? I know
[07:18] SPEAKER_02: it was on Sweet Life floor as e-commerce. So you're probably doing a lot of
[07:23] SPEAKER_02: business online. But how do you feel about being an entrepreneur in Ottawa?
[07:30] SPEAKER_00: So I actually live in Arn Pryor, which is the local farm in Ottawa.
[07:34] SPEAKER_00: Yep. I do live deliveries within Ottawa. I've actually become really close to the whole plant
[07:41] SPEAKER_00: community in Ottawa. So I have a lot of friends. I'm also friends with a lot of the local businesses as
[07:46] SPEAKER_00: well. Teravella at the stock market, all of these guys have been incredibly supportive in helping
[07:53] SPEAKER_00: me start my business. We've made sure that each of us has a different niche so that we're not
[07:58] SPEAKER_00: overlapping each other. I think that's something that's very unique to the plant type of business,
[08:04] SPEAKER_00: is that we all work together because ultimately we're all looking to make other people happy.
[08:09] SPEAKER_00: Because plants really are, they focus on your health, they focus on having a purpose that's
[08:16] SPEAKER_00: outside of what you do every day. You're absolutely on my plants in the back-ends.
[08:22] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I see them. I feel the same way about plants. I can't live in an environment without them.
[08:30] SPEAKER_02: I feel like they just bring fresh air, like a breath of fresh air and literally they do.
[08:34] SPEAKER_00: In military college, I had cactus.
[08:38] SPEAKER_02: The cactus? Something that you really couldn't kill?
[08:42] SPEAKER_00: Well, maintenance, like, didn't need a lot of light. Something that could live in a dorm.
[08:48] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I know that moss well behind you. I just wanted to draw attention to it, but it's
[08:54] SPEAKER_00: cool and I definitely want one for my house. So it was actually made by another one of my plenty
[09:00] SPEAKER_00: friends. They urban botanist. So again, we all like share and collaborate and we're a part of each
[09:08] SPEAKER_02: other's success. That's awesome. And they're auto-abased as well. Absolutely. Very cool.
[09:14] SPEAKER_02: So what are some of the challenges of doing business in auto-end?
[09:17] SPEAKER_00: I think the first challenge was doing business out of my home. It's really hard to separate all
[09:22] SPEAKER_00: the tasks that I need to do during the day with all the tasks I need to do for my business.
[09:27] SPEAKER_00: And then at the same time, having to juggle medical appointments because I'm still in rehabilitation.
[09:33] SPEAKER_00: That's why online is really important to me. Hopefully I'll have a storefront and a greenhouse soon.
[09:39] SPEAKER_00: But I really need to like, sort out the business learning process first. Get my medical
[09:44] SPEAKER_00: equipment sorted out and mind me a bit more cleared up and then I'll be able to really focus
[09:50] SPEAKER_02: on my business. Yeah, I know it's difficult when you're working from home and then you're not
[09:55] SPEAKER_02: used to it right because if you're from the corporate world or if you're from military,
[09:59] SPEAKER_00: you're used to that team environment and such a... Absolutely. So not only do I not have the team
[10:05] SPEAKER_00: environments anymore, but I also have to like prevent myself from sleeping in in the morning.
[10:13] SPEAKER_00: I've never gotten to sleep in before. So it's something that I am starting to balance my day a bit
[10:21] SPEAKER_00: better. So rehab was like a complete chicken the bum for me. I go from sleeping like 18 hours a day
[10:28] SPEAKER_00: after my concussion to like, oh my gosh, I need to make money and start my business.
[10:34] SPEAKER_00: So you're wanting to work all the time. So I'm having to manage and to pace myself a little bit.
[10:41] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, because when you're passionate about it, you just want to like, well, I was working to like
[10:45] SPEAKER_02: midnight last night just because you get passionate about it, right? And I know people
[10:49] SPEAKER_02: were in our past midnight, but when you love doing it, it's hard to stop yourself.
[10:56] SPEAKER_02: What would make you recommend Ottawa to other entrepreneurs who are looking to start a business there?
[11:03] SPEAKER_00: So there's an amazing business community. There's lots of different organizations out there
[11:08] SPEAKER_00: that really support the social aspect of the business, networking, getting yourself out there.
[11:15] SPEAKER_00: So I guess like three weeks ago, a friend invited me to go to an ESACs event. I can't
[11:23] SPEAKER_00: remember exactly what it stands for, but it's like an entrepreneurship social engagement opportunity.
[11:29] SPEAKER_00: And the theme of it was women in business. So they brought entrepreneurs from Ottawa that are
[11:35] SPEAKER_00: female and they had a panel. And it was a really great opportunity just to get out meet people,
[11:41] SPEAKER_00: let people know what's we like for is, but also to learn from their experience. But there's other
[11:47] SPEAKER_00: groups out there that do the same thing. Like there's ones that are specific to military,
[11:52] SPEAKER_00: it's just a really neat environment. And Princess Trust also helps us by giving us those
[11:58] SPEAKER_00: those contacts. So if we do want to reach out, we can absolutely do that.
[12:04] SPEAKER_02: That's awesome. So with Princess Trust, you guys have like all of that meetings and like do they,
[12:10] SPEAKER_02: what kind of resources do they offer you guys when as it go along?
[12:13] SPEAKER_00: They have buy veteran. So if you go to buyvetron.ca, it's a directory that was filled with
[12:21] SPEAKER_00: different businesses that have been started by veterans and by military people. So it's a really
[12:26] SPEAKER_00: cool opportunity where say if you need parents, you can look them up on buyvetron. If you need your
[12:33] SPEAKER_00: car wrapped, you can find someone to do that. Like it's amazing the breadth of different businesses
[12:40] SPEAKER_00: there are on buyvetron. But also with the mentorship program, I do have a periodic follow-ups
[12:46] SPEAKER_00: with someone from Princess Trust just to make sure that the match is still suiting me to do check-ins
[12:53] SPEAKER_00: and to make sure everything's going okay. But plus there's also these great opportunities like
[12:59] SPEAKER_00: this with Canada's podcast where they set up opportunities for us to network our business to talk
[13:04] SPEAKER_00: a little bit about Princess Trust by veteran and also to just get our name out there. This is all
[13:11] SPEAKER_02: of Princess Trust. What a great point for for other veteran entrepreneurs. Absolutely.
[13:18] SPEAKER_02: So we're going to shift gears a little bit. So some of our best ideas come when we least expect them.
[13:24] SPEAKER_02: How do you disconnect and recharge? How do you balance that entrepreneur life with everyday lives?
[13:31] SPEAKER_00: So my husband will really say that since my concussion I've become an extreme introvert.
[13:37] SPEAKER_00: So I really get my energy from just completely unplugging. Disconnecting one of the biggest parts
[13:43] SPEAKER_00: of my job is actually social media. So because I'm an e-commerce site I need to like get myself out.
[13:49] SPEAKER_00: They're put restocks online. Let people know what's going on. So when I need to recharge I
[13:55] SPEAKER_00: disconnect. I will take a few hours off with social media which is actually a pretty hard thing to do
[14:02] SPEAKER_00: because I pride myself on being available to my customers. Sometimes I just need a break. Also
[14:09] SPEAKER_00: I've got, I don't know, I don't know if you're going to hear them. I have animals. So animals were
[14:14] SPEAKER_00: also a big part of my recovery. So we have three dogs and two cats and I spend a lot of time with them.
[14:20] SPEAKER_02: That's good. So and that kind of that recharging you find it helps you be more productive when you get
[14:27] SPEAKER_00: back. Absolutely. So I have a little bit of a, this is probably left over from being in the military
[14:33] SPEAKER_00: for so long. I'm actually still in until July 2020. I have this thing where I keep to do lists everywhere.
[14:41] SPEAKER_00: And I mean they're sticky noted to everything. I've got them on my phone. I have reminders. So
[14:48] SPEAKER_00: when one of those reminders goes off that I need to do something I'm like, all right, let's do it.
[14:52] SPEAKER_00: And now I'm excited to do it which is so cool. For a long time I wasn't excited about a lot. So
[14:58] SPEAKER_00: I really feel like I'm where I need to be now. It's hard when you're going through something hard.
[15:04] SPEAKER_02: It's hard to get excited. You've passed. Yeah, anything. So I'm really glad that you found
[15:09] SPEAKER_02: I started sweet life floor and princess trust and me too. And I think that's what like igniting
[15:15] SPEAKER_02: that spark is what every entrepreneur needs to go through to to start it right and and realize
[15:21] SPEAKER_02: that idea and then go in and actually start their business. Absolutely. So I went to the boot camp
[15:28] SPEAKER_00: with a pretty solid idea of what I wanted to do. But when I was there it gave me the time to focus
[15:34] SPEAKER_00: on being able to put it all together because I never made time for myself before. So I'm just
[15:40] SPEAKER_00: getting the opportunity to bring it all together. And then I launched my website.
[15:44] SPEAKER_02: To be extra. Did you launch your website? Did you build it by yourself? I did. I do have a little
[15:51] SPEAKER_00: bit of experience in the computer programming and things like that that I got from my military
[15:55] SPEAKER_00: college experience and engineering. So I was able to build my own website, personalize it, make it
[16:00] SPEAKER_00: exactly mine, which was wonderful. And I like having that little bit of control too.
[16:06] SPEAKER_02: Because you have a really nice site to go look at it and it's very, very nice. Thank you very much.
[16:12] SPEAKER_02: It worked very hard on it. It shows. What gets you most excited about your business these days?
[16:21] SPEAKER_00: It's the thrill of the hunt. So I did a radio show on the weekend and again to promote princess
[16:29] SPEAKER_00: trust and things like that. And since that radio show I've gotten six or seven emails from people
[16:35] SPEAKER_00: being like, I think you're exactly the person I need. I'm looking for this specific plant.
[16:41] SPEAKER_00: There's a chocolate shop actually just north of Kingston who's looking for cocoa trees because
[16:46] SPEAKER_00: they do their, yeah, they do a little introductory workshop and show how they make the chocolate
[16:50] SPEAKER_00: and then they want to have a cocoa tree. So I've been looking for cocoa trees. Love being able to
[16:57] SPEAKER_00: find something that other people are looking for and it's really the thrill of the hunt. I used to do
[17:03] SPEAKER_00: it just for myself because I won't want a specific plant. But now I get to do it for other people.
[17:08] SPEAKER_02: That's much more cost effective. What do you think is the vision for your business moving forward?
[17:15] SPEAKER_02: Like, where do you see your business growing? That's the reason.
[17:19] SPEAKER_00: Building a greenhouse. So next summer my husband and I have it all planned out. We have 12 acres now.
[17:26] SPEAKER_00: So our plan is to turn those acres in the back of our yard into a greenhouse, a sustainable farming
[17:34] SPEAKER_00: and some small animals as well. Because we would like to unplug a bit more off the grid as well.
[17:40] SPEAKER_00: But the greenhouse is for sweet life, Florida. Right now I implore most of my plants because just
[17:45] SPEAKER_00: because of where they originate in the world, where the greenhouses are that can keep them alive for
[17:50] SPEAKER_00: four seasons, they're all in Asia and South America. But if I get a four season greenhouse,
[17:57] SPEAKER_00: I can start growing them here and reduce the carbon footprint of my business, but will also
[18:02] SPEAKER_00: be coming less dependent on other businesses and people. So having a greenhouse, opening my
[18:09] SPEAKER_00: storefront downstairs in our plant studio, I think people would drive for plants. I live in our
[18:19] SPEAKER_02: environment related to the podcast questions. But I'm really interested in the logistics of your
[18:23] SPEAKER_00: shipping. Okay, so shipping after I acclimatize everything or so I get plants from overseas.
[18:32] SPEAKER_00: And they come, they're pretty understanding that we live in Canada and we get a winter. So they do a
[18:38] SPEAKER_00: lot of work to insulate the shipping. I have import licenses from the Canadian Food and Spection Agency.
[18:46] SPEAKER_00: So they are the ones who dictate what plants I can bring in and where I can get them from.
[18:52] SPEAKER_00: So I can apply for import licenses from almost anywhere. It's just I have to do the
[18:57] SPEAKER_00: active paperwork. And then once they get here, they acclimatize for four to six weeks because
[19:02] SPEAKER_00: they have to get used to the Canadian climate and then they're ready to ship. I do winter shipping,
[19:07] SPEAKER_00: which is pretty rare for an online plant business. I had long discussions with Canada Post about
[19:15] SPEAKER_00: how like do they leave their mail on the truck? Do they put it in a garage, that sort of thing.
[19:19] SPEAKER_00: And I believe the Canada Post is becoming more aware that they are shipping like sensitive goods.
[19:25] SPEAKER_00: So I use a 72 hour heat pack and then I also put it in an insulated box liner. I haven't had any
[19:32] SPEAKER_00: problems so far, but we're not in the dead of winter yet. So I only have to do some trial and error.
[19:37] SPEAKER_00: There may be some loss and I may be giving people some money back. We'll see, it's a trial,
[19:42] SPEAKER_02: it's a process. Exactly, right? Like this whole entrepreneurial journey is a process and it's
[19:48] SPEAKER_02: loose down along the way and just learn from it moving forward. I could see that being a little bit
[19:54] SPEAKER_02: of a hurdle. And you'd have to think really long and hard about, right? To figure out the logistics of
[20:00] SPEAKER_00: that. So it's also figuring out what your customers watch. So winter blues are a real thing.
[20:06] SPEAKER_00: Like seasonal effectiveness disorder. I've found that plants have helped me get over a bit of
[20:12] SPEAKER_00: seasonal effectiveness disorder. Like when it starts to get dark outside and I wake up in the dark,
[20:17] SPEAKER_00: all I want to do is go and play with my plants. It just gets me into the mindset to start the day
[20:23] SPEAKER_02: and it makes me feel better. And we're getting into that time now, right? That seasonal effect
[20:29] SPEAKER_02: disorder. So maybe this will be peak season for you. Yeah, never know. Maybe your sales will start
[20:35] SPEAKER_00: to go up. Actually, you should, do you advertise that? I do. I do. Yep. So I do a lot of Facebook and
[20:43] SPEAKER_00: Instagram advertising. So we're at Sweet Life, Laura, which is straightforward. It sounds exactly
[20:49] SPEAKER_00: as it's spelled. And we do a lot of advertising for our restocks. We do a lot of paid advertising as
[20:56] SPEAKER_00: well. We're also going to be taking part in a plant. It's like a craft fair, but we're going to be
[21:01] SPEAKER_00: a plant vendor at the craft fair on the 16th to 17th of November. It's on Prince of Wales.
[21:08] SPEAKER_00: I believe it's the Hellenicah Center. And it's in support of another veteran not for profit.
[21:17] SPEAKER_00: So it's helping equin learning program help. So it's meant for military people and first responders
[21:27] SPEAKER_00: who struggle with PTSD and operational stress injury. And they get to go and take part in
[21:34] SPEAKER_00: like living out of ride horses and getting close to the animals and things like that. So it's a
[21:39] SPEAKER_02: therapy program. That's really, it's good that your looks still at your very much involved in
[21:44] SPEAKER_02: the community and in the veterans community, especially. So it's really good. Absolutely. A lot of
[21:49] SPEAKER_00: my friends have been deployed. A lot of my friends came back with PTSD OSIs injuries. And I'd
[21:56] SPEAKER_00: want to do whatever I can to use my businesses as a platform to support them.
[22:01] SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you for doing that. So I just want to talk about, I know we kind of went over the
[22:05] SPEAKER_02: logistics of shipping and maybe that would be a challenge. But what's the greatest
[22:10] SPEAKER_00: challenge that you faced in your business, Citi? I would say right now, I'm going through it right
[22:16] SPEAKER_00: now, taking myself from being a, like a sole entrepreneurship into incorporation. So I've had
[22:25] SPEAKER_00: to find a lawyer to help me do that. I'm going through all of my accounting to make sure it's all set
[22:31] SPEAKER_00: up. It's not something I would have thought I'd gotten to the point of, like I always thought I'd
[22:36] SPEAKER_00: just be a sole proprietorship. Like it just seems easy, right? But then you think about how important it
[22:41] SPEAKER_00: is to incorporate and to protect your brand and those sort of things. So is your mentor helping you
[22:48] SPEAKER_02: a lot with that? I know what you said then. Yeah, yeah. Really great. The Princess Trust community
[22:54] SPEAKER_00: as well because other people who have gone through the incorporation process, they have recommended
[23:00] SPEAKER_00: a lawyer. They've recommended an accountant. So I'm really reaching out to that community that I know
[23:06] SPEAKER_02: and taking information from them. Yeah, we went through that not long ago as well and it was just,
[23:12] SPEAKER_02: it's really hard to navigate. I just found a big challenge. So it's nice to have somebody holding
[23:16] SPEAKER_00: your hand when you're going through it, right? Exactly. You have to think about what paperwork you need,
[23:20] SPEAKER_00: because that you're coming for everything that you've put into your business already. So I use
[23:25] SPEAKER_00: the experts. I'm not an expert. So I use the experts. It's important when you're an entrepreneur,
[23:31] SPEAKER_02: because I think a lot of people just try to do everything all at once and then they don't do it all
[23:36] SPEAKER_00: well, right? The funny story is that I used to teach engineering economics at military college.
[23:43] SPEAKER_00: Well, I can tell you that math is a lot different than the stuff you need to do for business.
[23:48] SPEAKER_00: I'm here at the website and he's kids up for success and I'm like, you got a lot to learn.
[23:53] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm just going to go with accountant and make them your best friend.
[23:59] SPEAKER_02: What do you know now that you wish that you had known when you were first starting out your business?
[24:05] SPEAKER_00: That is a really tough question. I think I wish I would have known how much space things are
[24:12] SPEAKER_00: going to take. So I've got my personal collection like in the back of the room and then the front
[24:19] SPEAKER_00: of the room is like entirely covered with plants that are going to be for sale. So there's different
[24:25] SPEAKER_00: stages of the operation. There's when I just get plants in, then I have to quarantine them,
[24:30] SPEAKER_00: then I have to acclimatize them and then they're ready for sale. So I think if I would have
[24:35] SPEAKER_00: like thought about the logistics about space a little bit more, I probably could have done a better
[24:40] SPEAKER_00: job with it right up front. I've sort of organized things now, but the greenhouse will definitely
[24:45] SPEAKER_00: help us. Also, the transitioning process out of the military, it's hard psychologically.
[24:52] SPEAKER_00: So I've been dependent on the military since I was 17. Like I always know when I'm going to get a
[24:57] SPEAKER_00: paycheck. I don't have to think about what I need to wear when I wake up in the morning because
[25:01] SPEAKER_00: I'm just going to wear a uniform. I always know that I have a job. So that security as well,
[25:06] SPEAKER_00: getting used to the idea that I'm going to be reliant completely on myself. I need to put it all
[25:12] SPEAKER_00: behind me and I have a great transition team both medically and on the logistics side. So they're
[25:19] SPEAKER_00: helping me transition out. It's been an actually a really good process so far. I'm technically
[25:25] SPEAKER_00: posted to the transition center right now, which is the unit that actually helps you
[25:31] SPEAKER_00: through the process of leaving the military. They've been phenomenal. Like my section commander
[25:36] SPEAKER_02: P. O. Boodle-Air, he's been amazing. That's so great that you have that support.
[25:41] SPEAKER_02: Bring forward into this next step. Like what you just said is super relevant for
[25:45] SPEAKER_02: I think many entrepreneurs who are leaving their corporate jobs or whatever full-time
[25:51] SPEAKER_02: gig they were doing before, right? That leap into something I'm known and exciting, but it is
[25:57] SPEAKER_00: the unknown. Absolutely. And people aren't used to they get into this habit. The military is like
[26:04] SPEAKER_00: a habit. I need to learn how to become less dependent on it. What advice would you give an
[26:11] SPEAKER_02: entrepreneur looking to start a business in Ottawa right now? Planning. So having an idea is great.
[26:21] SPEAKER_00: Being able to build a website is great, but you need to not just plan for your startup,
[26:25] SPEAKER_00: but plan where your business is going to go as well. It will help you with financing. It'll
[26:30] SPEAKER_00: help you with legal. Also asking questions. So don't be afraid to go and socialize and ask
[26:37] SPEAKER_00: questions from other entrepreneurs and learn from them. That was one thing that I was really,
[26:42] SPEAKER_00: really nervous about because my background is totally different than everyone else. But I found
[26:48] SPEAKER_00: that the community is super supportive and they'll answer your questions. They'll even set you
[26:53] SPEAKER_00: up with the people and the numbers and the phone numbers you need. So plan and don't be afraid to ask
[26:59] SPEAKER_02: questions. That's great advice. Be okay admitting your weaknesses. Yeah, be okay with admitting your
[27:06] SPEAKER_02: weaknesses. Now this is a similar question, but what was the best piece of advice that you never
[27:12] SPEAKER_00: received? So this is going to be a kicker for Nike, but just do it because the intervention that
[27:21] SPEAKER_00: I had with my friend and my sister was probably the most profound moment of my life where they were
[27:28] SPEAKER_00: actually like, Kristen, just start your business. It's what you want to be doing. You don't need
[27:35] SPEAKER_00: the government job and the study for the check because you can make it on your own. So having
[27:40] SPEAKER_00: somebody point out that I had the ability to succeed, it was a nice thing to hear, but also I needed
[27:47] SPEAKER_02: to hear it. Okay, so now we're going to, we're just going to do some rapid fire questions. And I
[27:53] SPEAKER_02: either think too much of your answers just kind of spit out whatever's on your mind. So it's going
[27:58] SPEAKER_02: to be eight questions in a row and just answer them as quickly as you can. If you weren't doing what
[28:04] SPEAKER_02: you're doing right now for work, what would you be doing instead? I probably would have taken the
[28:09] SPEAKER_02: RCMP job that I was offered. So you were offered it and then your sister, I keep remember who else,
[28:15] SPEAKER_02: but they my friend Suelyn. So you were offered an RCMP job and then? Yeah, and they're like you don't,
[28:21] SPEAKER_00: you're just going to get yourself into the same situation again where you're going to be overloaded,
[28:27] SPEAKER_00: you work 110% all the time and it's just not good for your health. I would probably be putting
[28:34] SPEAKER_00: myself in harm's way because it's comfortable if I didn't have so money pointed out. You're lucky
[28:40] SPEAKER_02: to have that, so those people behind you in supporting you. I really am. Question number two,
[28:45] SPEAKER_02: what book are you currently reading? What books would you recommend to our audience?
[28:50] SPEAKER_00: So I have a penchant for science fiction and for fantasy. So I'm reading books. Hold on,
[28:57] SPEAKER_00: it's right underneath my computer by Samantha Shannon. What's it called? The Bone Season by Samantha
[29:05] SPEAKER_00: Shannon. It's fantasy. It just helps me unplug, takes me out of the headspace that I'm currently in
[29:11] SPEAKER_00: and I don't have to think about anything. Are you a morning or a night person? Morning, no question.
[29:18] SPEAKER_02: If you had to pick one word to describe yourself, what would it be and why? So prior to my concussion,
[29:24] SPEAKER_00: it would have been I relied on my intelligence and it's who I was. But now I would say that it's
[29:31] SPEAKER_00: probably my friendliness and my ability to interact with customers. What is keeping you up at
[29:38] SPEAKER_00: these days if anything? Honestly? Uh, chronic pain?
[29:50] SPEAKER_02: My husband's snowing. So you don't get very well, it's a good.
[29:59] SPEAKER_02: Hopefully you can get enough rest to kind of recharge you for the morning. I have
[30:03] SPEAKER_02: two kids that keep me up all night too. So I know how it all is. Well, my dogs do sleep in my bed too.
[30:14] SPEAKER_02: Most are favorite places in the whole world. My client room? I guess it could kind of feel like a
[30:21] SPEAKER_00: room for us in there anyways, right? Yeah, so when we were designing the house, we actually had to
[30:26] SPEAKER_00: think about the humidity issue and so it does. You walk into the room, it's a few degrees warmer,
[30:32] SPEAKER_00: it's a little bit more humid, it's easier to breathe and I just everything stops. It's just
[30:39] SPEAKER_02: such a great space. So you guys built your house after you designed your house after
[30:46] SPEAKER_00: starting my concussion. My husband released from an military in 2017 and he was going to need a
[30:52] SPEAKER_00: space because he is contemplating starting his own business as well. So he gets the man cave
[30:58] SPEAKER_00: in the garage to do all of that and then we put the potential storefront downstairs for me.
[31:05] SPEAKER_02: One or three non-negotiables that have to happen in your morning routine.
[31:10] SPEAKER_00: Can I say it one of them once? Yeah, so coffee is very important to me. I took walks for a walk.
[31:21] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and then I end up in the plant room even before I have breakfast. So I would say those are
[31:26] SPEAKER_00: three things that I do. Coffee is first. It's not a person you want to talk to.
[31:33] SPEAKER_02: The coffee neither mine. I would have to be there. I needed, I was recently just needed to go to
[31:39] SPEAKER_02: the department's every morning before. So I bring anything. Double doubles. Double doubles,
[31:46] SPEAKER_00: buts are you? We all at the military standard. It's a double double. It's a double double.
[31:52] SPEAKER_00: I think that's a Canadian standard. Probably, but anytime someone's going for coffee in the office,
[31:58] SPEAKER_02: you're like military standard. Yeah, that's awesome. Last but not least, okay, so this is the last
[32:06] SPEAKER_02: question and we asked this to Oliver and our guest son Canada's podcast. But there's a small
[32:12] SPEAKER_02: tropical island in the middle of the ocean with only one phone booth and no internet. We drop you
[32:18] SPEAKER_02: with no technology at all. But anytime you can use the phone booth on the island to call the boat
[32:24] SPEAKER_02: and come pick you up. How long would you last before making that phone call and what would you do
[32:29] SPEAKER_00: until then? I'm on a tropical island surrounded by plants that are tropical. I was actually just
[32:40] SPEAKER_00: talking about this with my husband. A similar question. There's a television show where they drop
[32:44] SPEAKER_00: you off in the middle of a forest and it's like the one who can last the longest would win.
[32:50] SPEAKER_00: I would beat my husband because he has no sense of direction whatsoever. So
[32:57] SPEAKER_00: and like I grew up in the country so I think I'd last a while. But if I didn't,
[33:03] SPEAKER_00: I'd probably have to come and get me. Your husband could come too.
[33:09] SPEAKER_02: Okay, perfect. There you go. And then you can go gather at, you can go take samples of all the
[33:14] SPEAKER_02: tropical, the rare tropical plants that you need to find. Yeah, and he can cut.
[33:19] SPEAKER_02: You can find some coconuts and bananas somewhere. Yeah, so that's all the questions that I have for
[33:26] SPEAKER_02: you today. Is there anything else that you want to share with me before we say goodbye?
[33:31] SPEAKER_00: This has been really fun and I really appreciate the opportunity.
[33:35] SPEAKER_00: Anybody who's military on who's contemplating started business, I totally recommend
[33:40] SPEAKER_00: reaching out to Princess Trust because they will help you out. They'll get you the resources
[33:45] SPEAKER_00: that you need and it's a really great program and check out by veteran because there are so many
[33:51] SPEAKER_00: other great businesses that are. So where can our listeners and viewers find you online?
[33:58] SPEAKER_00: So we have a website, sweetlifeflora.ca. So the shop is actually there as well. I also update
[34:05] SPEAKER_00: the front page with lots of new information. We're on Instagram and Facebook at sweetlifeflora,
[34:12] SPEAKER_00: just exactly how it sounds. And you can always email me at info at sweetlifeflora.ca.
[34:18] SPEAKER_02: Awesome. All right, Kristen. It's been a pleasure talking to you today and learning about your journey.
[34:24] SPEAKER_02: And I know this interview is just going to be right in time for a remembrance day. So thank you
[34:28] SPEAKER_02: for serving our country and serving the nation. That's being a wonderful entrepreneur and sharing
[34:34] SPEAKER_00: this journey with our listeners and me. Thank you so much for having me lastly.