Photo credit: BloomThis

It’s not always rosy

• At a time when many entrepreneurs were launching startups in new sectors and industries, husband and wife Giden Lim and Penny Choo looked the other way towards the floral and gifting business. Naturally, they faced skepticism, but the couple had a very specific goal — to shake things up.
• 500-backed BloomThis is the result, and they have been using technology to streamline inefficient traditional processes, improve customer communication, and elevate the online buying experience.
• But they didn’t stop there. Once again, against conventional wisdom, the company went on to open three brick-and-mortar stores in Malaysia.
• “A physical space lets us provide customers with a tangible, immersive experience that complements our online offerings,” Giden explained. “We also want to foster community by engaging with people through workshops, events and interactive activities hosted at our outlets.”
• While being an early mover in the field meant experiencing failures that may not have precedent, Giden shared that they are a crucial part of learning and achieving success.
• His key takeaway? “The importance of rapid iteration: Prioritizing high-impact tasks, swiftly evaluating their impact and avoiding too much investment in low-impact tasks. Focusing on rapid iteration could lead to quicker success rather than expending considerable effort on tasks of lesser importance,” he explained.
• Read the full interview on Tatler Asia.