Today we’d like to introduce you to Jelena Trifunovic.
Hi Jelena, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Viola Floral was born out of a passion for flower design, the joy that flowers bring, and their abundant mental health benefits. We are a full-service floral design and teaching studio that focuses on fresh flower arrangements, as well as events and flower arranging workshops.
I grew up in Serbia and moved to the US at the start of the Yugoslav war in the early 1990s. Always drawn to nature, I studied biology and became a science teacher to at-risk youth in Los Angeles. I enjoyed sharing my love of science with students of all ages, which eventually led me to teach at the university level. After my mother’s passing in 2016, I felt inspired to follow my passion for floral design. It was a special hobby that my mom and I shared, and some of my fondest memories are of flower arranging and party planning with my mom. I felt that through flowers I could authentically honor this beautiful bond that we shared.
The healing power of flowers was a part of my grief journey, and I noticed that I felt better after flower arranging.
During this time, I became very curious about the research-documented benefits of flowers for overall health and wellness. Flowers help us feel better by lowering anxiety, improving stress, and promoting mindfulness. My combined love for flowers, design, education, and the beauty of life, has inspired me to reinvent how we experience flowers through Viola Floral continuously.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting and growing a small business has definitely had its ups and downs! The reality of being a small business owner set in quickly. Going back to 2020 – in a way, this was the absolute worst time to start a business. I’m not reinventing the wheel here by saying that was a tough time: we all experienced it – cooped up at home with kids on Zoom, supporting my husband’s career, launching a new business, and focusing on the overall health and well-being of the family.
The healing power of entrepreneurship and having a goal and dream to build towards was very empowering.
Although I experienced a huge career shift when I left education, in a way, everything in life prepared me for this moment. My first job at Hallmark helped inform my approach to gifting. Growing up in the restaurant business gave me a foundation for customer service. The dozens of parties my mom and I hosted helped me service my events. My career in education set the groundwork for our workshops. Working through the challenges helped the business grow.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Viola Floral brings a beautiful experience to the joy of flowers. Flowers not only beautify your home or your event, but they make you feel good. We tune into this feeling – then we turn it up. For me, flowers are not just plants, but they’re stories. All of these stories are grounded in love. Whether you’re sending a sympathy arrangement, or celebrating a milestone – our handmade flower arrangements help make that connection with your loved ones.
Tuning into the healing benefits of flowers, we developed a very special workshop called “Blooming in the Workplace: Flowers for Corporate Health and Wellness.” These flower-arranging workshops, specifically for the corporate setting, incorporate team-building, and mindfulness, and are just an overall fantastic activity to increase engagement in the workplace.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
There is something in this city for everyone! I love exploring new neighborhoods and getting lost. There are a lot of gems to stumble upon.
What I like least is the traffic, of course!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.violafloral.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/violafloral/?hl=en
Image Credits
J. Christopher Launi Photography
