How a Bad Valentine's Day Sparked a Multi-Million Dollar Business Idea with Seema Bansal, Co-Founder of Venus ET Fleur

Seema Bansal is the co-founder of Venus ET Fleur, the company
behind Eternity Roses, which are real roses that stay fresh for a
full year, an invention that has permanently transformed the
billion-dollar floral industry. 


Seema never set out to start a company in the floral business. In
2015, Seema was in a long-distance relationship with her now
husband and business partner, Sunny. He sent her flowers on
Valentine's Day and they looked horrible despite the large price
tag he paid. This sparked their idea of creating a better
experience and luxury flowers that actually looked great for a
longer period of time. As their relationship began to bloom, so
did their idea of transforming the online floral industry and
that’s when their business was born.  


At the time, both Seema and Sunny were working for their family
businesses and decided to leave to embark on a new journey
together despite having no experience in the floral industry.
Good thing they did, very early into their launch - their
signature Eternity Roses became Instagram's most coveted bouquet
after the Kardashians posted about the brand in 2016. Their
multi-million dollar business has developed a loyal customer base
which includes celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Oprah, Drake,
Cardi B, and many more. 


We’ll chat with Seema about the skills she learned in her family
plumbing business that have helped her as an entrepreneur, how
social media was a game-changer when launching their brand, and
the importance of prioritizing your mental health when being a
leader of a high growth business. 


In this episode, we'll talk to Seema about: 


* Seema discusses her upbringing with Indian parents who
immigrated to Canada to create a new life for themselves [3:14]


* Seema shares her involvement in the family business from a
young age & how it has impacted her business acumen today
[7:34]


* Why Seema decided to chart her own path and start Venus Et
Fleur with her then boyfriend, now husband and co-founder, Sunny
[12:56]


* Seema talks about the early days of the business and why she
decided to leave the family business to chart her own path
[16:47]


* How the company transitioned from a classic flower delivery
service to shipping luxury flowers that lasted for a year [18:36]


* As the key driver for all brand and marketing, Seema shares the
challenges she faced early in the business when trying to gain
awareness and traction with the messaging [23:58]


* How influencer marketing and a shout out from the Kardashians
completely changed the trajectory of the business [25:41]


* Seema shares tips on how to think about business partnerships
& opens up about what it’s like to work with her husband
[33:21]


* How COVID impacted the business and the changes they made to
support the new environment we’re in [37:05]


* Seema shares tips on how she stays inspired both in life and
business [41:25]


* How Seema handles burnout and shifts she’s made in her life as
a leader to help create more balance [45:07]


Follow Seema:


* Personal Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/seemabansalchadha/ 


* Company Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/VENUSETFLEUR/ 


* Venus Et Fleur Website: https://www.venusetfleur.com


* Chiji Website: https://homeofchiji.com/


Follow Yasmin:


* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/


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