MARÍA R. DE HUIDOBRO - MOSS FLORISTS

Many of you already know her; María is the alma mater and founder of MOSS florists (@mossfloristas), a unique flower shop, charming and almost fairytale-like, that you can smell and breathe as soon as you step into her workshop/store located at 51 Don Ramón de la Cruz Street in Madrid.

Hello María, thank you so much for having us in your home, it’s so beautiful…

Thank you, it's true, I have achieved a place that represents me and where I can work and welcome people very comfortably, very much me, very Moss.

María, let's start at the beginning, what led you to create Moss?

Ugh, long story… Also, I studied veterinary medicine, completely unrelated! I was destined to care for farm animals (laughs), but it's true that I've always loved flowers. Even at home, my mother would arrange flowers and change them every week, I'd see her busy with them and it always fascinated me. During a vacation, I took a floral art course and loved it. I saw that I was completely happy, and I wasn't bad at it either! I could spend hours, and it seemed I had a knack for it. So, at the first opportunity, I left the company and dedicated myself to it.

What did you realize?  

I discovered that this passion could also be my livelihood. I continued training and met Miguel, my master florist. It was an immediate connection; we clicked very well right away and started working. Not only did he believe in my project and encourage me, but he also provided all the technical knowledge we needed. I learned how important it is to surround yourself with people who add value and contribute.

When you created the brand, what did you want to achieve?

We launched with a different offering than the competition. Our sector was full of traditional florists with good products, but we wanted to bring something different: original packaging, high-quality flowers, excellence in service. And, to this day, we continue on that path, with these values still very much alive. I would add that we are now also striving to be more sustainable, reducing plastics, composting, and recycling as much as possible.

What's the assessment after all these years? Almost 10 years…

The level of learning has been incredible. I've had moments where I've had to self-motivate to keep going, and also a lot of loneliness, which is why I said before that it's very important to surround yourself with capable people and have a support network. Entrepreneurship is very much linked to the loneliness of the warrior. On the other hand, seeing your business grow from an idea is very rewarding, it's an enormous satisfaction. I can't imagine my life any other way.

You surely have thousands of anecdotes or experiences that left their mark. Tell us one?

Well, without a doubt, the pandemic was quite an experience, a situation of contrasts. We went from having no orders to having many because people communicated with flowers. For part of that time, I was making bouquets by myself behind closed doors; they asked us to leave bouquets on the other side of the door, to take them to a sister, an aunt… it was very emotional but at the same time very stressful. On Mother's Day 2020, we had an avalanche; no one could be with their mothers, so we had many orders. We didn't stop working; the day before, we couldn't keep up. We even slept only a couple of hours in the car so that all mothers would get their gift. In the end, we made it, learning included. You have to be assertive and know how to say no.

What advice would you give to someone who is hesitant to take the leap?

First, think it through carefully (laughs). Consider if you love the idea enough to imagine yourself doing the same thing for 20 years, because that's how much time you'll need to dedicate. It has to PASSIONATE you, in capital letters, as the personal and financial investment is enormous. And if you do take the plunge, you need to hire people early on who complement your weaknesses, whether it's finance, communication, social media, etc. And be consistent, that's fundamental.

And finally, which WASACS would represent you?

How difficult! I like them all! They are so original and different… Let's see, I'm a big bag person, for carrying everything from a laptop to an apron and whatever else comes up, so the Maxine would be my ideal partner in crime .

María, thank you so much for this delicious coffee in such a spectacular setting. It has been a pleasure talking with you, and we've taken away many great tips. Congratulations on your project and keep achieving success.

To you, Cristina, it has been a pleasure to host you.