Silivia Bulouniwasabula’s Suva market stall has blossomed from a side hustle into a thriving family business. For more than five years, she has sold flowers at the Suva Municipal Market, turning her passion into a reliable income and a source of financial independence for her family.
Silivia tends to the market almost every day, taking Saturdays off. She takes pride in her work and enjoys engaging with customers and fellow vendors, where she has established a steady presence. One of the key strengths of her operation is that she grows the flowers herself at her home garden. “My home garden is where I grow the flowers I sell,” she said. “It lets me control the quality, keep costs down, and run my business sustainably.”
Her primary source remains the blooms from her garden, but Silivia is realistic about seasons. Weather, growth cycles, and occasional quality issues can mean not every bloom is ready for sale. When that happens, she turns to other flower vendors at the market to supplement her supply through bundled flowers, ensuring she meets customer demand without compromising quality. “These vendors sell flowers in bundles, allowing me to supplement my supply without compromising quality,” she explained. This approach not only keeps her customers happy but also strengthens ties within the market community and supports other small-scale growers.
The earnings from her flower business provide for her family’s daily expenses and contribute to financial independence. Silivia believes that women should strive for financial independence rather than relying on a spouse’s money. She encourages young women to consider similar ventures that can be managed from home. She sees small-scale entrepreneurship as a practical, fulfilling path that blends homegrown effort with local partnerships to create a sustainable model for families.
Silivia’s story mirrors a broader trend among Fiji’s market vendors, where women are transforming passion into livelihoods and, in turn, empowering their families and communities. Her commitment—home gardening, dependable market presence, and collaborative sourcing—offers a blueprint for others looking to turn a simple idea into a meaningful enterprise.
Summary: A Suva flower seller turns a five-year side hustle into a steady, independent business by growing her own blooms, maintaining daily market presence, and leveraging partnerships with fellow vendors to stay stocked and sustainable.
Additional value and notes:
– Focus keywords for SEO: Fiji, Suva Municipal Market, flower selling, women entrepreneurs, homegrown flowers, market vendors, small-scale business, independence.
– Photo caption ideas: Silivia in her garden tending blooms; Silivia at her Suva stall engaging with customers; a bundle swap moment with another vendor.
– For readers: practical takeaways include starting from home, building regular market presence, diversifying supply through community networks, and prioritizing quality and sustainability.
– Potential angles for follow-up: the role of women-owned micro businesses in Fiji’s market ecosystems, seasonal challenges for flower sellers, and how farmers’ markets support local livelihoods.
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