Transcript
Jennifer Gulizia: Welcome back to the Backyard Bouquet podcast, where we dig into the stories behind the blooms and meet the people growing beauty in their corners of the world. Today, we're traveling all the way to Newcastle, Australia to meet Jessica Eckford Aguilera, a woman whose creativity and entrepreneurial spirit have helped her build one of Australia's most beloved floral destinations, Newcastle Food and Flower Markets.
Jennifer Gulizia: Jessica's journey into flowers is such a beautiful one. What began as a love for creativity and community has grown into a thriving hub for floral design, education, and connection.
Jennifer Gulizia: Through her Newcastle Flower School and her work bringing locally grown blooms to her region, Jessica has become a true champion for bold and thoughtful floral design.
Jess : Thank you.
Jennifer Gulizia: And now she's taking that passion one step further as the visionary behind the first ever Flower Summit, a multi-day event coming to Newcastle in November of 2026.
Jennifer Gulizia: Tickets have just gone on sale and I can already tell that this gathering is going to be something truly special. It's going to be a celebration of creativity, learning and the community that unites all of us who love flowers.
Jess : Thank you.
Jennifer Gulizia: So today we're going to explore Jessica's story, what drew her to a life surrounded by flowers, how she's built such a vibrant community in Newcastle and what she envisions for the future of the floral industry through the upcoming Flower Summit.
Jennifer Gulizia: So whether you're in the garden, harvesting blooms, or just dreaming about next season's flowers, please join me for this inspiring conversation with Jessica. Hello, Jessica. Welcome.
Jess : Wow, what an intro. Thank you so much.
Jennifer Gulizia: Well, you have such an impressive background. I mean, there was a lot to say about you. I'm so happy you're here today. Thank you.
Jess : Oh, thank you so much for inviting me.
Jennifer Gulizia: Oh, it's such an honor. So you are in Australia. This was a hard podcast to schedule juggling our schedules.
Jess : we did it.
Jennifer Gulizia: cause there's such a time difference between the two places.
Jess : yes we did it
Jennifer Gulizia: And so are you at the start of your season right now? Is it fall or no, I'm sorry.
Jess : Yeah, we're in the middle of spring.
Jennifer Gulizia: It's spring.
Jess : Yeah, we're right in the middle of beautiful time of year for flowers.
Jennifer Gulizia: You're in spring.
Jess : But, yeah very, very lovely time here.
Jennifer Gulizia: We were just kissed by frost this morning, so our season has officially ended as we are speaking now.
Jess : I'm sorry about that.
Jennifer Gulizia: But that's okay. Everything has to have a rest, and I'm ready for my rest.
Jess : Yeah, good for you.
Jennifer Gulizia: It's going to give me time to get back to the podcast, so I'm looking forward to sharing more of these stories with the world. So let's start with your story today, Jessica. What drew you to flowers?
Jess : Oh, wow. So florals have been in my life for a good 25 years, I would say, probably a little bit more. I was always, I guess for me, growing up,
Jess : going into corporate world. i was running events and it just wasn't me. I hated routine. I hated working for someone and i just am a dreamer as well. So, it was by chance that the IT company I was working for, there were redundancy packages and I put my hand up for one and,
Jess : I can never sit still. So a friend of mine who ran restaurants and venues had asked me to, would I be interested if I would do his weddings for him and be the event manager? And I was like, oh, you know, I kind of thought about it. But that led me into florals and, know,
Jess : It was just, it was such a beautiful time, I guess, going into weddings and building relationships with these beautiful couples. And there was just a couple of vendors that this owner was working with that he wasn't happy with, I wasn't happy with. And I said, hey, listen, let me let me start my own business. And was 23 at the time and he said, we'll do it. And I said, I'm going to do it. So he He really was responsible for giving me a big kick in my first business. So starting that 23 was pretty amazing. And, you know, obviously there's so many risks when you start your own business and, you know, going into it, the first one was...
Jess : Walking out of that event management role and walking into this business full time and paying myself a minimum wage, that was my first risk. Second risk was going, okay, I can no longer meet my clients at cafes and restaurants. I wanted to have my own beautiful space where I could showcase designs and showcase who I was. So that next risk was finding a location to lease.
Jess : which I did. And then the third risk was it was getting really busy. So I had to find someone to help me and finding someone and paying them a full-time wage was my third risk, but it was just amazing and paid off. so my first company went on for 15 years. it was really, really successful events company in Sydney, which is probably about two hours from Newcastle.
Jess : And it was very good to me and gave me a beautiful lifestyle. I have three beautiful boys, which I had in Sydney. But I was ready to make a sea change. Being a mummy, i wanted to come back home, which is Newcastle.
Jess : And being entrepreneurial, I'd said to a girlfriend, well, Newcastle's growing really fast. I'm going to bring... uh, a flower market there. There wasn't one that currently existed. And, so I did, and it was a huge project opening up a flower market and a wholesale flower market at the time.
Jess : So we started out in a warehouse and it was really successful doing it wholesale. but But then we, you know, i think big and I'm serving coffee out of a little window to my floral designers at 3, 4 a.m. in the morning. I'm like, oh, why not build a cafe?
Jess : So we built a cafe, part of it, and it was, again, another big process. And in between doing weddings, so which I was always building up relationships from Sydney up to Newcastle, and we were building a reputation for that.
Jess : So they were always around me flowers. And then it just grew really fast, the flower markets, and...
Jess : A passion of mine was to always mentor, especially young girls, and there was a current program in Newcastle that I wasn't really happy with the way that they were teaching, and I begged them to change their curriculum and said, I'll donate my time for free, but it was just like a no. no no So my passion from that was to start my own flower school. So Newcastle Flower School was born as an arm off Newcastle Flower Markets.
Jess : And that's been hugely successful. So we do a lot of lifestyle workshops. We do three career courses per year. and we're now in our fourth year of flower school and going into our 10th year of Newcastle Food and Flower Market.
Jess : So we do around about 200 weddings a year. my
Jennifer Gulizia: Oh my gosh.
Jess : I know, and this is crazy season at the moment. Well, last weekend i just came out of 11 weddings for the weekend and...
Jennifer Gulizia: Wow.
Jess : Yeah, it was pretty crazy, but we're pretty, we're very organised. And, but I guess from my end, I've had it, you know, working with flowers from so many hats, being a floral designer, working with growers, owning a flower market.
Jess : teaching and mentoring with the flower school. So it's just been so beautiful to be surrounded by them. And I say to everyone, and it's mine, definitely, it's flower therapy.
Jess : We get to be surrounded by the most beautiful things every day. And I say it every day, I have the best job in the world because every day is different, which is nice for me because I'm not robotic and I don't like to do the same things every day.
Jess : But another dream of mine throughout this whole process was to be able to take women around the world on flower tours and showcase females in floriculture.
Jess : And we recently come back from Washington State, which I knew was going to be life-changing, but To the extent of how life-changing it was, oh my goodness, I met the most incredible female-led flower farms and I loved every one of them and one in particular I have grown very close with, Marin, farmhouse flowers.
Jennifer Gulizia: She's amazing.
Jess : I love her so much and she's We were just chatting and I said, oh, my God, you know, i can't believe there's no platform out there for women in floriculture anywhere around the world and and i want to bring you to Australia. And she said, well, do it. And i I'm like, I'm going to do it. She went, well, just do it. And I'm like, I'm doing it. So i remember her coming to see me before I left Washington State. Like we were just – she was just – so magnetic, like we're all inseparable from this woman.
Jess : And I said, like she pulls up in the driveway as we're about to pull out and, you know, it was something like she said, wow, in the short time I've met Jess, she really is going to do something. She says she's going to do it, she's going to do it.
Jess : And that's where Flower Summit was born in Washington State.
Jennifer Gulizia: Amazing.
Jess : And from that moment, I was just a gun. i was working on this project on the plane and I'd launched the business name. i was already i was already on fire and it was just something that has never felt so right to me that I've found something that is so magical and to be able to showcase women floriculture around the world is going to be life-changing for everyone and
Jess : It's going to be a platform globally where we can educate, share knowledge, connect, build beautiful friendships and ensure everyone succeeds. It's a sisterhood. It's a flower movement and it's a community where it's just going to get stronger and stronger. So I feel really proud of It's finally here. We launched the website, as you know, on Monday this week and I literally did that in five weeks and cannot believe it was just like, sh you know, it's born and it's out there. So feeling very excited as to where this is all going to go. Yes.
Jennifer Gulizia: That's amazing. i want to go back for a second. You said you started this journey when you were 23.
Jess : but
Jess : yes
Jennifer Gulizia: That's amazing. I want to really honor that because, I mean, when I was 23 years old, I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I mean, i was windsurfing. I thought I was going to go into corporate America.
Jennifer Gulizia: I tried a lot of jobs along the way. And it wasn't until I was in my 30s that I truly found my soul calling to be a flower farmer and be in the floral industry.
Jess : Yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: So the fact that you got into it at 23 and you're still in it 20 something years later is a true testament to how powerful this industry really is. So when was the moment that you knew that working with flowers was your calling?
Jennifer Gulizia: Was there a specific moment?
Jess : Yeah, I think it was absolutely. I remember when I first started out and I was no floral designer. I was never formally trained, but I had a girlfriend work with me and I still actually, in fact, I was at the flower markets in Sydney this morning.
Jess : And I run into her and she taught me everything there was to know about floral design. And this woman was so particular and and built the most beautiful bouquets. And I learned everything from her. And i remember...
Jess : And she got sick at one of my jobs and I'm like, oh, my God, how am I going to pull this wedding off? How am I going to put together these bridal bouquets?
Jess : And it was like a light bulb moment for me to go, oh, my God, you can do this, this little voice. This is you've been watching her for, year you know, a couple of years now
Jennifer Gulizia: you
Jess : And you've been assisting her. Just do it. And from that moment on, it was on. And I never looked back. And she worked with me for probably 10 years and and then started travelling a little bit. She had children and children.
Jess : and that but I can thank her for this beautiful journey. But, yeah, it's the most amazing industry. I've watched it i've watched it change so much over COVID and, you know, it was I think, you know, it put so many things into perspective for so many of us and the industry.
Jennifer Gulizia: Absolutely.
Jess : and taught us so much about ourselves and our business. And, you know, i remembered my husband and i and still feels so surreal talking about this because the world stopped. And remember us in our lounge room going, please just let us let us do takeaway, you know, and And I remember our business was considered to be, oh, what's the word?
Jennifer Gulizia: Essential.
Jess : The doctors? Yes, essential. Thank you. And it saved my life because I obviously am an extrovert. My husband is an introvert and he was quite happy to to not see people, whereas for me it's It was so powerful. I remembered i one of my pregnancies, I had a little bit of postnatal depression and didn't last for that long, thank God, but I remember how sad I was and not knowing why I was so sad. And it was a little bit of that feeling was brought back when this happened, having my
Jess : freedom taken away from me. I'm an ocean girl. I need that ocean for me to get my groove back when I feel a little bit low. We're all different, you know, and that being taken away from me was really hard.
Jennifer Gulizia: Mm-hmm.
Jess : But we had just thankfully launched these goodness boxes three months before COVID hit where we would deliver the most you know beautiful sourdough bread, fruit and veggies, eggs, honey, flowers to people. And we went, this was just my husband and i we went from five boxes a week to 300 boxes a week
Jennifer Gulizia: Wow.
Jess : and it was just yeah and everyone was supporting everyone's business and everyone had wanted these beautiful goodness boxes for their homes and it saved me because you know there were so many lonely people and just to get a bunch of flowers in a box like I remember talking to this beautiful elderly lady he lived by herself and
Jennifer Gulizia: When COVID hit.
Jennifer Gulizia: Mm-hmm.
Jess : I don't know, I'm sure she was never going to eat this whole box. It was just about companionship. And I'm like, go get a cup of tea. I'm going just put it there. I'm going to sit on your steps. You sit there.
Jess : I'm here for you. Let's chat. And it was just those little things that I think saved a lot of people over that time.
Jennifer Gulizia: All right.
Jess : but I mean, flowers make, there's so many emotions with florals because, you know, i always, in my role, having a flower market, you know, you're seeing boys come in or men come in and they've done the wrong thing or they just want to make their wives happy. And then you're seeing, you know, people that have lost someone and, you know,
Jess : people, young boys wanting to give, you know, their first girlfriend flowers. that There's so many beautiful emotions that you get to see in my business and I feel really grateful for that.
Jennifer Gulizia: Absolutely. Well, flowers meet us at every moment in life. I mean, everyone has a connection to flowers and that's what makes it so meaningful.
Jess : Yeah, absolutely.
Jennifer Gulizia: And being part of that is just an incredible thing. I know COVID really changed my view of the floral industry. Also, I had had one year under my belt as a flower farmer and then COVID hit and we went all, I mean, we were growing on a quarter acre at the time.
Jess : Yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: which is a small amount of space, but I sold everything that I could grow that year. And it affirmed to me, okay, local flowers matter, what I'm doing matters, and I can do this and I can scale it.
Jess : Yeah.
Jess : Oh, yes.
Jennifer Gulizia: And people were so hungry. That was one of my best CSA years because people needed that connection with people.
Jess : Oh.
Jennifer Gulizia: I mean, some of those older ladies you're talking about, I was the only person that they saw through their window waving as I would drop off their CSA bouquet.
Jess : Yeah. Yeah.
Jess : Yes, absolutely. And such a little thing can create something magical for someone, like that little tiny floral makes a difference to someone's life.
Jess : It's, yeah, definitely you saw it over that. Still still saddens me that time. Yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: I know. Well, let's talk about something a little bit more happier than COVID here.
Jess : but Yes. Yeah, we around about 200 weddings a
Jennifer Gulizia: and So you started in the wedding industry. You're still providing wedding flowers. Is that correct?
Jess : year. Crazy. Yes. around about two hundred weddings a year
Jennifer Gulizia: Which is incredible.
Jess : price
Jennifer Gulizia: Is there a team that you have that helps you with that?
Jess : yes
Jess : oh Oh, my goodness, yes. I would not be able to do without my team. It's not huge. I'm so grateful for my girls. We have a team of three and we're just, I'm a very organised person and and, yeah, we just get it done and we have a beautiful time doing it. But, yeah, very grateful.
Jennifer Gulizia: So with your business model, you do the weddings, you have your flower market. Is it the market where people are booking their weddings with you? Is that the business
Jess : Yeah, definitely. it's We have built up such a beautiful reputation in Newcastle when it comes to bridal flowers or flowers in general.
Jess : We always say we're not the cheapest, we're not the most expensive, we sit in the middle and if you want really beautiful quality florals then that's what you're going to get from us. But one of the things that has made us very successful is, and not to go back to COVID, but Over that time and and now obviously with in Australia, the cost of living, everything's expensive or everything's expensive everywhere.
Jess : You know, budgets that people used to have were not there anymore. You know, people don't have $10,000 to spend on wedding flowers anymore. And if they do, they're few and far between. But I created something really beautiful. i created five different packages where...
Jess : One, like they're all very cost effective and it just has gone mental for us with that and having that value for money as well has been such a huge thing for us and obviously it's taken us to doing so many weddings as well.
Jess : But, yeah, it's a really beautiful part of the business.
Jennifer Gulizia: So with your weddings and everyday flowers in general, I'm curious because you are halfway across the world from me. What kind of flowers are you working with?
Jess : Oh, so many. You would love what I got this morning. Oh, my God. I'll have to put it – I'll share it with you later on. We're obviously in a beautiful time, spring here, but tree peonies I got this morning, the first of the lilac that's just hit –
Jennifer Gulizia: Oh.
Jess : Oh, my God, so beautiful. Cosmos, Scabiosa, Delphinium. Oh, my God, I could go on forever. And it's just, it's, oh, I don't know, it just gives me this feeling.
Jess : When i bring everything back to market and you just, oh, wow, it's just so many beautiful things. Very, very lucky. And obviously you've got all these beautiful local roses in at the moment, the big cabbage roses and, yeah, the garden roses at the moment are insane. Yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: So are most of the flowers that you're able to use grown in Australia?
Jess : Yeah, definitely. And look, you know, i'm I'm not just a floral designer, obviously owning the market, so I have to... showcase a lot now if a bride wants an imported rose then she's going to get an imported rose and you know the big trend on reflexing and all all of those things it still happens but 95% of our flowers are local and I you know if it I i adore my growers and
Jess : The work that they put into nurturing their flowers is so admirable. And I think it's more about educating the consumer these days, not just about the grower and what they do, but, you know, the floral designer. We're we're both not in a field with a beautiful little basket, frolicking, picking florals.
Jess : We are, you know, overnight you can have your crops damaged. Frost, you were just talking about.
Jennifer Gulizia: Yes.
Jess : We've seen it here in Australia how quickly growers can lose everything, which is heartbreaking. So me, have so much respect for my growers if it wasn't for them.
Jess : I wouldn't have a business. So do I want to be a grower? No way. I don't have the time and I love it. Don't get me wrong. I love hands in soil. I love harvesting, but I simply don't have the time to do that. What is really beautiful is seeing how many new growers are popping up and females, you know.
Jennifer Gulizia: So many.
Jess : It's just, oh, my God, it just makes my heart sing. Knowing that there are so many beautiful female growers popping up and doing so amazing at it as well.
Jennifer Gulizia: the
Jess : Very cool.
Jennifer Gulizia: That's awesome. I think the local flower movement, when we think of it here in the US, I think so many of us just picture what's going on in the US, but the local flower movement is really a global movement right now of people wanting to support their local businesses, wherever whatever country they're in.
Jess : Yes, definitely. And the more, like, the more the better. You know, we, it's, there's so many positives. You know, we need bees. We need all of these beautiful things that are associated with flowers. So bring it on.
Jennifer Gulizia: Absolutely. Well, I love that you bring a different perspective than most of my guests to this show because most of my guests are the ones growing the flowers. So a lot of us listening, we grow the flowers for the florists.
Jennifer Gulizia: What advice would you have for the grower so that they can have better communication, better relationships with the florists that they work with?
Jess : Yeah, I think is talking to your floral designers about the latest trends in colour palettes and styles.
Jennifer Gulizia: Do you
Jess : I often have a lot of my growers going, hey, Jess, what what should I grow next? What colour should I grow? What are popular right now? think having that relationship with your floral designer and grower, I mean, that's what it is all about, right, that beautiful connection
Jennifer Gulizia: however
Jess : You know, the more floral designers hitting up our growers, the more our growers can grow and do what they love as well. So it's a win-win for everyone. But, yeah, talk more to each other. I think the communication.
Jennifer Gulizia: Communication with everything is so important.
Jess : Right.
Jennifer Gulizia: The more you communicate with people, the better everything is.
Jess : Absolutely. And I think having these beautiful circles, like, you know, kind of saw a little bit, you know, a few years ago and no one wanted to share information. Everyone's so tight-knit and tall poppy syndrome and all of that. Like, share your knowledge because it's the the more of us that join forces, the bigger and more powerful people.
Jess : It can be, and with everything that is, I think. But, yeah, support one another. i think it's so important and just, yeah, communicate.
Jennifer Gulizia: Absolutely.
Jess : Such a good word.
Jennifer Gulizia: That is a great word. Okay, so you mentioned to communicate what growing trends are, what are the growing trends right now in Australia?
Jess : Oh, wow. So very whimsical and, you know, ethereal words. flowy design, lots lots of movement. So you're seeing lots of cosmos, so lots of like that wild scabiosa, very on trend at the moment.
Jess : But also too, mean, I'm doing heaps of them. Girls wanting every colour of the rainbow in their bouquets.
Jennifer Gulizia: Oh.
Jess : I just on the weekend did two very spring tone weddings with beautiful Beautiful powder blue delphinium and like hot pink dahlias, orange roses, oh, wow, lemon snapdragons, like all these really beautiful tones that just pop.
Jennifer Gulizia: oh
Jess : Yeah, it's beautiful at the moment. We're in a great time of year.
Jennifer Gulizia: It's so nice. I'm loving all the color coming back in because for a while it seemed like everything was green and white.
Jess : What?
Jennifer Gulizia: And I'm like, you can only grow so many white flowers.
Jess : Yes.
Jennifer Gulizia: And for me, a lot of my whites get bug damage.
Jess : I know.
Jennifer Gulizia: And so there's a lot of crop loss.
Jess : Yes.
Jennifer Gulizia: I have to grow so much more to allow for that loss where the colors, certain colors, things don't bother them as much.
Jess : Yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: So.
Jess : And you're never going to go wrong with growing those beautiful, like, you know, your blush pinks, your peach tones.
Jennifer Gulizia: my gosh, yeah.
Jess : you're I mean, there's so many beautiful breeds, different breeds of like spider gerberas at the moment, like latte, burgundies are coming out, like all these beautiful, beautiful,
Jess : new breeds of chrysanthemums and, oh, my God, oh, my God, so beautiful, the spider chrysanthemums, all of these things.
Jennifer Gulizia: oh my gosh yeah
Jess : I don't know. I could go on for hours, as you would too. know.
Jennifer Gulizia: It's hard when when you talk to a flower person, you can talk forever.
Jess : Absolutely.
Jennifer Gulizia: My husband's always like, did you just meet that person and you can talk to them that long? I'm like, well, there's always something to talk about with flowers.
Jess : absolutely
Jennifer Gulizia: Flower people are the best.
Jess : here We are
Jennifer Gulizia: and So I love this. And then you have your education side where you also teach.
Jess : Yes.
Jennifer Gulizia: When do you have time for that?
Jess : Wow, I know. And, you know, it's so beautiful. That mentoring side for me is something I really love. Yeah.
Jess : This space that we've created here, it's pretty big in Newcastle, but I don't know what it is or what I've created in this school or in this area, but school in particular, don't know, we...
Jess : It seems that everyone wants to, you know, share their information as in like, you know, we cry together, we laugh together and it's just, it's such a beautiful space. It's a safe place and people feel that they can really open up in this space.
Jess : I always say it's just my school is not just a flower school. It's this beautiful, empowering, inspiring support network
Jennifer Gulizia: Uh-huh.
Jess : that every time I do a class I'm like, is it going to get better? And it just gets better. The next class is better. That class is better. It's just you meet the most amazing creatives. I've got a girl at the moment, a beautiful young girl, and she's autistic and I'm teaching. She's part of my class.
Jess : wow has she taught me so much and the way her beautiful mind works like this girl is smashing out bouquets and doing it so beautifully and yeah it's just it's so lovely my job is just so beautiful to be able to work with everyone on all types at all different levels and you know, 60-year-old women just wanting to learn a new skill because they've never done anything for themselves.
Jess : And now at 60 they've gone, stuff it, I'm doing something for me. And so grateful that they chose me to to have, you know, that journey, that floral journey. But, yeah, it's a really beautiful thing that we've created.
Jennifer Gulizia: That's incredible. So your classes are taught in person or virtually or both?
Jess : Yeah, so at the moment it's in person. It's for me, i mean, I love the virtual thing, but I'm such an old-fashioned girl. I'm a touchy-feely and I just think that the way that...
Jess : I make people feel when they're in my class. I'm always scared of going online because I want to be able to ensure that they feel that from me virtually and I haven't stepped over into that space.
Jennifer Gulizia: uh...
Jess : And whilst I get so many emails on a monthly basis going, hey, I'm here, i want to do your class, are you going to go online? I just look, I i thought about it a little while ago and did a little bit of filming, but, yeah, I don't know.
Jess : watch this space maybe, but I don't know. I'm too busy now, I think, and with everything else going on and the new projects, I think that I'll leave that one.
Jennifer Gulizia: Sure. You have a lot on your plate right now.
Jess : Yeah. Yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: And so last year you added your flower tours to your lineup of offerings. Is that correct?
Jess : Yes, yes. A big dream of mine was to always take women around the world on flower tours and showcase female-led flower farms, showcase floral designers, and we were able to do that in Washington State.
Jess : It was just the most beautiful, beautiful thing to do. I knew it was going to be life-changing but to the extent of what I was saying before was enormous and I felt so grateful for being over there and meeting the people I got to meet. It was all just meant to be. it felt like I was meant to be in Seattle, meant to be in Stanwood, meant to like it was just everywhere where i don't know I felt felt at home but it was the most magical experience.
Jennifer Gulizia: How did you decide on Washington?
Jess : Yeah, so funny. Good old Graham, the Instagram. We're all guilty of scrolling and but I scroll for florals and inspiration all the time and I just kept coming across these amazing women and I just hit them up and said, hey, i think Marin was the first one and I said, this is what we're thinking. She was like, oh, my God. know, Marin, it's like, oh, my God.
Jess : You've got to come over. And it was just the start of that. And then obviously Galena, incredible, talented floral flower grower, and Emily from Idlewild and just beautiful. Three very different growers, three very different women and three very different farms. But, yeah, just a magical experience and amazing.
Jess : so grateful that they allowed us to walk onto their farms. Galena had never let anyone go onto her farm. We were the first ones to go on there and she was like, you know what, I really like you. We did a Zoom and I want you to come over and I'm like, oh, my God, wow, you know, and she's such a beautiful person and, yeah,
Jess : You know, that would have been hard but I think now she's on a roll. She's just doing people are on her farm now and i think I think she really enjoys the education side and I think she's going to be really good at that as well. So maybe we, I, taught her something a little bit about herself that, you know, she should get out and do it because she's really knowledgeable.
Jess : and We see her on the Gram and she shares everything. It's beautiful.
Jennifer Gulizia: She's so good about being consistent. I'm about an hour away from Golina and so I still haven't seen her far her new farm.
Jess : Oh, wow.
Jennifer Gulizia: And so I'm so anxious too. I was messaging her the other day saying, I need to see it before frost.
Jess : Oh, and she loves you. She hooked me up with you, actually. I think we were, yes, and, yeah, she absolutely loves what you're doing.
Jennifer Gulizia: She's like, yes.
Jess : So that's that speaks lots of words, doesn't Oh,
Jennifer Gulizia: Well, that's what I love about this community. I mean, Marin was one of my first cheerleaders. I think she started growing a year before me and we've been friends for seven years and Galena, I'd have to go back, but it's gotta to be five or six years ever since she started growing.
Jess : wow.
Jess : Wow.
Jennifer Gulizia: I mean, the community of women in this industry, it's top notch and it's not just that people are good at what they do.
Jess : Yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: They care about
Jess : Yes.
Jennifer Gulizia: not just their farm, but seeing the other farmers thrive, not just succeed, but thrive.
Jess : And so beautiful. Yes. absolutely Isn't that what it's all about though? You want to see each other succeed and thrive and flourish in the industry. I think that that,
Jess : You know, don't work against each other, work with each other. And, you know, there's plenty of room for everyone in this industry. So, yeah, it's beautiful.
Jennifer Gulizia: Right. And it's not like we're competing with each other.
Jess : Right.
Jennifer Gulizia: I mean, have, we're in such different areas. We're far enough away that we're each serving a different local market. And if we can elevate one another, the whole industry just rises.
Jess : Yeah.
Jess : Yes. Absolutely. Well said.
Jennifer Gulizia: Which leads to what you are putting on. Let's talk about what you have going on. Let's talk about the summit. I'm so excited.
Jess : Oh, I'm so excited and so excited to to bring you out as one of our speakers as well. It was born in Washington State, actually. I was there for the flower tours and It was just in conversation with Maureen actually.
Jess : I was saying to her that I couldn't believe that there wasn't a platform out there globally for women to connect and and I was saying, I really want to bring you out to Australia and she was the one that said, we'll do it. And I said, well, I'm going to do it. and she said, we'll do it now. And I'm like, it was born there and then it literally...
Jess : I was on my phone going, right, business name, all of this, and it was done in 15 minutes. And it was it's such a big passion of mine to be able to connect other women, showcase and elevate women in general, but women in floriculture not just flower growers. It's floral designers. It's educators, entrepreneurs.
Jess : It's even women who are thinking of jumping into the world of flowers or just want to be surrounded by amazing like-minded women. The Flower Summit is going to really feel...
Jess : i really feel I've never felt anything so right in my life as to when I created this. And it's been incredibly, I don't want to say, I'm just going to touch wood here, but it's been so easy. I remember going, all right, you know, Maureen, are you coming? She was like, I'm in. Galena, are you in? I'm in. And then Jen, you know, it was just like bang, bang, bang. And then,
Jess : I wanted to be able to, you know, obviously have three amazing internationals come out and and then obviously showcase some incredible Australian influential floral creatives and on top of that business leaders because I think it's something that, you know, for me i I never stop learning. I want to learn all the time and I think for a lot of people, you know, social media is a huge part of our lives now and things are evolving and changing daily and algorithms, like it's so hard to keep up.
Jennifer Gulizia: Mm-hmm.
Jess : So we're bringing in a social media guru, we're bringing into branding and marketing gurus. So to ensure that, you know, your brand is reflecting on who you are.
Jess : A lot of the floral creatives I saw don't have, you know, professional shots that you are so easy to just take pictures from your gram because, You shoot so beautifully, obviously your beautiful photography background.
Jess : photographer.
Jess : And, yeah, so there's so many aspects with the Flower Summit that we're that Yeah, so many of you will get so much from the event.
Jess : But, yeah, very exciting.
Jennifer Gulizia: it sounds It sounds incredible. So tell me or tell us so my listeners can understand what is the Flower Summit?
Jess : So the Flower Summit is a platform that showcases and elevates women in floriculture all over the world. We are going to be the voice for the industry globally.
Jess : we are there to ensure, you know people know about you because you deserve to be known and that we appreciate you It's a beautiful industry that, you know,
Jess : I was a little shocked that nothing existed out there. But there's going to be lots of arms off this business that will grow, obviously, around the world.
Jess : But I see flower summits happening in so many countries and it's going to be a place where we all connect. I mean, obviously we're launching the first one in Newcastle, Australia, who's to say we're not going to launch another one in Washington State or another one in the Netherlands and there's there's going to be lots of exciting news coming into the future with Flower Summit.
Jennifer Gulizia: So this first summit, where is it taking place?
Jess : Sure, so it's taking place in Newcastle, Australia. at a stunning location called Stanley Park. It's set on 28 acres on the water here.
Jess : And I wanted the first, well, I wanted all of the summits. so I didn't want them to be in hotel room where it's four walls. I mean, we're all organic, creative people and I wanted it to be in a really beautiful space. So the location for me here in Newcastle has been great.
Jess : Yeah, amazing to secure that. And think teepee tents. There's going to be so many beautiful things happening. Lifestyle brands is part of it.
Jess : You know, floral tools, a lot of those beautiful brands will be showcasing at the event as well.
Jennifer Gulizia: And what are the dates of the event?
Jess : Sure. 24th to the 25th of November. So it takes place over two days.
Jennifer Gulizia: And that's 2026.
Jennifer Gulizia: Wow.
Jess : Yes, 2026, yes, next year. And, look, the reason why we launched it and and launched it for 2026 is that we're giving people a lot of time, especially, you know, I've been contacted by people from Chile, flower growers from Germany coming out.
Jennifer Gulizia: wow
Jess : So it really gives people a chance to, you know, to save for this little trick as well because I promise you it will be life-changing for so many of us.
Jennifer Gulizia: Will there be any flower tours associated with the summit?
Jess : Yes, so it's funny that you say that actually. We haven't announced announced it yet but I'm in talks with someone incredibly talented who is from the UK and stay tuned.
Jess : There could be a few little flower tours happening straight after the yeah the event. Yes. Definitely.
Jennifer Gulizia: Amazing. I know I want to see some flower farms while I'm there. I'm so excited. It's going to be such an amazing event.
Jess : Definitely.
Jennifer Gulizia: And I mean, just the power of connecting with local growers in the U.S. I can't imagine what's going to happen when we bring this international collective of flower farmers together.
Jennifer Gulizia: Oh, we're not just farmers. Excuse me. I'm a farmer.
Jess : Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: So I'm used to saying flower farmers. The floral industry together is just going to be truly magical to have so many inspiring minds sharing ideas and connecting. And there's going to be opportunities to meet one another as well. Is that correct?
Jess : Oh, absolutely. Beautiful networking opportunities. We've got, At the end of the event, a celebration cocktail-style event, it's going to be beautiful. So lots of opportunities there to connect with incredible women and and like-minded women as well.
Jennifer Gulizia: Now paint a picture, what Newcastle like in November?
Jess : yeah You're going to love Well, you see my little post that I'm giving the internationals a sneak peek. We've got the most magnificent beaches.
Jess : We've got the Hunter Valley so close to us. It's just an hour away, which is wine country, the most amazing, you know, paddock to plate, establishments. It's, yeah, it's a really beautiful seaside town with a bit of country mentality. Everyone is g'day, guys.
Jess : Everyone says hello to each other. Everyone supports one another. It's a really beautiful city to live.
Jennifer Gulizia: And if someone is flying in internationally, how do they get to Newcastle? What's the international airport?
Jess : Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, international airport would be Sydney and then you can actually fly into Newcastle as well.
Jennifer Gulizia: Okay.
Jess : Yeah, so it's a really, look, where we are the access is very, very easy, which is going to be great. And we've got a beautiful hotel partner on board.
Jess : A local hotel, Crystal Brook Kingsley's, who is going to be discounting all of our attendees for accommodation.
Jess : But there's good old Airbnb, amazing places to stay here. Everything is so close to each other here in Newcastle as well, which is great.
Jennifer Gulizia: It sounds so incredible. What's the weather like in November?
Jess : yeah you're going to love it It's coming into summer and it's just magical. It's so beautiful at the moment. I've been doing the 4.30am wake up, go for a run and have a swim in the ocean and watch the sunrise and just, oh, my God. It's so important.
Jess : Something that we're all probably guilty of doing is not stopping and being present and, yeah,
Jennifer Gulizia: Yes.
Jess : It's something that I'm such a busy person that I am very guilty of doing, especially with three boys. My life is very busy. So this has been enabled, well, it's enabling me at the moment to reset and recharge
Jennifer Gulizia: I was just at a personal development conference this weekend, and that was one thing that was talked about over and over and over again is making sure that you take time every day to be present and
Jess : Yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: that's where you find the joy in life also. And I'm like, you know what? That's one of the best things about being in the floral industry is that there's so much joy.
Jess : Oh,
Jennifer Gulizia: I mean, when you're around flowers, it's so easy to bring that joy. And so I can't imagine how joyous this event is going to be with so many people who have the same passion for flowers all together.
Jess : excuse me.
Jess : I know. it's It's something that I'm so excited about and feel really grateful of where I am right now as well. So I cannot wait to to showcase you guys here as well. It's going to be and and show you our country. You're going to love it.
Jennifer Gulizia: You know, I don't know if you're even aware that week is U.S. Thanksgiving.
Jennifer Gulizia: It is, which my family is totally okay to miss Thanksgiving, but maybe there's a way to incorporate like a huge Thanksgiving dinner or some kind of gratitude dinner.
Jess : Oh, my God.
Jess : Yes. Thank you. That's.
Jess : Yes. Yes, I will. I'll do a little sneaky with you, Maureen Galena. Yes.
Jess : Stay tuned. and Thank you. i needed that secret. Yes.
Jennifer Gulizia: I was just thinking there's going to lot of Americans, but it's a great time to travel. My family's a pescatarian, so we don't do Turkey.
Jess : Oh, yes.
Jennifer Gulizia: so
Jess : Yes.
Jennifer Gulizia: we always travel around that time cause we're like, oh, we're not missing Thanksgiving. But
Jess : Wow. So you eat you at fish?
Jennifer Gulizia: we do. I bet you have a lot of great fish on the ocean.
Jess : Yeah. you what We have the best seafood here. It's beautiful.
Jennifer Gulizia: I can't wait. Okay.
Jess : Yeah.
Jennifer Gulizia: So now we've got our listeners super excited for this conference. How do they join us?
Jess : Sure, so you can head over to flowersummit.com.au. All the information is on there. and follow us on Instagram as well. Instagram is theflowersummit and that has lots of updates on there as well.
Jennifer Gulizia: And we're going to link to all of that in today's show notes as well. So if someone just heads to today's show notes, they can click on the link and register or check out the summit because it's going to be one you don't want to miss.
Jess : Amazing.
Jennifer Gulizia: Is there anything just that I haven't asked you today that you want to share with our listeners?
Jess : No, I'm so grateful for that. That was just such a beautiful chat.
Jennifer Gulizia: It was, it's always so fun to talk to you.
Jess : You covered everything. Oh, you too. It's so lovely. You've got such a beautiful energy.
Jennifer Gulizia: You too. I'm so excited. It's gonna be so nice to meet you in person. And you are coming back to the US in 2027.
Jess : yes
Jess : Yes, we are. We're coming back August and it recently just booked Lady Florence House again where we stayed. It was a beautiful homestead there. But, yes, so visiting you, m again.
Jess : Galena and Marin to see how far they've come since we obviously visited them in 25. But yes, cannot wait. I love your, mean, I love Seattle, loved being loved being there.
Jess : I can't believe how many other growers are reaching out to us going, hey, come and see me. And I'm like, oh my God, like, I don't think I'm going to have enough time but I think that's where I'm going to do a beautiful networking event as one of the events that we do on the tour because I think that'll be a really beautiful connection for not just the attendees but for every everyone that I don't get to see.
Jennifer Gulizia: That'll be so fun.
Jess : Oh, thank
Jennifer Gulizia: i have loved this conversation. Thank you so much for getting up early today to carve out time with me.
Jess : you.
Jennifer Gulizia: and i I am just so excited for everything that you're working on. And I thank you for being a champion for the floral industry. It's really an exciting time to be part of this industry and growing flowers and knowing how much beauty we're all bringing into this world. So thank you for contributing to that.
Jess : You're so welcome. Thank you so much for inviting me onto your amazing little podcast.
Jennifer Gulizia: Thank you. we'll see you in Australia.
Jess : Thank you.
Jennifer Gulizia: Thank you. Bye-bye.
