Throughout his life, and since he was a teenager, Abdulaziz Al Noman has always wanted to be a self-made person, who builds his future with his own efforts. After graduating from high-school, he wanted to become an electric engineer, yet his GPA qualified him to join the power mechanical engineering department, which was something he never liked…

What’s Up: So what did you do about it?

Abdulaziz Al Noman: I tried to convince faculty, but they never listened to me. I have always dreamt of inventing something or creating something new.

Although I didn’t like power mechanical engineering, I didn’t find any way to get into electric engineering, and one day I had to take a course in basic electric, I failed in that course three times in a row, I had to learn the hard way that I wasn’t cut for this major. Guess they were right not letting me major in electric engineering after all. (Laughs).

WU: How did that translate into being a floral designer?

AN: As I said, since I graduated from high-school, I wanted to depend on myself and start my own business, I think that our society is over protective, Saudi parents tend to spoil their own children even when they reach an older age, and that isn’t very helpful, they don’t get a real chance to experience life, and interact with the real outside world around them.

Since I was young, I wanted to tackle life head on, and build myself with my own efforts. Don’t get me wrong, I am not asking Saudi families to kick their children out of their homes, as the case with other cultures, all I think they should do is stop giving them allowance and asking them to find a job to earn money, that way you will teach them how to be independent.

WU: What made the transition in your life, what urged you to seek a career and look for ways to earn money?

AN: I used to take advantage of holidays by working in a hotel, I noticed how expatriates worked hard to earn a living, how all the money they earned was sent to support their wives, children, and family. While we gather that money to buy a new shiny cellphone, they would not spend much so that they can give their loved ones a better life. That changed how I saw things permanently.

I have been always dreaming of starting my own flower shop, back then I used to consult a friend who had more knowledge about how to start any business, and he told me to contact one of his friends who had one of the biggest flower shops in town.

So I met the florist, he started to show me around his shop, so I asked him if I can work for him for free, just to learn how the business work. He agreed to that, and I started working at the shop, learning everything I can, since I was hungry for knowledge.

After working for sometime, a friend of mine called me up one day, and asked me if I was still interested in starting a flower business, I agreed and we rented a tiny office to operate from.

WU: Did business pickup from there on?

AN: I wish, we barely made sales, and most of them to my friend’s relatives. We had a very low budget, so we had to get a third partner to increase the capital, yet that didn’t help much. But what I really benefited from this office was the fact that I got to train myself on designing bouquets, and learned how to cut cost on buying raw material, and how to mange the whole business.

WU: You just said designing a bouquet, what is the difference between designing and arranging?

AN: There is a huge difference between the two. Any one can arrange flowers in an attractive way that would depend on color or even theme, and that is what you get when you buy a flower bouquet from some florist in town. Designing on the other hand is all about creating a piece of art out of the bouquet, and this is what Europeans and Japanese do when they want to send a special, unique, and one of a kind bouquet of flowers.

In my work I focus on designing such bouquets, although the market isn’t ready to understand this concept, since the number of people who really know the difference is limited at this time.

WU: What if I wanted you to design a bouquet of flowers for a special occasion, how would you go about getting the ideas or inspiration to make it?

AN: I have pre-made floral designs ready, for example Armani has already took the same approach with their Armani Fiori line. If the client has something in mind or needs a one of a kind design, this could take some time to prepare, since it involves sketching, using many different techniques, creating a structure, then constructing on top of it. If the client wants to include a vase, you need to know how to use it as part of the design. In shorts, it is more like sculpturing.

As for inspiration, I get that from meeting the client, and listening to what he or she imagines, then I sit and think about how I can create that bouquet, so that it would meet and exceeds the clients expectations. Flowers are like precious gems.

WU: Are you still operating from that tiny office?

AN: (Laughs) No, that office was long gone, after settling the partnership, I found another partner to start a new flower shop in a mall, and that was one of the hardest, most pleasurable, and toughest experiences in my entire life.

WU: Why was it the hardest?

AN: It was the hardest because the volume of work increased dramatically.

WU: Most pleasurable?

AN: Because I worked with new kinds of flowers and used many new techniques in designing. Furthermore attracting new clients.

WU: And why was it the toughest?

AN: That was because of our location, as I said we opened in a mall, but it was hard to get boxes of fresh flowers and raw material shipped to the shop during the malls opening hours, most of our efforts were spent in dealing with the mall’s management to get permits to transport goods both into and out of the shop.

WU: Where did you get you floral design education?

AN: The most benefit I got from this new business was the opportunity to travel abroad and study floral design in England, Holland, Belgium, and the Ecuador, to attend courses in floral design.

WU: Very interesting, so are there courses made for this field?

AN: One of the courses I took was a private course and the others were in schools but most of the courses I attended were with known florists and international floral designers around the world, were I sat with them to learn the secrets of this fascinating beautiful world. I have also obtained a diploma and many certificates in the field.

WU: If someone wants to become a floral designer, what do you recommend for him or her?

AN: First of all he or she should explore the market and learn how it works, they should get involved as much as they can, and try to gather real information about this industry.

They should also try to design and create bouquets themselves, they should also get involved in exhibits in Saudi Arabia and around the world. I remember joining such an exhibit in Riyadh, where I met one of the greatest floral designers Mr. Raymound Chouity, who took me under his wings and taught me a lot, since he was handling all the major events and weddings in Riyadh for the past 25 years.

WU: Are you still operating from the same shop?

AN: Not really I am now a freelancer, I received many offers to start a new business, but I think I should wait for a good opportunity to come by.

WU: What are you up to right now?

AN: I am working on developing a new concept with a new brand, what I want to accomplish is branding my own designs. By the end of 2010 I will have a new book in the market that talks about floral designs. My new branded designs will also include using different materials like handmade Murano and Venetian glass and crystals, with exotic flowers. One thing people should always understand, it’s that art equals beauty. That’s why designers should trust themselves, and not copying other designers, rather create their own unique designs to build a tradition that will last.