Afa Vaasa is the passionate floral decorator behind Muaimalae Florist. Afa has turned his love for flowers into a thriving business.
Starting small in 2017 with simple arrangements for family and church events, Afa has gradually grown his business. Today, he caters to weddings, corporate events, funerals, and government functions.
Afa operates his business from his home in Siusega, where he grows flowers in his garden. This personal touch comes through in his work.
However, Afa finds it challenging not to have a central location to attract more business; therefore, opening a shop has become one of his main goals.
As his reputation grows, he has secured bigger clients, caters to major events like Miss Samoa, and will provide floral arrangements for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) venue in October 2024.
Through a partnership with the Samoa Tourism Authority, Afa discovered that teaching brings him joy. He is currently sharing his skills by offering floral arrangement training to businesses and individuals in the hotel industry.
Afa credits the YES GROW program, which he participated in this year, for helping him see his business as more than just a hobby,. The YES GROW program, delivered in partnership by BSP Samoa and Australian Business Volunteers (ABV), provides BSP banking clients with the opportunity to learn business skills from expert small business volunteers at ABV.
"The program has opened my eyes to things that I didn't know before, particularly on how to manage finances and marketing," says Afa.
With ongoing support from ABV’s skilled business volunteers, Afa is focused on expanding Muaimalae Florist and building his network of corporate and government clients.