After taking a floral design course for fun, one woman used online classifieds to turn her hobby into a $7,500 business — while keeping burnout at bay.
Challenge
In Melbourne, Australia, Kristen B. spent her weekdays managing her father’s electronics company — a stable but predictable job. To unwind, she enrolled in a six-month floral arrangement course, purely as a creative outlet.
After completing the course, Kristen helped out on weekends at a wedding florist. Then one day, a friend asked if she’d design the flowers for her wedding. Excited but nervous, Kristen realized she needed more practice — and more confidence.
That’s when she remembered a story she’d heard on a podcast about someone who used Craigslist to book photography gigs. The idea clicked: why not try something similar with flowers?
Action
Kristen turned to Gumtree — Australia’s version of Craigslist — and posted an ad offering affordable wedding floral design. To make her listing stand out, she created sample bouquets using leftover flowers from her weekend job and photographed them in her backyard.
Within two weeks, she landed her first client. The bride’s wedding was only a few weeks away, leaving Kristen no time to overthink. She delivered the arrangements on schedule and nervously waited for feedback. When the bride texted, “I love the flowers!” Kristen celebrated the only way a florist should — with a bottle of champagne.
Encouraged, she built a simple website using her old floral course portfolio, adding photos, prices, and service packages. Listing clear prices helped her attract “budget brides,” an audience she realized was underserved in her local market.
Result
Within months, Kristen booked more weddings — three in her first season and ten more worth $7,500 soon after. She keeps her supply costs around 50% of her fees and limits herself to two weddings per month to avoid burnout.
Her side hustle now gives her creative satisfaction, guilt-free spending money, and a chance to model entrepreneurship for her children.
She’s even exploring a new idea: DIY floral kits for brides who want to design their own centerpieces — a project that could generate passive income in the future.
Lesson
Kristen’s story proves that side hustles don’t have to take over your life. By setting boundaries and staying true to her goals, she found the perfect balance between passion and practicality.
Her advice? Start small, learn as you go, and never let your creative outlet become a chore.
Sometimes, success is as simple as planting a seed and letting it grow.
Inspired by a true story originally featured on Side Hustle School by Chris Guillebeau. This rewritten version is independently produced and fully original.