Loday Wangmo Dorji is the founder of Zangden’s Flowers, a home-based business that creates cloth-based home decor items, primarily flowers. With assistance from the Loden Foundation, the 25-year-old with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in finance launched her business in 2021. She discovered that the majority of her school breaks were spent at the RENEW Center in Thimphu, where she honed her skills in manipulating various materials to create artwork.
In 2020, Loday applied for the Loden-UNDP COVID-19 Response Fund II support that provided livelihood skills and business support to vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. This fund offered livelihood skills and business support. With the help, Loday was able to improve her abilities. After receiving instruction in sewing and creating various designs, Loday formally started Zangden Flowers in 2021.
She revealed that although it was her mother’s intention to launch this kind of business, she was unable to do so due to financial constraints; however, her daughter carried on her mother’s dream after graduating. “I can’t make flowers as good as my mother can. She gave me encouragement to go forward with her business plan. Without her love, support, and assistance, I would not have possessed the confidence. As a gesture of gratitude to her mother, she named her business after her mother Zangden. Its online store and they have Instagram account dedicate to sell artificial flowers to customers aptly named “Zangden’s Flowers”.
It’s been an exhilarating journey for Loday. “A little bit of love and labor is all we need to make a difference. Entrepreneurship is not an easy path and there are various challenges faced by entrepreneurs. One of the most critical factors that can make or break a business is cash flow management.” “For her, an entrepreneur is someone who starts an enterprise or invests in a new business. Becoming an entrepreneur can be challenging, but it offers many rewards to those who have perseverance and can face the challenges of entrepreneurship,” Loday said.
Loday mentioned that one of her difficulties is not having a store since clients prefer to visit us in person before making a purchase. She also mentioned that she had location challenges because she used to stay in Wangsisina, which made delivery extremely challenging. However, moving here in town really help her delivery products. “My mother used to made these artificial flowers and offer them as gifts to friends and family before I started my business. She received positive reviews on her products and a few orders as well.”
People purchase our products as gifts for their close ones. Some purchase our flower arrangements to offer to monasteries and temples, according to Loday. She revealed that she receives more orders on celebratory days like Valentine’s Day, warm farewell gatherings, wedding anniversaries, and New Year’s Eve than on other days. Given Loday’s increased standard of living, it is reasonable to conclude that efforts to empower women are in fact creating a better future.
“Customers have given us positive feedback up to this point, but they would prefer it if we had a store since it would be more convenient for them and they would find our store more quickly. Occasionally, customers place an order with us but decide at the last minute not to pick up the flower because it is inconvenient for them. We don’t currently have a store to display these things, but I intend to create one in the future,” she continued.
The artificial flower business of Loday is blossoming into a thriving business as the lifestyle of people change they seek carefree home decorating items and the significant increases in quality of Loday’s artificial flowers. This flowers allow home decorators to defy the seasons, not only by having summer blooms in the dead of winter but by mixing flowers from several seasons in a single display.
According to Loday, “I occasionally receive orders from Bhutanese nationals who live and work abroad. They ask me to deliver my products to their place, but at this time I am unable to do so. Sooner or later I am planning to ship to other countries too. At the moment, she delivers her flowers to other Dzongkhags in addition to selling them in Thimphu.
Her business has a bright future ahead of it thanks to developments in sustainability, technology, and materials science. We may see incredibly lifelike blooms made with cutting-edge materials that replicate the texture and aroma of actual flowers. She may also explore customization options, allowing customers to design unique arrangement through digital platforms.
Loday’s entrepreneurial journey is a tapestry woven with passion, creativity, and unwavering commitment. From the seedling of an idea to the blossoming of a thriving business, her story exemplifies resilience in the face of challenges.
By Rinzin Dema
