How did you get that f*#king awesome job Janine Sebastian?

Flowers: a love language
Flowers: a love language

For many women flowers are the language of love. And lucky for many gals in the Edmonton-area, Janine Sebastian helps them and the people who love them express that sentiment through beautiful florals. Sebastian is the owner of FaBLOOMosity, an award-winning floral atelier located in the funky brick Mercer Warehouse on 104 Street (aka THE place downtown Edmonton to kickstart a creative business).

Sebastian and her team make bouquets, centrepieces and, of course, floral crowns. She started FaBLOOMosity three years ago and hasn’t looked over her shoulder since. Essentially, Sebastian and her team exist to weave love stories out of flowers (including proteas, eep, my all time favourites). When she has a little time to breathe – usually in the slower seasons like spring/winter, Sebastian and her team offer fun workshops like terrarium building. Learn all about Sebastian’s f*#king awesome playing with flowers all day long, errrrday, after the jump. 

Janine Sebastian, Owner/Boss-Lady FaBLOOMosity

So how did you get that f*#king awesome job? Can you describe what your job is and what it is that you do? 

I threw myself into the industry.  I just said one day, “this is what I want”, and I worked super hard.  I was managing at a store a few years ago, and I didn’t like how it was being run, and so I started to make mental notes to myself about how I would do things. Then almost four years ago, I had the opportunity to start my own business, and I grabbed on and never let go.

Did you have to give anything up to get here?

So much family time.  I have young kids, and to get my business going, I had to spend so much time working instead of with them. And my social life.  It’s all work, or industry events and industry people.  I mean, I have amazing friends in the industry.  But outside of the industry, it gets a little bit harder because not everyone gets my crazy hours.

FaBLOOMosity, clockwise from left: Janine Sebastian, a floral boa of awesome, a spring terrarium building workshop
FaBLOOMosity, clockwise from left: Janine Sebastian, a floral boa of awesome, a spring terrarium building workshop

Who or what has been your mentor/inspiration along the way? 

I take inspiration from everywhere, tv, magazines, Home Sense for sure!  I love going there to find unique pieces to build on or out of.

In three words or less, what’s the best part of your job?

Product Day (it’s like Christmas when you open those boxes of flowers)

In three words or less, what’s the worst part of your job? 

nothing lasts forever

What did you want to be when you grew up? 

I thought about being a vet – my parents had a giant farm and the second largest zoo in Saskatchewan

What is your drink of choice?

Coffee

Where was the last place you travelled?

Jasper (for work of course! haha)

What’s on your playlist right now?

Ed Sheeran

What are your top three reads vis a vis your career (books, magazines, manuals, podcasts)?

Wedluxe, Grace Ormonde, Perfect Wedding

Any advice for someone who’s looking to lock down their f*#king awesome job? 

Do it right the first time – it’s never easy, but it’s totally worth it.  So do the extra work to do it right the first time rather than trying to take the easy way out.  And make sure you have the best team behind you, like I do.

What does the future behold for your f*#king awesome job?

Expanding.  We’re already outgrowing the space we’re in now.  FAB is only going to get bigger.

RIP Readymade: the raddest DIY, culture and living magazine that was.
RIP Readymade: the raddest DIY, culture and living magazine that was.

*I want to insert a HUGE caveat here. I did not come up with this column name, my favourite, now deceased magazine – Readymade – did. I hope to emulate their ethos here (the questions are from my brain with a bit of audience testing from friends/family). As an extrovert and general lover of the human race, I am inspired by people who LOVE their jobs. So I thought I would dedicate some space on the world wide web to profiling people who have f*#king awesome jobs: who they are, how they got there and what advice would they give others.*


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