Lusiana Dansey is a 51-year-old entrepreneur who hails from Rewa with maternal links to Kadavu.
She is finding new purpose and passion through her budding flower business.
Within just a few months of starting her flower business, Ms Dansey discovered that her true passion lay in selling flower plants.
However, noticing that many others were already doing the same, she decided to take a different path to stand out.
Using her creativity, she began making flower tekiteki (floral hairpieces), leis, and other floral accessories such as decorated hair clips.
“This unique creations allowed me to combine my love for flowers with artistry, attracting customers who appreciate my originality and craftsmanship while helping me carve a distinct identity in the competitive local flower market,” she said.
Although she has only been involved in the floral trade for a few months, Ms Dansey says she brings with her a wealth of experience and creativity that she’s now channeling into her new venture.
Her journey began with selling plants, but a desire to stand out from the growing number of plant vendors—and her personal love for floral accessories—prompted her to transition into flowers.
She said her inspiration stems from her time working in the tourism industry in Nadi, where floral accessories like tekiteki (flower hairpieces), leis, and decorative hair combs were commonly used and appreciated.
Motivated by this experience, she began creating and selling tekiteki at local markets.
Her initial success has led her to explore other products such as floral side combs and hair clips, and she’s continually working on expanding her range of accessories.
She mentioned that one of her key goals is to cater to the diverse community of students from across the South Pacific, many of whom appreciate and wear traditional floral adornments.
To promote her floral products, she also participates in the ROC Market at the University of the South Pacific (USP), where she connects with students and a wider customer base.
“Selling these flowers to the students at USP has been going quite well as most of the island students are fond of wearing them,” she said.
With this in mind, she is aiming to offer more varieties and styles of floral accessories that reflect the beauty and cultural richness of the islands.
She said her flower business is not just about sales—it is an extension of her cultural expression and creativity, and a way to bring joy and color into people’s lives.
Ms Dansey said she faces increasing competition, particularly at the FNPF Plaza in Suva, where she sells most of her plants.
She said many other women have recently begun offering similar floral items, making it more difficult to maintain a unique presence in the market.
A major hurdle she encounters is sourcing unique hair clips and flower slides locally, as options in Fiji are limited. This has pushed her to start looking overseas for materials that will help her stand out and offer products that can’t be easily found elsewhere.
Despite these obstacles, Ms Dansey remains committed to growing her business.
Ms Dansey says she plans to expand into new spaces such as the Damodar Night Market, where she hopes to attract a broader audience and further showcase her unique floral creations.
From selling plants to creating vibrant floral accessories, Lusiana said she has embraced change and is determined to make her mark in a competitive space.
“I will continue to bloom—one flower at a time.
