In this episode, I’m sitting down with Yen from Sonder Studio. We talk about what actually happens when you move from freelancing into business ownership, why “just vibing it” works… until it really doesn’t, and how Sonder Studio grew quickly without having a plan, then had to slow down, reassess, and rebuild in a way that didn’t destroy their nervous systems. Yen shares her journey from corporate finance to floristry, the mental health reckoning that pushed her to change paths, and how freelancing during the post-lockdown wedding boom shaped her skills, confidence, and boundaries. We get into what it’s really like running a partnership, the growing pains, the constant communication, and why clearly defined roles matter more than talent. We talk studios, systems, SOPs, bump-in chaos, allocation, and the unsexy backend work that actually makes creative businesses sustainable. There’s a very honest conversation about freelancing resentment, ownership of creative work, and the moment you realise that being “on the tools” isn’t the same as leading a team. We also dive into Yen’s overseas wedding in Vietnam, from six-hour market runs up a mountain to flying her team in so she didn’t have to flower on her own wedding day and what planning a wedding taught her about logistics, delegation, and letting go.Check out Sonder Studio on Instagram 00:00 – New Year check-in + last-minute wedding chaos Talking holiday boundaries, surprise bookings, and saying yes when the vibe is right. 03:00 – Weather, wind, and why florists fear it more than rain Real talk on outdoor ceremonies, risk, and on-the-fly engineering. 05:00 – Yen’s origin story: from corporate finance to floristry Mental health, fulfilment, and realising creativity can be a viable career. 09:00 – Learning through freelancing (and surviving post-lockdown weddings) Building skills fast, putting your hand up for everything, and discerning who you work for. 12:00 – Meeting Jules & why Sonder Studio became a partnership Strengths-based roles, shared values, and deciding to build something together. 15:00 – Defining roles (after learning the hard way) Why “just vibing it” leads to 10pm studio nights — and how they fixed it. 18:00 – Partnership communication & mindset growing pains Weekly check-ins, capacity conversations, and unpacking internal limits. 21:00 – Client consults, confidence, and breaking tasks into learnable steps How to grow into roles you don’t feel ready for yet. 24:00 – Using AI + systems to reduce mental load Meeting recordings, memory support, and tools that actually help neurospicy brains. 27:00 – Moving fast as a business (and what it cost) Overbooking, exhaustion, and the moment they knew something had to change. 30:00 – Getting featured in Vogue (and what actually changed) Validation, client shifts, and being “new” but not inexperienced. 34:00 – Freelancing vs business ownership: the mindset shift Why running the job is the work — even if you’re not making every arrangement. 38:00 – Creative ownership, resentment & where the line actually is A very honest conversation about credit, labour, and leadership. 42:00 – Systems that changed everything (allocation, bump-outs, SOPs) Why clear plans = calmer teams + less stress for everyone. 46:00 – Studios, space planning & Sydney logistics realities Pre-making, bump-in restrictions, and why space fills faster than you expect. 50:00 – Yen’s overseas wedding in Vietnam Markets, mountains, flying in her team, and planning without infrastructure. 56:00 – Doing flowers for your own wedding (or not) Pressure, delegation, and letting others create for you. 58:00 – Final reflections: sustainability, slowing down, and building properly What they’re prioritising now — and what they’d do differently next time.
