The Squamish Nation’s Brenda Scott has been drawn to flowers for as long as she can remember. She got her first job at a flower shop as a youngster, scrubbing out buckets while she watched and learned the trade of a florist.

“I worked my way up through the industry and I loved art, so it just seemed to be a good fit,” Brenda said. “I started to do a bit of arranging when the owner wasn’t around, and when she came back, she would tell me how talented I was.”

Within three years, Brenda became the head florist at a flower shop in Victoria. Within five, she had started designing silk arrangements for McDonald’s Restaurants. Within 10 years, she had launched her very own business: Marilynn Mon Rose Florist.

“It’s a part of me, really. It’s how I show people who I am,” Brenda explained. “And my fingers can show you how tough it is. I cut my fingers every time I do weddings. They’re always in water and the floral life bites and stings.”

Today, Marilynn Mon Rose operates year-round, providing beautiful arrangements for birthdays, graduations, weddings, funerals, and of course, Valentine’s Day. While she sometimes gets help from her grandchildren, for the most part, Brenda sources, buys, cuts, scrubs, arranges, and delivers all on her own.

Asked what advice she has for other aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs, she said:

“You really have to love it. It’s got to be something that you’re really passionate about because people depend on you to give them something beautiful. You’re giving them a piece of your soul, I think.”

Are you in need of Brenda’s talents for your upcoming event? Book a Marilynn Mon Rose arrangement by phone or email: 604-346-5455 or bmscott35@gmail.com.

Interested in being listed on the Squamish Nation Community Business Directory? Call us at 604-329-1752, email applications@nchu7mut.com, or visit the Directory online.