Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Duch.
Hi Patricia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am a mother of five and grandmother of three boys. I opened my first Florist and Event Decoration business in 1994 in Asunción, Paraguay (my country of origin). Since I was a child, I had a lot of creativity and a passion for flowers, colors, crafts and art. I remember by Christmas time, I glued beans and rice to wine bottles, spray them in gold or silver, hanging few ornaments, add a candle and gifts to my mother’s sisters as a Christmas presents, personalized murals and cribs sheets to every newborn cousins. Moved to New York after divorce from my first husband, I was 29 years old with a broken heart, four kids (2,7,8 and 9 years old), no English and $5000 in my packet. It was not easy but I make it!. Opened two business in Long Island, NY Sweet Angel Events and Magical Party. I Meet in my Huntington location a wonderful American guy who becoming my second husband (Charles Raab) and the best father for my daughter #5 Nicole.
Unfortunately, the alcohol and depression make him to committed suicide, after that I decided to stay in Florida for good. Boca been great for my business, actually helping over 20 nonprofit organizations with the flowers for the gala and launches event, I also do weddings and corporate events, the Mayors Ball from the Boca Raton Downtown Rotary Club, Events at Mizner Park and recently started into the Fashion Show, created an International event where fashion, Flowers and Arts go together. My first fashion show was held at The Boca Raton Beach Club in March 2021, it was the first event in Boca after the pandemic. I opened my business in Boca Raton, Florida in 2013 as a Duch Designs, recently changed the name to a Black Cat Florist & Event after an identity theft, the name of Black Cat 🐈⬛ came to me after I saw a black cat kitten beat by a car on the road, his tail was moving so I pulled over to take the kitten to the animal hospital, but as soon as I got to him, he was looking at me with sad eyes and passed, I was in tears back on the road with a broken heart and can’t stop thinking about the poor little one.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing is easy when you arrive in a foreign country where they speak a different language than yours and which it seems that you will never speak. The first obstacle was the language then having four small children of school age that nobody wanted to rent me an apartment in Queens, NY, they told me four cats or two dogs but NOT four children, that’s how I had to rent a house in Mineola, NY where I raised my children and they went to school there. Life was very difficult to raise my children and give them attention at the same time, I had to work hard, delivering daily newspaper in Mineola from 4am to 6am, return home to prepare breakfast and the children for school, take the train to Manhattans to cook for a Jewish family from 9am to 1pm, them a baby sitter from 2pm to 5pm for another family, I put my children in different after school sports and music programs so I could pick them up at 6pm after work, and then at home to cook dinner and do homework. After seeing that the many hours of work and poor sleep really can affect my health I decided to open my first business of Flowers and Decor in Huntington, NY so here I am still doing what I love the most in America for over 20 years!. Now I looked back and just feel so proud of myself today four kids graduated from college, they all married and three of them become a father and mother, very successful kids in their careers and my baby #5 going to college for being a Veterinarian Dr. Life is beautiful and God is great!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a master Florist, Event Planner, Fashion Show Producers and Artist. I am specializing in fresh and silk flowers, I brought my fresh flowers from the five continents, and that’s why you can get from me flowers out of season because it’s a season in another country. I also specialize in weddings as a florist and planner and/or coordinator, I booked weddings in Italy, Mexico, Panamá, and South America., I also produced a wedding expo every two years. Also, I am a Christmas designer, decorated tree for many beachfront buildings lobby in Boca Raton. About the fashion show, I did my first fashion show in Panamá in 2019 then USA 2021, with the theme “over 50 and fabulous “, I brought back to the catwalk international and local models from the 80’s. Actually working on a Fitness Fashion Show and Spring 2023 fashion show… I am proud of the way that I can bring my vision to the reality and make everyone enjoy and love my job, from the flowers arrangement to Wedding/Events planner and Fashion Show. I just LOVE my job and planning to continue in this career til my last breath in this world. Everyone knows Patricia Duch talent and creativity in Boca Raton, now my idea is to expanding to other’s cities up north.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think the biggest risk was, leaving a fixed salary where I ensured my monthly payments and covered the basic needs of my children to launch myself as an entrepreneur without knowing how much money I would make in the month to come and if it would cover my needs, but I think that the profit is above the risk and if you never dare, you will have the doubt that it would have happened if you had tried. I trust in myself and in my abilities, talent, creative mind and with God on my side, I took the risk. Despite the fact that there were many stones along the way, many ups and downs, I am still here and I believe that if a new business idea were presented, I would take it the risk again, I beg, I prefer to say I tried and didn’t work.
Pricing:
- We have a minimum of $100 every day flowers arrangement, wedding low centerpieces starting at $175 and tall $250
- Full Wedding Planner Package $8500
- Partial Wedding Planner Package $4450
- Wedding Day Of Coordinator $1700
- Wedding Consultation $150
Contact Info:
- Email: blackcatflorist@gmail.com
Image Credits
PhotobyRaul.com and LivingFla.com 1. Model with Cale and mask Model: Nicole Barha Designer: Donna Leah 2.Model with bikini sending kiss Model: Elisa Belliard Designer: Kiss Torcat Location: The Boca Raton Beach Club Designer: Ismenia Rodriguez Hairstylist: Inessa Tsalkovich Photography: @wrphotoblog William Ruszala Photography Modelo: Carmen Cardenas
