A 29-year-old woman left her job to sell flowers from a truck, now earns up to $16,000 monthly.

The Millennial Money series by CNBC Make It showcases how individuals worldwide manage their finances, including their income, expenditures, and savings.

Vienna Hintze, who graduated from Syracuse University in 2017 and worked in advertising and marketing for three years in New York City, desired a change.

In 2020, the 24-year-old left her home and established her own digital marketing agency. In September 2022, she relocated to Los Angeles while managing her agency from her apartment, but still felt a sense of longing for something greater.

"She tells CNBC Make It that she was losing sight of the purpose behind her actions in L.A. despite having relocated and made changes in her life except for her agency."

Hintze, feeling restless, spoke with her therapist about finding her ideal job. The therapist suggested creating a list of what she wanted, which included working with her hands, interacting with people outside, and owning an old pickup truck.

A week later, she decided to launch her own flower truck business, Main Street Flower Truck.

Hintze estimates that the business has generated approximately $48,500 in revenue and cash since its launch in August 2023.

In May 2024, the 29-year-old's business generated approximately $16,000 in revenue.

Money will follow if you live with happiness, she says.

Finding the perfect flower truck

Hintze, who grew up on Long Island, New York, is familiar with both pickup trucks and gardening, as her father commuted to his job as a firefighter in a pickup truck and her mother had a love for gardening.

"Hintze recalls fondly the memories of her dad driving her around in his pickup truck while the backyard was always in full bloom."

To establish her business, she first had to acquire a crucial component: the car.

She continued to run her digital marketing agency full-time, so she only took a few test drives of potential trucks. However, by chance, she discovered the ideal one.

Last May, when her parents visited her and her sister in Los Angeles, they decided to drive to Ojai, a small town in Ventura County about two hours outside of the city. While cruising along a back road, she spotted a bright green pickup truck with a for-sale sign in the window that looked similar to the one she drove while in high school.

"This felt very meant to be," she says.

Hintze wrote down the number on the for-sale sign after the family pulled over to inspect the truck. She called the owner that same day to request a test drive, and the seller agreed, stating that the engine and transmission had been recently replaced.

"I placed my hands on the truck's hood and silently asked the universe, "If this is meant to be, please provide a sign.""

The truck's name is "Fiona," as the owner informed Hintze.

"In L.A., whenever I've introduced myself, people have asked if I said 'Fiona.' This has been my indication that I need to purchase a truck."

She bought Fiona, the flower truck, for $10,000 two weeks later, using her personal savings. Despite feeling anxious about the truck's success, she believed in her ability to manage her own business.

""Despite the fear of pulling the trigger on the flower truck, I knew I was the type of person to be fully committed to it and would do whatever it takes to make it successful," she says."

From side hustle to full-time flower selling

As her flower truck business grew, Hintze found it increasingly difficult to keep up with her marketing job.

"Getting me to log in daily was as difficult as pulling teeth," she states.

By February, she decided to prioritize her flower truck business over her marketing agency.

In April, Hintze's brand benefited from her advertising and social media marketing expertise, which she applied to her own brand.

"Marketing my own brand felt authentic and incredible when my content went viral," she says.

Hintze has faced unexpected challenges, such as determining the optimal price for her flower business through trial and error.

"I started selling huge bouquets for $7 at the first pop-up to prove to myself people would buy them, and although I lost money that day, it's okay."

How the flower truck business makes money

Her flower truck business generates revenue through various means, including pop-up events, corporate bookings, and video shoots, according to Hintze.

She sells freshly picked flowers arranged into bouquets at pop-up events in Los Angeles, with prices ranging from $10 for a mini bouquet to $75 for custom arrangements made on the spot.

She says, "I customize the bouquet based on the recipient's personality and preferences when I hear about who's receiving it."

She coordinates corporate events, parties, and weddings between pop-ups, having worked with companies such as Lululemon, Free People, and Universal Music Group.

She charges for renting the truck based on the duration of the event and the number of flowers desired for attendees.

Her earnings fluctuate around holidays like Valentine's Day and Mother's Day because flowers are seasonal.

Hintze strives to organize at least three events monthly to meet her living expenses. To avoid overspending, she keeps her personal expenses minimal.

In May, Hintze's flower truck business had the most bookings since its inception, with 10 events and $16,000 in revenue.

She expresses the hope of maintaining that momentum throughout the year.

A breakdown of monthly expenses

The expenses for the Main Street Flower Truck in May 2024 are as follows:

In May, Hintze's biggest expenditure was on flowers, amounting to approximately $2,304.

She visits her local flower district before an event to select the freshest and brightest flowers, she states.

"I am drawn to wild flowers and whimsical, fairy-like things," she remarks. "I believe it adds the most fun aesthetic to the truck setup."

She removes leaves, thorns, and cuts stems from the flowers she brings home, then arranges them into bouquets and places them into antique milk jugs and vintage buckets for sale.

Her expenses, aside from gas and truck maintenance, are related to fixing mechanical issues on the fly.

The issue with having an older truck is that it frequently breaks down and requires random jump starts, which can be problematic when a pop-up event is scheduled and you need to be there on time.

'People ask me a lot if I'm going to franchise'

Hintze plans to continue growing Main Street Flower Truck and help companies and individuals realize their floral dreams, but she is not considering expanding her one-woman business at this time.

"She reveals that people frequently inquire about franchising the truck and establishing a fleet of flower trucks, but she doesn't envision this as her long-term plan. Instead, her objective is to make the flower truck a standalone success and see how far it can go."

"One day, Fiona hopes to be featured in TV shows or movies," she says.

Hintze intends to maintain the enjoyment of freedom and work-life balance she has achieved through launching Main Street Flower Truck.

She expresses excitement about rediscovering her creativity, which had been suppressed for a long time, and establishing a routine that prioritizes her mental well-being.

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