How Urban Floral Farmlet found financial confidence

Marisa Vodanovich and Trudi Ballantyne met through the 2025 pilot of the Xero For Good Ambassador Program in Aotearoa New Zealand. Now, at the end of their mentoring partnership, the pair reflect on what they’ve learned and gained from the experience. 

Marisa Vodanovich comes from a family of gardeners. Naturally, this meant her teenage years saw her resist a career in floristry, turning instead to marketing and communications. Fast forward through a long tenure in corporate, and in the depths of the pandemic, Marisa found herself facing two redundancies within 18 months. In what she describes as a full-circle moment, she returned to gardening to find solace. Her floral arrangements quickly caught the attention of her local community, and what started as a hobby soon became a tangible business opportunity.  

“I was at a point in my life where I wanted more flexibility, and taking on another corporate job didn’t seem viable. So I thought, ‘Why don’t I give this a crack?’ That’s when I decided to turn my quarter-acre block in suburban Auckland into a flower farm,” says Marisa.

Today, Urban Floral Farmlet sells flowers and bouquets through local retailers and a subscription service, alongside farm workshops and tours. But getting the business to this point has been a journey for Marisa. 

As a creative person, she’s never considered herself a ‘numbers person’. It’s a sentiment that’s shared among small business owners in creative industries, with 79 percent believing the world of business costs, expenses and taxation is too complicated. “I was just so overwhelmed; I knew I needed help,” says Marisa. “While I had my accountant, I wanted guidance that was less technical – to work out my numbers in a manageable, bite-sized way.” 

It was through the Xero For Good Ambassador Program that Marisa met Trudi Ballantyne, Director of STEM Rural Accountants and member of the Xero Partner Advisory Council. Trudi had volunteered to be a mentor through the program, which connects small business owners with accountants and bookkeepers to help them build financial confidence over time. 

For Trudi, becoming a Xero For Good Ambassador was a chance to return to the roots of her profession. “Most of us became accountants not to do compliance work but to help people succeed. When we step outside our bubble and interact with businesses beyond our usual client base, it’s an opportunity to sharpen our people skills. I saw mentoring as a real opportunity to practice empathy and share knowledge that not all small business owners have access to.” 

A mentoring partnership built on trust, and small, achievable steps

Trudi came into Marisa’s life at the perfect time. The numbers were weighing on Marisa and keeping her away from the demands of the farm.

She says, “There were close to 2,000 reconciliations that I needed to get under control. It felt like an impossible task, but Trudi helped me break everything down into smaller steps that felt achievable. Once we got over this hurdle, I felt like I finally had the bandwidth to look at my business and establish whether it was sustainable moving forward. Having that time back allowed me to put together a plan – one that’s better for my business and my wellbeing.”

Like Marisa, the majority (91 percent) of small business owners admit they put off dealing with their business finances. While many say it’s due to a lack of time or other priorities, two-thirds of advisors believe it stems from a lack of confidence.  For Trudi, this became a key focus.

“I wasn’t there to teach accounting or to give Marisa all the answers; I wanted to help her build confidence and empower her to make informed decisions,” says Trudi. 

This assurance has seen Marisa apply learnings from the Xero For Good: Financial fitness hub (known as the Know Your Numbers resource hub in New Zealand) into practice. For example, she used to spend an entire day manually completing her GST, but with everything she’s learned through the program, it now takes her five minutes, she says. 

For Trudi, this kind of progress is what’s made the Xero For Good Ambassador Program so rewarding. “I’m just really proud to be a part of what Marisa’s achieved, and I have every confidence in Urban Floral Farmlet’s future,” she says. 

Trudi and Marisa’s tips for a successful mentoring relationship

1. Build trust first

Before launching into the numbers, spend some time getting to know one another. From a mentor’s perspective, the more context you have about who someone is and the type of business they’re operating in, the better positioned you are to help them. With this in mind, prioritise listening. 

2. Celebrate progress, not perfection

There’ll be stumbling blocks on the path to progress, but keep in mind that building financial fitness takes time and practice. So be sure to mark the wins, no matter how small they are. 

3. Remember, you get out what you put in

Signing up to the Xero For Good Ambassador program is a worthwhile commitment, but to get the most out of it, you have to want to be there. Be sure to show up, keep an open mind, and follow through on what you say you’ll do as a mentee.

Learn more and sign up for the Xero For Good Ambassador Program in Australia or New Zealand.