Rose Cao: Floral Artist, Educator & Book Author

From corporate disillusionment to creative freedom

I was born on 3rd Dec 1986 in Thanh Hoa City, Vietnam, my beginnings were far from privileged. My mother—illiterate and working since age 13—embodied grit, while my father battled addiction and incarceration. Their lessons became my compass: "Whatever can be picked up can be put down" (his mantra) and "Depend only on yourself" (her survival creed).

In my hometown, girls like my sister often married by 18. Education was my only escape. At 17, I left Vietnam for Singapore, determined to rewrite my story. My mom sold our weekend home to fund my study however I needed to earn my own living expenses. I was working in multiple jobs to get by such as waitress in Ajisen Ramen in the shopping mall basement for 1.5 years, while working as an interpreter for local hospital and university. These jobs helped me to have extra saving for my further education later on. 

The Corporate Cage: Success Without Soul

For years, I climbed the corporate ladder, becoming an Inventory Planner for a Fortune 50 engineering giant - Schlumberger. I absorbed the workloads of 3-4 laid-off colleagues, earned promotions, and watched veterans with 20+ years of service receive Rolexes—only to be retrenched months later.

The "dream" felt hollow while the working condition was good. 

Air-conditioned cubicles masking creative starvation

TGIF euphoria fading by Sunday night

A system where loyalty didn’t guarantee security

I felt strange, pressure and I didn't feel proud of myself. 

The Awakening: Flowers as Freedom

In 2014, I enrolled in a professional floral design course at one of Asia’s top schools - Nobleman School of Floral Design in Singapore. The floral design class was meant to be just a hobby. But when my hands touched those petals, something primal woke up. For the first time since childhood, I felt... free. Two years later, I made history as the first Vietnamese artist to win a Silver Medal at the Singapore Garden Festival, 2016 —a turning point where passion eclipsed practicality. For the first time, I found myself good at something and loving while doing it. 

I walked away!

2 years in the making, I decided to leave my corporate career and Singapore PR. The choice was terrifying but clear. I surrendered my Singapore PR, said goodbye to six-figure security, and boarded a plane back to Vietnam with two suitcases and a dream. I then founded Rose Cao Floral Design (2017) in Vietnam. From hosting hundreds of workshops and events to investing my time into making online courses, every step was a rebellion against the "safe" path. It is the sustainable path for our family to migrate Europe (2019). Freedom comes when you can work anywhere you want. 

Breaking Barriers Through Collaboration

When COVID hit, we pivoted brutally - collaborating with Master Florist (Netherlands) to create online showcases. Those desperate Zoom workshops unexpectedly connected us to a global community. Then came May 2023. Walking into Chelsea Flower Show as Vietnam's first-ever exhibitor, seeing my "Light Dance"  Lamp Post installation framed by centuries-old British horticultural tradition... that moment tasted like redemption. My community crowdfunded my trip—proof that collaboration beats competition.

Beyond design

I have partnered with major online learning platforms since 2017, later launching my own interactive floristry school in 2021.

Hosted the Rose Cao Podcast, interviewing artists and sharing hard-won wisdom.

Mentored for Give It Back – Lead the Change Asia and advocated for eco-conscious floristry.

Why I want to share my story?

I’m often asked how I “got so lucky.” The truth? Luck is showing up daily, even when the odds seem stacked. My parents—a recovering addict and an illiterate matriarch—taught me to feed the light, not the darkness. That’s why I reject the Vietnamese saying “near ink, you’ll turn black”; your past doesn’t dictate your future.

Today, I’m a Vietnamese citizen living in Serbia, a wife, mother of two, and a woman who’s rewritten her destiny. My mission? To help others find work that feels like love—because when you do, you’ll never dream of retirement.

Today at 38, I've learned:

Security isn't a pension - it's portable skills

Freedom isn't leisure - it's something between your values and labor

Legacy isn't trophies - it's the people you empower. It's the result of the work you love. 

So when aspiring florists ask for advice, I tell them:
"Find what makes your hands come alive"