Dynamic has a new name. Suyin Da Matta Smit. As a youngster, Suyin worked in her dad’s takeaway. A few years later, she started a kid’s party business. Baked fancy cakes. Owned a florist. Had an event planning company. Then almost lost it all. So she did what she does best. Hustled her way to become the owner of a restaurant, guest lodge and function venue.
Suyin Da Matta Smit beams positive vibes. In her eyes, she is a woman on her way to achieving big things, not letting the small things get to her.
“Adversity was my greatest teacher. I’ve had my fair share of bad choices, bad luck and bad planning, like many others but I believe there is nothing I can’t do. I’ve tasted the bitterness of desperation and I don’t want to know how to pronounce failure because of that. I live a full and rich life, and love to support and uplift those around me. I believe there’s enough sunshine for everyone, that we all have a divine right to success, love and greatness and that a positive attitude can conquer more than an 18 hour work day.”
Suyin’s first step into the business world started many moons ago. During school holidays, and whenever she and her sibs were naughty, had to work in their father’s takeaway. Standing on Coke crates to operate the till, pack bags, do deliveries, roll fish and chips in newspapers and later on, learning to balance the till and pay wages.
“My parents played an integral part in my work ethic and how to run a business. I saw how they treated every customer like family. Taking complaints personally and finding ways for the customers to leave satisfied. How hard they worked. And … that the customer is always right, even if they are unreasonable. Because without them we wouldn’t have a business.”
Motivated by motherhood, after the birth of her second child Suyin started her own venture from home – Sunique … a bespoke cake-making and kid’s party business.
“Let me tell you, you can’t call yourself Portuguese and not have business running through your veins. I come from a traditional, hardworking and inspirational family – my cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents … all had their own businesses, and still do. Madeiran people are the photo you see next to hustle in the dictionary. Hahaha!”
Soon Suyin added homemade meals to her list of services, working seven ays a week, and getting minimal sleep. She had a goal, to save as much possible money. To buy a florist from a family friend, so that she could broaden her service even further.
“I changed the name to Oh Happy Days Flowers, Cakery and Gifting. It was awesome to have a space, a name and a place of my own … even though I didn’t have a clue how to do flower arrangements! The owner told me that she would show me once and that I shouldn’t call again. She believed I could do it, so I did it. She was right! Business boomed, so much so that I started doing weddings, functions and corporate events. Eventually, I extended my business to events management … and by God’s grace, left off the making of cakes. Gosh … very few people understand how much work really goes into creating masterpieces.”
Covid. Like many businesses, Oh Happy Days took strain. No weddings. No functions. She almost lost everything, while pregnant with her fourth child. So she did what she thought she would never do again. Baked.
“Never say never hey! I made cookie decorating kits until it felt like they flew out of my ears. My three kids were like a production line – packing kits, adding sprinkles, icing bags, stitching boxes and tying ribbons into bows. In between, I advertised and made (yup, another first for me!) balloon bouquets and arches with a friend at Ooh La La Lush balloons. That became our saving grace during those tough months and was the catalyst to where I am now.”
A few months later, Suyin received a request from La Vue Guest Lodge and Function Venue to make a balloon arch for a client’s birthday. She dropped it off and instantly fell in love with the property and its lush green gardens. Back home, she told her hubby Donnavin that one day she would become the owner of that lodge.
“I had no idea how I was going to do it, but there was this gravitational pull the property had on my heart. The owner was planning to retire so I offered to do the marketing, events and managing of the lodge to learn as much as I could about the business. I loved this new venture … faffing over people and making them feel special and spoiled.
“But something was missing. A proper catering service. There was a kitchen, a few tables and chairs, but no staff. If a guest wanted breakfast, it had to be organised way in advance. Donnavin and I chatted about opening a restaurant that could double up as a function venue … we thought it would be ideal, especially because my other businesses would then benefit too. The owner was keen, and in April this year, we opened our restaurant, Flavours at La Vue. A huge high five moment!”
If something is meant to be, then it will happen, right? Well, it did for Suyin. Just a few months later, she became the owner of La Vue Guest Lodge and Function Venue. She is also the MD of Universal Liquid Solutions, which makes Glitz Gin, whisky, sours, sambuca, rum and vodka.
In one short year, all my dreams came true. Again, years of shop life proved itself right. Working hard and having a yes-you-can attitude always works.
Although she has to juggle alot of balls with a crazy daily to-do list, Suyin makes sure to maintain a healthy work and family balance.
“My very creative mom runs the floral arrangements and balloon businesses. Which is a major help. Although I remain a control freak, planner extraordinaire and try to keep my finger on the pulse of everything. Heck, I’m already in Easter 2023! As much as I love, love, love all things business, spending time with my kids – witty 13-year-old James, bubbly 11-year-old Summer, hilarious seven-year-old Sebastian and then my whirlwind of cuteness two-year-old babe Matthew – are the best part of my day. It may cost my sanity and the last sip of my wine, but it is so worth it. I make an event out of anything. I feel nothing can’t be over celebrated.
“Our family has seen tragedy and through these times I’ve realised that we need to embrace and celebrate life – take photos, eat too much and have that swim in your bikini – the kids don’t care how you look, they only care that you were in the water with them.”
One thing is for sure, Suyin knows the meaning of hustle. It just comes to show that once you set your mind on something, add heaps of positivity, and don’t wait for life to hand opportunities to you on a silver platter, you can achieve anything.
Floral arrangement 101
• Look at the opening of your vase. Get enough flowers to make up four times the surface area of that opening.
• Not sure how to mix and match colours? Go monochromatic. Just select three to five flower types in the same colour family. • A lot of florist-created arrangements do not show the flower stems. Opaque ceramic vases hide the stems, but glass vases do not. Lining a glass vase with flat leaves gives the arrangement a professional touch.
• To help all the flowers stay in position, create a grid of clear cellotape on top of the vase. • Prepare the flowers. Remove any foliage from the stems that will be in the water. Any leaves left on the stems will get soggy and form bacteria.
• Using sharp floral shears, cut the stems diagonally so there is more surface area for water to travel up the stems. Do not use household scissors, which will crush the stems. It’s best to cut the stems under running water or a basin of water to prevent air from going into the stems, as the air will block water absorption. • The secret to a professional-looking arrangement is to group the same type of flower together, rather than mixing them up. • Assign certain sections on the tape grid for each flower type, and place the flowers within those sections. • Work from one side of the vase to the other, filling in sections of the tape grid as you go. The flowers that are around the perimeter of the vase should be cut shorter to cover the rim, while the middle flowers should be taller. This creates a dome shape in which the stems are not visible. • If you have more leaves, fold them in half and staple them to create loops. Then place these curled leaves in the last section of the vase. These leaves grouped together resembles a bow. • The final touch to a professional arrangement is an interesting element that ties it all together – while filling in any empty spaces. Like berries, brunia, eucalyptus, baby’s breath, ivy, ferns, Israeli Ruscus (Butcher’s Broom), snapdragon, moss, etc. • Refresh the water every second day to keep it clear and free from bacteria. Recut stems to allow water to be absorbed.
Details: lavue.co.za or follow @lavuelodge or @flavorsatlavue on Facebook.
Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG. • Images: CELESTE CILLIERS PHOTOGRAPHY • Make-up & hair: ANTOINETTE DE BEER.
