Emily Merrell 

Welcome to the sixth degree podcast, the podcast where we grill our guests about the things that make them tick and find out how human connection plays a role in their life. I’m your host, Emily Merrell.

Welcome back to the sixth degree with Emily Merrell. Today, I am thrilled to have my friend Poy Granati, a UX designer, and paper florist. Welcome to the show Poy,

 

Poy Granati 

I’m so excited to be here. Thank you so much.

 

Emily Merrell 

I am so excited as well, I think I’m, I think I’m one of your biggest fan girls. Maybe I don’t want to, I don’t want

 

Poy Granati 

Oh you are.

 

Emily Merrell 

I don’t want to say that. I’m like your only fan group. Because I know there’s a lot of fan girls out there. But I am so impressed by what you’ve built and the paper florals that you’ve designed. And I have this past weekend, we had a Feng Shui person, and she was moving around our staff. And she was like, Oh, those flowers, put them in this bigger vase, like they deserve more of a presence. And you’re like, I don’t know, I just want to gift them to everyone that I know. So you need to just send me a bucket of flowers, so I can be more generous and pop them up. Yeah, we have to figure that out. Well

 

Poy Granati 

that’s my mission, like I just want to spread joy because I had a lot of joy making all this paper flowers. And then like when when you say that, it’s just like, you know, kept me going and do what kept doing what I’m doing.

 

Emily Merrell  

Isnt that funny that sometimes we know that we’re doing something good. But we need to hear that outside validation, or we need to hear someone say, you know, that changed me or that saved me or that inspired me to remind us that what we’re doing isn’t for nothing.

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah, 100% like, this is funny because just now I so I learned how to make these dahlias and I’ve been like, it’s it’s that I wanted to redo it for a lot of a long time. Because like, you know, I wasn’t really happy of how it looked. And then just now that I spent like six hours yesterday making one flower, and then I’m like, oh my god, I accomplished something. So like, I used to be at a point where like, I need all the validation and postings on Facebook. And like I, you know, pass that phrase of like, No, I don’t need anyone’s validation. I just like, I know that this looks good. I’m not I know that I am okay. But just now I just have to send it to my group of friends. Like, Hey, I just want to let you know that I make this and it’s beautiful. And I just want your validation. And they’re all like, Give me thumbs up and everything. So yeah, sometimes you need that, right?

 

Emily Merrell 

I love it. That’s like me every time I when I ran, which has you not do at them at the moment. But when you run you’re like I just went for a five mile run. I don’t know who needs to know this. But just tell. I just need to tell everyone. Yeah, it applaud me.

 

Poy Granati 

just a little high five that’s all I need

 

Emily Merrell 

yeah, that’s the whole business in itself. Like the high five bucket like someplace we just drop your wins and someone gives you like a standing ovation every time you do something like

 

Poy Granati 

Sure. Yeah. You just want to know that. You know, there’s someone out there that appreciate what to do. Right? It doesn’t have to be 1000 people, maybe one or two. That’s enough.

 

Emily Merrell 

Yeah, exactly one or two super fans that change your game. Well, that’s a perfect segue into what I was thinking about the theme of today’s podcast, and it’s pivoting. And, you know, Poy I know 2020 was a year full of pivots for you. But before we dive into your story of pivot, I want to hear a little bit more about you and how you came to the US. I know, about 10 years ago that you were a grad student coming over from Thailand. So 10 years ago, gosh, it was 2011. Yeah. What were your expectations of coming over to the States as a grad student versus here now reality? And then take us through your pivot? of 2020.

 

Poy Granati 

Well, first and foremost, everyone, when you talk about the word pivot to probably thinks of friends. I can’t not think I just have to let it out there. But yeah, like now, it’s crazy to think about, like, you know, 10 years ago, when I first decided to come to New York, the story is like very, you know, simple is that I so I graduated my bachelor degree in journalism and advertising from Thomas Art University. And then you know, I was working in agency I worked in production house, and I’ve worked in like so many different settings for like three years. And then I just felt burnt out or out of place, and I felt I needed something more. And at that time, like I knew that I wanted to work in environments where people speak English because I realize at the, you know, at a very young age that I enjoy speaking English or other languages, I studied French I studied Spanish, I studied German. So I’ve always wanted to, you know, like, kind of broaden my horizons of, you know, talking to people in different languages. So language is, was my number one thing that I wanted to explore more. So I thought about like, okay, like, do I go to Germany? Do I go to Sweden? Mostly, I think back then it was mostly Europe, because I wanted to kind of, you know, like, speak be able to speak French again. I know, a little like, really little french right now. But yeah, like, you know, and then I kind of like, look into my options of like, Where else would I wanted to go? I visited America so many times. But only on the West Coast. Like, I’ve been to San Diego, you know, LA and San Francisco, but never on the East Coast. I think I visited DC, I think like maybe a few years before I came to New York, but never New York. So I just thought like, Okay, if it’s gonna be America, it has to be New York for some reason. But then also like my dad, well, we I have an aunt who lives in Queens. And she’s been here for almost like 40 years, she used to have a Thai restaurant in West Village. And now like, you know, that restaurants close, but you know, she’s here. So my dad was like, Okay, if you want to try it out, just come to New York, because you have a free rent and try, you know, for six months, and then see how it goes. And that’s the start of the story. And here I am. 10 years.

 

Emily Merrell 

Wow. So you had never do kind of sight unseen. You came to New York for the very first time. Did you have graduate school lined up? Or did you come in live with your aunt first?

 

Poy Granati 

No. So back then I wouldn’t. I didn’t know if like, which path do I wanted to go? Like, I wasn’t, you know, accounts executive. So I wasn’t in the creative path at all. I was in the client service, like business part. And then I was like, you know, when in advertising world, and I wasn’t in the creative path. Like I was thinking about, Oh, maybe marketing, maybe MBA, you know, like, that’s a maybe. So that’s why my dad was like, you know, you tried it out if you like the city, if you wanted to, you know, spend your time looking at colleges or university around New York, like, you know, that was like Pratt, and I think it was like SVA and NYU and Columbia. Yeah.

 

Emily Merrell 

That’s amazing. And so and then you ended up getting into NYU and starting your, your UX program, right?

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah. So the story actually went before that was, like, I apply to many universities, but I got rejected. So the program that I wanted to go to is branding programming at SBA, and got rejected the first time. So the second time I applied again, and so like, during that year that I got rejected, I applied to this one year program at Pratt, which is a certificate in graphic design. I think that’s like, along the way, I was kind of, you know, like, make connection with friends and like, go to Events, when you’re in New York, you hop on the train, and you can find yourself into different events and different people. So I took that time to kind of like, you know, insert myself into the different communities and like, go to open houses and talk to people stalking people on Instagram, and kind of talk to them about it. And yeah, and then I think that led me to, you know, knowing this program at NYU, where it’s called, interactive design, interactive telecommunications, which it’s not really focusing on UX. It’s like, you know, a very, it’s really hard to explain what the program is. But you can be learning from coding, engineering, physical computing, design, like theater, and it’s everything. But it’s just like, you know, whatever the backgrounds you’re coming from, and then you get to share in this chair space, and then with tech technology and innovation, if that makes sense.

 

Emily Merrell 

Yeah, it sounds like an incredible program. I had so much breath. So then you ended up getting into UX and landing a corporate job.

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah

 

Emily Merrell 

What happened next?

 

Poy Granati 

This is a cool story. So after I graduated from NYU, and then I was trying to get a job at in UX. And you know, I knew I think at like the second year of NYU that okay, like UX is where I wanted to go because it’s it’s design but also like, I know that I have a you know, passion in like psychology, I always wanted to find like the story behind why design are, you know, you know, under there. So, I was Trying to find a job. And then I was struggling. Like it was so hard to find a job back then. And I think like, you know, it’s a lot of self doubt that I wasn’t good enough. And I think, looking back, I wasn’t try hard enough. You know, when Back then I thought I tried hard. But yeah, that’s another big story about being self help and whatnot. So it took me around a year to actually like, land myself a job. And I got my position as a UX designer at Estee Lauder, which was my dream job. And I had a really good team. And like, everyone in the team, and you know, people I worked with are super smart, so talented, and it taught taught me so much, then, yeah,

 

Emily Merrell 

Yeah, that’s incredible. Until the pandemic.

 

Poy Granati 

Yep. Until the pandemic, it was crazy that, you know, I finally landed myself a job that I loved. And it’s a perfect situation. And then I lost his job during the pandemic. So it was, yeah, it was a tough time for sure.

 

Emily Merrell 

So that how did you take, you know, the pandemic happened? You lost your job. And now you’re paper florist. So how did you transition from a user experience designer to becoming truly one of the most talented paper florists out there?

 

Poy Granati 

Oh, that’s so nice to hear. But I think it has to go back to when I was graduating from NYU. So during the program, there was a class called 100 days of making. And this is a funny story where I told my best friend like, Hey, you should take it. This is like, sounds like a good class. But then I ended up removing myself from the class and being like, yeah, I don’t I don’t have to take this class and, and have people tell me what to do for 100 days, I’ll do it myself. And then, so both of my best friends took it. And then they said, like, oh my god, 100 days changed my life. And I was like, how did they how like, you know, making something for 100 days teacher like, like, You’re being too much like, you’re so emotional, like, No, I was skeptical about it. But then when I was struggling to find a job, and you know, I talked to these friends, they were like, boy, you have this time right now, to do something. Like instead of refreshing your email to see if you get a job offer, why not just take this time to make something for 100 days, like take the 100 days project, there’s no better time than now and do something that you’ve always wanted to do, but never did. So? I guess like looking back to a younger boy, I’ve always been fascinated by any type of paper crafts. Is it like journaling, paper crafting, like paper cutting or pop up books, like any types of paper, I’ve always been fascinated by that. So I thought like, Okay, I’ve always wanted to make a pop up book. But you know, making a one pop up book for a day that’s not sustainable. So the idea of 100 days of making is basically you give yourself time is it either it’s one hour to two hours a day to block that time to do something, like same thing for 100 days, right? It doesn’t have to be something big. I see a lot of people like, you know, they make like origami, one origami a day, right or two other one of my best friends she wants to learn new programming, cinema 4d achieved learn one technique a day. So that inspired me. And then I think I just want to stick to one thing and keeping my brain out of refreshing keep, you know, hitting the refreshing button. And so I started 100 days of papercraft first. So I the first two weeks, I actually spent like maybe eight hours a day to make one project because I want everything to be perfect. And as a Virgo. I say this a lot because like, you know, I just want to make a complete project. And I have like very high expectation that everything I’m making is going to make like a hit or like you know, a fireworks and whatnot. And then I get back to like, talk to both of my friends and we’re like, you don’t have to and then if you want to make this thing sustainable, you just have to, you know, narrow it down to something that you can control. You know, you don’t want to complete this project. Taking that takes eight hours a day. So then I narrow it down and think about okay, so I know what I like doing with paper for paper, which is like you know, anything paper that’s a medium, right and then I know that enjoy combining different colors together. And then color and paper married together that paper flower because I just you know, look into Pinterest on Instagram and seeing people doing this and this like alright, I kill plants. I’m not a flower person. Then maybe add up a little challenge to myself that you know, this could be a good challenge to stick with one Topic, right? So that’s when I decided, okay, let’s make 100 days of paper flower. And it’s, that’s where it started.

 

Emily Merrell 

That’s incredible, I love that idea to do anything for 100 days, I think that’s just an incredible challenge to put in front of, you know, be be at someone taking a particular class or online or be it like making 100 flowers. But I think it’s cool that that challenge kind of prompted and lead you to your next career and lead you to a place you know, you could have made paper animals, you could have made paper, you could have made work on me. And somehow the flowers are what brought you to life. And I so resonate when you said, with what you said in terms of like, I kill plants. And yeah, I have this like incredible intimidation of greenery. And, you know, keeping something alive. So I think paper flowers is an incredible initiative. So, you know, once you finish the 100 days if paper flowers, is that how summer space studio came to be, or what did that was that idea already in your brain?

 

Poy Granati 

So, it’s a long story, but I’m gonna try to brief because like, I tend to talk about stuff like, you know, a lot, but I guess like going back, it’s when I first came to New York, like, you know, my first winter that was my first experience like real brutal below zero kind of experience. And like all this shit, this is so cold, and I can’t go out there’s snow outside, like what is this, I came from a place where it’s always summer is always 90 to 100 degrees in Thailand. So essentially, that’s when I you know, it’s again, like, you know, it’s the part where I was trying to figure myself out and I kind of curating my happy place. And I call it summer space, so that I could like curating this place where, you know, I leave at my aunt’s attic in Queens that with no friends at a time. And, you know, this is a place where like, okay, putting my, it’s like a mind space. I think that you know, okay, like this two hours, this is my summer space is thinking about home thinking about hot weather, thinking about the beach with I love going to, and just, you know, a place where I journal a place where I make like fun projects. So I that’s like summer space, it’s always been in the back of my head. And then when I started this paper flower journey, I like okay, maybe I just share this journey on Instagram, because I just want to create like a, you know, a separate account. So that’s when summer space started. Like, okay, this is where I’m going to post this 100 days of paper flower and I’m just gonna call it summer space, because I don’t want it to be just paper flower because I wanted to extend to other crafts that I like doing as well and share my happy place without  people.

 

Emily Merrell 

And then it became a flower making studio.

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah, yeah pretty much.

 

Emily Merrell 

 It started off your happy place now.

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah yeah.

 

Emily Merrell 

Well, so I, you know, Poy we had the opportunity of meeting through self made program by written CO, which was incredible. And you know, you’ve since been featured in written CO and, Oh, joy and Pete resource in West Elm and muon and, gosh, the list goes on six degrees, is it obviously, the list goes on. And you’re also hosting these workshops for people to to learn how to make paper fires themselves. What advice do you have for someone who kind of was at a similar crossroad to you? Like, you know, they they wanted to hit refresh on their inbox looking for the perfect job. And maybe they haven’t had that gumption to find their hobby or their passion. But do you have any advice for people to get started to find that, that other side of themselves that summer space?

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah, 100% there’s one quote that I’m not sure who started this, but that’s always written, like, I written this on my journal so many times to remind myself, it is start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can. This is something that I hold dear to my heart, and every time that I needed something to remind myself that so like, start where you are, like, you know, wherever you are, like, you know, thinking about what you’re good at and what you what you’re not. So for me starting papers, paper flowers, I know that I, you know, not really good at marketing. I think like, you know, this is like a summer space in a hole that I started to pivot and then make it a business. So I know that I’m not good at marketing. I’m not good at selling myself, or but I know that I can do some graphic design. I know that I can do some branding. I know that I can do some web design. So I stick with that. And then I basically gather my friends. And, and host a workshop with them and have them to give me feedback. Because I know that this friend or is good at giving critical advice or critical feedback. And I know that this friend is because of marketing this friend is good at, you know, tech coding stuff, right? And gather of Bs, and then use what you have. I didn’t start at this paper flower and spend bajillions of dollars because I was four back then, because I was didn’t have a job. So like, I have to make sure that I was smart, too. Use what I have. So I basically use what I ever I have laying around my studio. And this has always been still like a heart of my workshop, where you don’t have to buy everything I tell you to do, you don’t have to buy all this coloring or like a fancy camera, I will tell you that the first flat still, still now I’m using like this five or six year old camera. And then take it a photo on a foam board next to my bed because this is where New York apartment, I live on the fifth floor walk up, I don’t have a fancy equipment at all. And take a photo with a natural light coming in. And then I know a little bit of Photoshop I can get around it. So use what you think you have. And then if you don’t then ask the people around you ask for help. And then do what you can like, yeah, just put it in. And then if you so one thing about that 100 days of making, I think it’s like drop a lot of my perfectionist. Perfectionism, I know that I mentioned about like me being like, wants everything to be perfect. I think 100 days, it kind of taught me to, okay, like today, I give myself two hours a day, I make one flower. If I don’t like it, I have tomorrow to fix it, who said that I can’t make the same flower next day. Because this is my control. And if I like it, great. If they don’t, I have tomorrow to fix it. So that’s one that’s another, you know, advice to, you know, those of you who was like, oh, like I’m so scared or like, you know, I don’t, I don’t have this, I don’t have that like, no, like, use what you have in front of you and think about like what you can, you know, use from what you have.

 

Emily Merrell 

I think you bring up such a good point, just idea of starting and then being consistent was starting, and so much. I think we’re conditioned, if we’re not good, we must quit. And we must quit immediately. And we don’t give ourselves the chance to actually succeed or actually see the success through. So I love that idea of of that your perfectionism kind of dissipated, the more that you did it. Because you got better, and you got stronger. And you are now a pro and play and I’ve been talking about your upcoming workshop that I’m going to which I’m so excited, I’m super excited as well my first flower but you know, as someone who Funny enough, doesn’t associate herself with a creative as being a creative, there’s a lot of intimidation and fear and actually snorting. But you know, sometimes starting is the hardest part. But once you start it’s a lot more fun. And it’s a lot, you realize messy action.

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah. And I mean, you know, I have a lot of people who keep I’ve been teaching workshops in person in New York City for almost two years. And like a lot of questions that I got that, oh, my flower doesn’t look like yours. And then I asked him back, like, but it doesn’t have to, like, it’s I have like, 15 people come to my one, like for every one workshop, and they gave them the same instructions. And all 15 of them ended up with a different flowers. What does it tell us? It’s, that’s, that’s how you enjoy the process. And that’s what, you know, kept me doing what I do. So like, going back to the first question is like, how did I started this, like, I work as a UX, you know, my full time. And then after the work hours I go to teach. And that’s a long day for me for like eight until like 10. But you know, that kept me going, kept doing what I do is that like, you know, all these questions and like, you know, at the end of the class, and people are like, Oh, I’m not a crafty person. But I can make this one flower great. Like this is great, like, you know, and then you accept that your fear of like, preventing you to learn new things. And yeah, it’s going to be a learning curve. There’s a lot of flowers that I made before that I hate. But you know, it doesn’t have to stop there. And it doesn’t have to be perfect.

 

Emily Merrell 

Well, I think you that you bring up so many things. So the fact that you teach the same flower, and it looks different for every person. And I think that’s very, that’s a great comparison to just like human nature and humans in general. Like you and I are different. We’re all different. We’re all unique. We’re all we’re all special snowflakes in our own way. We’re not the same. So that’s that’s evident in like the production of the product. And then also Um, the fact that when you talked about that you were doing this while you were doing your full time job at one point, how did you transition into keeping yourself motivated? When you know you had, you’re between figuring out if Somersby studio is your full time thing? Or what? Like, how did you? Do you have any? Do you have any tips or advice for people who are like, Well, I’m not motivated enough to start my own thing.

 

Poy Granati 

So I think for me one thing about the, the nature of my, the UX job is you’re staring at the computer all the time. So making paper flowers made me forget about my phone. Yeah, sometimes I have some shows on the background check flicks or some like crazy TV shows. But it just gave me like my connection with my like, doing something with my hands without looking at the screen. Sometimes I have podcasts on sometimes I have Broadway, Disney, you know, soundtrack gone. So it’s just like, kind of disconnect me with like, we all live in the life where we look at the screens all the time. And that’s kind of good. It gives me a good break. And then it also, you know, give me the time where I’m mostly spending time with my husband as well, when he gets back from work. And you know, I get to not look at my screen, not look at my email, but just like maybe we he want to put a show on and I make him a flowers. And at the end, we get to spend time together without like, you know, interacting with other devices around us. So I think for that is just, yeah, you give yourself boundary about your job. And also like, yeah, if you still have a job, and then you just want to find some like creative time. Um, I know that if the situation is different for different people, but just give yourself time. A lot of times when I feel that I don’t have time to make paper flowers, I just wake up a little earlier to make one flower or do something about it or like paint or something like that, just to you know, give myself the this creative time that I just want to do something about it.

 

Emily Merrell 

I love it. It’s like your workout class in a way like You’re like I have to I have to build it into my schedule. Well play How can individuals learn and find more about you in summer space studio, your workshops, the stems that you offer, and tell us a little bit more about the products that you offer as well.

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah, so right now I have three different categories of my workshops that I offer and this one person labor so you first of all, you can find me on Instagram, which is at summer space studio, and my website is summer spate dot studio. And right now like what I do, the first thing is the workshop I offer, you know, live workshop and you have an option to just come to the workshop and then source of material yourself or you can get the kit from me so you don’t have to and coming in the next few months is going to be on demand. And I’m offering a hosting workshop for corporate as well if you have like a team building or any private bridal party, I host this workshop where all the bridal party make one flower and at the end they make a bouquet for the bride before so that was like a really good match off as well. So private events and corporate workshops. And I also have like pre made the bouquets if you like you know doesn’t have any idea about arrangements I have those on the website and also the last thing is custom made, which is if you have a specific request for the flower or if you are you know a husband who was trying to give your wife for the first year anniversary because first years paper recreating your bridal bouquet, you don’t have to be the husband’s you can be anyone who wants to you know give the you know the bride to recreating the bouquet. That’s me.

 

Emily Merrell 

So I love that. Where were you last year to tell my husband this maybe we got each other? What did I get him? I got him a big day for paper. Like a little play.

 

Poy Granati

A really good one.

 

Emily Merrell 

 really good. Yeah. What did he get me? I don’t think he got me any. I don’t remember maybe a trip. I think you got me a trip or something like that. But that wasn’t paper. Yeah, anniversary. Yeah, we went to Tahoe. Like what what was their anniversary? Yeah, we went to Tahoe. He got me a trip. So.

 

Poy Granati 

But it doesn’t have to be the first year right. It could be any year. Yeah.

 

Emily Merrell 

Yeah. I know. There’s so funny the traditions with it. I wonder who even created that’s a whole different podcast. Yeah.

 

Poy Granati 

We another two hours to talk about?

 

Emily Merrell 

Where did these things come from? And we’ll play before we wrap up. I want to ask you six fast questions to get you know, to get to know you that much more and that much deeper. So my first question for you is tell us an unknown fun fact.

 

Poy Granati

oh unknown. I’m not sure if this is unknown, but I don’t talk about it too much that I cook Thai food every almost every day from scratch. I’m so proud about it. But you know, I didn’t really post it on the summer space Instagram, but that’s the fun fact that I love cooking for people but not more than six people because I don’t have the recipe. So if you want me to feed you, you know authentic Thai food come to my place. I would love to feed you, but not more than six people.

 

Emily Merrell

Five friends that’s that’s it. I love that, Ill send you my address, so you can just ship it. That’s perfect. I thought you were going to tell us about your name and where the the name Poy came from?

 

Poy Granati 

Oh, that’s another two hours. Would you like me to tell you?

 

Emily Merrell 

My if you can summarize it in a minute. I think that I’d love that story.

 

Poy Granati 

Okay, so I guess. So type nickname. It doesn’t have anything to do with a with a tie full name. Mostly Thai people has the Sanskrit and Thai full name. My full name in tag is called Chaya and my name Poy is actually a name after a festival in the northern part of Thailand called Chiang Mai, where they have this festival. And then that’s where I got conceived. And my sisters are named after the city in Vancouver and Munich. And I don’t have to tell you where that come from.

 

Emily Merrell 

I love you guys. I think that’s so great. I think that’s yeah, I I love it. I live in Potrero Hill. And so I always talk to my husband about that and like we can name our kid Potrero and our last name, this is perfect. No, absolutely no one is gonna go by potty hill like, terrible. But I love that idea. Just time did it a better, better place? Okay, so my second question for you is who would be a dream person you’d want to be connected with?

 

Poy Granati 

Ooh, connect with? Oh, that’s ugh.

 

Emily Merrell 

Nick flowers even.

 

Poy Granati 

Nick flower with I mean, I already connected with this person who’s Joy Joy show from Oh, joy. I say her name because she’s inspired me in so many ways. Because I she’s a one of the reason I came to New York, because so she is a Thai American. So I locked myself up to her a lot that, you know, her journey is, you know, different. But you know, kind of the same that, you know, you have the same heritage and, you know, the fact that she started her blog and became who she is today and she’s so inspiring. And, and yeah, like, I would love to meet her in person one day, and yeah, I would say joy, shuffleboard joy.

 

Emily Merrell 

I love it. I think that is a great, great person. What TV show are you currently watching as you’re making your flowers?

 

Poy Granati 

Good question. I’m rewatching where are we watching Stranger Things because the fourth one is coming out. So just want to reminiscing all the details. And also, I think we just started AP Bio.

 

Emily Merrell 

Oh, I remember that.

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah. It’s really funny. It’s like a you know, it’s on Hulu. And it was a really like show to watch.

 

Emily Merrell 

Ok, AP Bio I’ll look that one up. And Hulu’s doing a very good job right now?

 

Poy Granati 

Very sarcastic.

 

Emily Merrell 

Yeah. Oh if you like sarcastic you should try out Letterkenny.

 

Poy Granati 

Oh, okay and I’ll put that one on.

 

Emily Merrell 

Fascinating, what what book are you currently reading?

 

Poy Granati 

Right now? I’m trying to finish I said this so many so many times. Is sapiens and atomic habits. Yeah, yeah, I think I, I finished atomic habits the first time and then I didn’t like it the first time. I think it’s because of, you know, my, my brain is it anywhere else? And you know, just trying to like understand the principle a little bit better. So I came back and you know, read it for the second time, and I liked it more.

 

Emily Merrell 

Oh, it’s funny. You’re probably like less resistant to edit. And, you know, taking notes like oh, actually like this. You know, I went to college with James. I think I told you right.

 

Poy Granati 

I think you told me yeah. 

 

Emily Merrell 

 Well here I’m like, aah.

 

Emily Merrell 

Are you trying to get him?

 

Emily Merrell 

I’m trying. I’m interviewing him for an entrepreneurial summit next week. And I’m like do you want to do my podcast. Do you want to do it to be my best friend? Yeah. So working on it working on it. Hardcore. I love it. What is your favorite emoji?

 

Poy Granati 

Oh, I like the raised hands ones.

 

Emily Merrell 

I like that.

 

Poy Granati 

 I’m not sure I’m not sure if this the you know what I mean? This is the raised hands with the both hands. But like it’s like, you know, yay.

 

Emily Merrell 

Yeah, this Yeah.

 

Poy Granati 

I don’t like like high five. Yeah, like, yeah, you got this. Yeah, I think it’s very powerful to that.

 

Emily Merrell 

I think too. It’s a fun one to get. And then my final question for you Poy is Who gave you permission or inspired you to do the thing you wanted to do with your life?

 

Poy Granati 

Right now I’d say 100% That I give myself 100% permission to do whatever I want to do. But I think that’s also like going back to my parents who always say like my mom always say that I support whatever you want to do with your life. You know, if you wanted to take a piano lessons, here’s the money, take it and do it whatever you want. So they always been super supportive for me and my sisters as well to like, choose your own path. They never told me that, hey, you have to be an engineer. You have to be a doctor. You have to be whatever you want to do with this deal. Take your own path and learn from your mistakes and and yeah, they always have my back so.

 

Emily Merrell 

And here you are this.

 

Poy Granati 

Yeah.

 

Emily Merrell 

World renowned flower, paper floral maker.

 

Poy Granati 

Aww I will get there one day. 

 

Emily Merrell 

We’re reading the testimonials now, I love it. Well, Poy, thank you so much for joining us today on the sixth degree podcast. We love hearing your story, and can’t wait to follow your journey in the months to come.

 

Poy Granati 

Oh, thank you for having me. It’s just been a lot of fun. Yay.

 

Emily Merrell 

And listeners. If you like today’s episode, please please make sure to like, share, follow and give us a five star review. And we will see you the next time on the sixth degree with Emily Merrell.