The Author

It is so nice to meet you all!

Let me introduce myself: I am Praweewan, the content creator behind every blog post here, and the founder of Plawanature. Simply put, I am a solopreneur wearing every hat in my business. For over 10 years, I have been working with handmade products crafted from natural materials—specifically, sola flowers. My business is based in Thailand, a country that is a rich source of both raw materials and top-tier craftsmanship. Operating in a niche market, I keep the business at a scale I can manage entirely on my own. It has been growing gradually, taking baby steps, and I am deeply fulfilled by this lifestyle.

Before this, I worked as an architect in the Thai real estate industry for over 16 years. Back then, I felt it was a stable career, and I enjoyed the work to a certain extent because it was something I was decently good at. But deep down, I felt unfulfilled, and I didn't even know what my true calling was. Reaching a certain point as a salaried employee, I asked myself the question almost everyone asks: How long will I keep working just for a paycheck? Do I really have to live with this routine for the rest of my life?

Since I didn't have an answer, I started looking for one by setting a simple goal: finding a way to earn some extra income. I began sourcing local Thai handmade products and tried selling them on Amazon.com. This small start became a major turning point, opening my mind to new possibilities and allowing me to use my imagination to source and develop products. I went through countless trials and errors, testing thousands of items. Out of those thousands, only a few emerged as my "hero" products. Discovering which items had the potential to be developed further made it all worth it. I have never regretted the time I spent on trial and error, as it was simply a process of eliminating the wrong choices one by one. Ultimately, this journey paved the way for me to find my perfect product: the sola flower.

At first, I just thought sola flowers were cute. But after I started selling them, my first order came in, quickly followed by a second and a third. My heart swelled, and I found myself liking them more and more. I began to study them deeply, constantly thinking of new ways to develop the product, until they eventually became a part of my life.

Today, I can wholeheartedly say that I love sola flowers. Perhaps this is what the Japanese philosophy calls Ikigai—the perfect intersection of four elements in life: Doing what you love, What you are good at, What the world needs, and What you can be paid for.

Juggling two jobs at that time, I began to realize where my true passion really lay. I slowly lost my spark for the architecture profession. As I climbed the ladder, the growing scope of my responsibilities drained the passion away, leaving only duty and obligation. It was truly time to move on from that career (I believe everything has its season).

So, I decided to resign and dedicate myself fully to Plawanature, turning my side hustle into my main source of income. I have never regretted choosing this path. It was a beautiful conclusion to my career as an architect. The knowledge, experience, and network I gained in that field gave me unique skills that I used to lay the foundation for Plawanature—skills that set me apart from other sellers. I don't mean that my experience is better than anyone else's, but rather that everyone has their own unique background. When you combine a business with your authentic self, it creates uniqueness and a sustainable Personal Brand. I am lucky to have started building that, and I plan to lean into it even more moving forward.

Initially, I just thought I was living life the way I wanted, staying in my own lane and not paying much attention to the noise around me. I never realized that my everyday lifestyle would prompt so many people to tell me they wanted to live like I do. It’s not that my journey is always smooth or without obstacles—in fact, it’s quite the opposite! Challenges from the unknown arise daily, and some have shaken me to the point of almost knocking me over. Building this business has taught me the true meaning of the word adaptability.

But discovering what I love and turning it into a career allows me to live a life aligned with my true self without ever feeling bored. I get excited every time a new flower design is created, and I have so much fun brainstorming how to apply it. Beyond that, I’ve designed a working lifestyle that perfectly matches who I am. I have a lot of time to myself each day, which makes me highly productive. There are far fewer distractions compared to a bustling corporate environment where you barely get to focus on what truly matters.

On the flip side, Plawanature is a 100% online business. Even though my customer base has grown, I have only met a tiny fraction of them face-to-face. Sometimes, it feels a bit like one-way communication. Deep down, I’ve always wanted a space to connect and reach out to people—those who share similar mindsets or interests. I think it would be a very warm and welcoming community.

At the same time, I have so many stories I want to share from my past experiences. I feel like I've reached the midpoint of my life. It's not just my business that has grown; my mindset and soul have been refined by my experiences, evolving over time. Perhaps if sharing my lifestyle can spark inspiration in someone else, that would be wonderful. I believe my journey is valuable, and I hope it can be of value to others who read about it. And it would be even better if I could hear diverse experiences from people living on the other side of the world sharing their stories back with me. That's why I created this space—for us to come together and exchange our life stories.

The Sola Tarot Project

For now, I'd like to kick things off with the Sola Tarot Project as a pilot. Both tarot cards and sola flowers are huge passions of mine, and both are wonderful tools for healing the mind and spirit.

I will be gradually creating these cards, pairing each one with a meaning connected to a specific flower. I'll be sharing my perspective—an Eastern perspective—filtered through my own experiences and those of the people around me. If anyone reading this resonates with these meanings or has similar experiences, please feel free to share your own stories here!

It is a true pleasure to meet you all.