It’s B-Corp certified, 100% net-profit-to-charity, and award-winning –  Miei is a company built on a belief in doing better.

The mind behind the business? Lyly Greca. And when she talks about her profit-for-purpose corporate gifting and florist service, you can’t help but feel the passion behind every word. “I wanted to create something that not only brought beauty into the world, but made a real difference,” says the founder of Miei, a business that has forged a unique method to combine corporate and event flowers with a powerful mission. Ascott Australia is very proud to have partnered with Miei for our annual International Women’s Day luncheon.

The idea for Miei began almost nine years ago after Lyly and her husband Rob helped organise a fundraising gala to support a local hospital’s work, raising $408,000 in the process. While the event was a success, Lyly couldn’t ignore the feeling that once the gala was over, the momentum was lost. “I started thinking: ‘why couldn’t we build something that grows and scales with each event?’”

Miei is born from this vision, and built on four key pillars: sustainability, local support, entrepreneurship and philanthropy. The couple knew that to truly make a difference, their business needed to focus on these values, ensuring that every flower arrangement, partnership and transaction would contribute to something bigger than themselves.

But it wasn’t just about doing good, it was also about solving real problems. When Lyly and Rob, who had both come from established careers in the corporate sector, spoke to their corporate and hotel contacts, they uncovered that flowers were a common frustration. “Flowers are the first thing people notice when they walk into a space, but they often don’t last the week, don’t match the aesthetic, or don’t arrive on time,” says Lyly. 

Miei soon began offering subscription-based floral services to corporate clients, with each order contributing to a child’s education or healthcare. “Every bouquet tells a story,” says Lyly. “When clients spend on flowers, they know their money is helping sponsor kids through The Smith Family, providing them with education, support and opportunities they otherwise might not have had.”

While the flowers continued to be a roaring success, soon Lyly says clients began asking for additional services. “Our clients started wanting to add wine, chocolates and more as gifts for their own clients, and suddenly, our gifting range took off. At least 70 percent of our products must come from Australian entrepreneurs, and everything must be philanthropic, quality-led and sustainably made, with no artificial polymers.”

Clients then began asking Lyly and her team to help out with events and activations. “With a team of experienced event designers, the answer was an easy, ‘yes’!” says Lyly. “From there, we took things further. Instead of profits going solely to The Smith Family, we now direct funds to charities tied to each activation. For example, profits from a Big Morning Tea might go to the Cancer Council, or an International Women’s Day event might support Free to Feed.”

Today, Miei has donated upwards of $100,000 to charity, and sponsors 66 children through The Smith Family. The retail section of its website has raised a further $50,400 and counting.

In a world where businesses are often measured by their profits alone, Lyly’s vision is a refreshing reminder that success is about so much more. It’s about giving back, making a difference, and finding ways to intertwine purpose with passion. Miei shows how thoughtful innovation can change lives, one bouquet at a time.