It's simple, ask these questions when selling your floral creations, and you will be on the path to sending the most appropriate designs for your customer. Also, sometimes we get caught up in trying too hard and over embellishing... let's take time to edit our work and our retail shop to be a more convincing florist and designer. Don't put a bird on it. Thank you all for your loyalty & listenership... FLP lives on in season 3 coming soon! 

There is a definite correlation between our comfort level and our creativity. Often, we find ourselves being our most creative when we are under pressure. It seems that our creative drive comes from a lack of comfort. Being the mastermind in pole position allows us to relax to the point of losing our creative vigor. This is what I consider the florist "autopilot".  Additionally, thanks to a listener inquiry, I discuss my overview and insight on the good & bad of having your own website (vs a wire service website) and how social media platforms stack up to them.

There comes a time when we realize that short-cuts or cutting corners end up making a fool of us. In hopes of efficiency, we end up with the short end of the stick. Cutting corners is a kind way of describing laziness. Whether you are cutting corners or finding short-cuts, you're really just biting yourself in the ass, (in the end). True efficiency is taking the time to complete your necessary tasks properly from the beginning. Sometimes that takes longer, but by the end you'll have the best result because you took the time to do it right. 

It's a new year... Positive energy and good vibes are what we all need to start it off.  What better way than to begin with your own attitude?  Turning that frown upside down is the beginning to spreading the love and getting a fantastic & energetic start. Your good vibes will return to you once you set them on their voyage into the world. Put out the energy you want returned to you. Also, houseplants? We all love them... sometimes they respond well to meticulous care and attention...and sometimes they want to be left alone. Pick your battles and find a happy medium that works for you and your clients.

Measure up: to meet a particular requirement, standard or expectation.  Depending on the perception your client has of the design work you offer, and the expectation they have of the work, do you measure up? Being in the floral industry is a highly judgmental environment. The judgement comes from clients, colleagues, competitors and, of course, yourself.  Measuring up doesn't have to be about comparing yourself to your competitors... make some changes in your repertoire so that they CAN'T compare you.

This episode, my 25th, revisits my first episode titled "Inspiration" as a rejuvenation and explores a few new avenues. I talk about how nature around me and you can inspire and direct us to create our most beautiful designs. By taking our cues from nature, we are able to create designs that are not only appealing but also have the aesthetics to prove that nature is the driving force that makes things beautiful. Also, Fibonacci and the way his mathematics and principles have directed so many of our designs, easy as 1-1-2-3.

Thanksgiving is upon us, and it made me think... why do people always move the flower arrangement off the table during dinner?  I am no dummy... I understand that the bird needs room on the table, but by default, it seems our flowers are passed off as expendable in the moment when dinner is served. What can you do to create something so intriguing that they don't move it from the table? This is when ordinary won't work and evocative is the way to go when styling flowers. Give them something to talk about. 

When it comes to our contracts and our floral offerings, we often have disruption in what we have promised our client due to the recent issues with the supply chain of our industry. We want to provide the best service and highest quality product we can, but are often faced with a big red "NO" buzzer. What to do in these scenarios?.... going forward, set your designs and offerings as stylings rather than recipes. It may seem like a cop-out, but to be perfectly honest and transparent about it.... the industry is having a hard time getting product. Be up front about it with your client by letting them know you are working in their best interest and will go to great lengths to get what they want.  Giving yourself "Wiggle Room" will help you get your customer exactly what they want. 

Umami; the essence of deliciousness. Why do we so often feel the urge to "eat our flowers" out of the pure longing of their beauty. Sometimes our designs are so gorgeous that we say things like "I wanna eat those flowers". Why should the notion of "umami" only apply to food when flowers are such a feast for the eyes. A beautiful phrase in French, (Je ne sais quoi) translates to "I do not know what", which is often the key to what beauty lies in our floral arrangements. You or your customer may not be able to identify, or put their finger on what is so appealing about your floral work, but they know they love it. The mystery is often the the key to a fabulous design. Also in this episode, fame or infamy... what are you known for? Happy Birthday, Dad ~ 10/31/32

The Comfort Zone is that place you end up when you stop challenging yourself or pushing your limits as a florist or designer. Things seem to "work", so why change them? The reason you change them is because you are a creative person, and being that person means you need stimulation of your creative muscle. The same old, same old just won't do anymore. Autumn is an ideal season to break into some fresh ideas that will help you transition into a more creative and adventurous designer... all of those textures, foliages, pods, cones and branches! Grab some and start your fresh new journey. 

We feel like we plan down to the second for the wedding day of THEIR dreams. Then the inevitable happens.... a lost linen, a rain storm, no Dahlias! It is ultra stressful when you have promised something to a couple, and your/their dreams are vanquished.  Tired of the stress and sleepless nights over these events? We all are. Be prepared and be ready for ANYTHING. Get in the buffer zone and alleviate some of your stress of wedding day. 

We must take the time to respect our flowers. As a florist, we take so much time convincing our customers of the quality and longevity of our flowers we sell, but do we spend enough time respecting those very blooms that we sell?  I have spent a lot of time researching, learning & studying the nuances of each flower I sell, and how the vase life is affected by the care I give them. A cut flower is a flower in the final stage of its life, by our knife... respect them, and they will return the favor. 

Looking forward to a new season of Florist Life Podcast... It's coming in late summer... keep an eye out! 

The floral industry has developed so many incredible tools to help us design with more convenience and ease over the last few decades. Often, I find that designers seem to be unaware of the origins of how floral design came to be. In the modern day floral world, we have gotten so used to design conveniences, that the origins of technique in design have been lost. In that loss, we have created a problem, which is our use of an endless supply of non-sustainable materials. What is your role as a florist in the implementation of sustainability in your every day floral designs. Will you contribute, or keep things convenient? 

I hear so often, "what should I charge for that?".  There is no real mystery of the markups and margins of the retail world.  If we examine closely how we can use our intuition, creativity, and logic... we will find new ways to price our products and services that make more sense in the modern world. Throw away old thinking and dated retail practices. Now is the time to get what you need while exploring new ideas in the weird world of floristry. 

Creating and curating your own niche doesn't need to be complicated.  The simple way to create your own is to identify the client you are interested in serving and identifying your own strengths.  By combining these simple ideas, you can truly create a niche that works for both you, and your client. 

We dread the moments at weddings when we realize we have either bought way too much product or not enough product for our event we are working on.... We feel so vulnerable or even like we have lost our mojo. The panic settles in and we usually can figure out what to do, but wouldn't it be nice if we had a better plan... and a recipe that told us what we need? Here are some tips and trick on how you can become better at your wedding formulas and how to buy correctly for them. I also discuss how to "shoot the moon"...and throw away your fears of selling high priced items and events. Stop selling as if YOU'RE buying.  You'll thank yourself in the end. 

We all have been through it... Covid 19 took the industry for a wild ride. The effects are still lingering, and they will be for a while, but we will persevere. The idea that we have constant control over what happens in our floral life is a bit of a farce. You and I have the strength to push though, and be aware of our true ability to adapt to what we are not able to control. Awareness of our own ability and skill will help us continue to break through to the other side, and will prove to be the necessary tool to complete our metamorphosis. Spread your wings. This is a new beginning. 

Sympathy work is somewhat of an art form. As a florist, you must blend, with grace, the consultation with the implementation of the design in a short period of time. The consultation is often the most difficult part, being that you are faced with a bereaved client and the constraints of time. How will you cope, while your client is coping with loss? There is a nuance there, and you will achieve it with some effort... and in the end, you will save the day. Remember, "You can listen as well as you hear". 

As a florist, do you help support your industry?  Think of how many people you know in the floral world. Would it not make sense to think of them as allies or colleagues, rather than competitors? Don't miss out on the opportunity to make more friends and less enemies in our industry. Be an advocate for the floral industry! Be part of the big picture that is your industry, and support it. No one is so rich as to throw away a friend.