The Flower School Business Podcast From Kays Flower School

The Art of Floral Design and Business Wisdom with Sharon Griffin

In today’s episode, Deirdre, chats with Sharon Griffin, an experienced florist and business owner, about the evolving world of floristry and the lessons she's learned in building a successful floral business. Sharon shares her insights on the artistic side of floral design, from creating architectural flower arrangements to understanding the emotional impact flowers have on major life events like weddings.
Sharon also opens up about her business journey, offering advice for new florists, emphasizing the importance of knowing your numbers, managing expectations and the unique challenges of running a wedding-focused business. Tune in for a deep dive into floristry, business growth  and the value of personal connections in the industry.
Key Takeaways
The New Wave of Floral DesignSharon discusses how floral design is evolving to incorporate more architectural and sculptural elements, focusing on creating unique groupings and shapes within shapes. She highlights the growing popularity of using fruits and vegetables in floral arrangements to add texture and dimension.
Flowers as the Emotional BackdropFlowers are not just decorations – they are the backdrop that creates the atmosphere for significant moments in life. Sharon explains how flowers set the mood at events like weddings, leaving a lasting impact through photos and memories.
Lessons Learned in Business Sharon shares four key lessons she’s learned over the years
Know your numbers and keep track of your finances
Don’t stress over what others think; focus on your own growth
Embrace flexibility when working with a team
Focus on what truly matters in your business, like customer care and attention to detail.
The Wedding Industry’s Unique Business ModelSharon breaks down how florists operate differently in the wedding industry compared to other types of businesses, emphasizing the one-time nature of client relationships and the importance of word-of-mouth marketing.
Pricing TransparencySharon talks about how she educates her clients on the cost breakdown of her services, helping them understand the pricing formula and why certain prices are non-negotiable. This transparency builds trust and helps clients feel more comfortable with the pricing.
The Power of Word-of-Mouth Marketing:Sharon highlights the importance of customer referrals and networking within the wedding industry, explaining how a strong reputation and word-of-mouth are far more effective than traditional advertising.
Episode Highlights
[05:00] The rise of architectural floral designs and the use of fruits and vegetables in floristry
[15:00] The emotional role flowers play in weddings and special events
[25:00] Business advice for florists: managing finances, building a team, and balancing creativity with business operations
[37:00] How Sharon built her business using word-of-mouth marketing and customer relationships
[50:00] The intricacies of pricing and how Sharon ensures her clients understand the cost breakdown
Thank You for Listening!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Share this podcast with friends who are interested in floristry, entrepreneurship or simply love a good chat!
We’ll see you next time on The Flower School Podcast!
Sharon is available for coaching and mentorship and you can catch here on sharon@frogprince.ie Getting married ??? Check out - https://www.frogprince.ie/ Monthly Subscriptions - https://newmoonblooms.ie/
Social media -   / frogprinceweddings     / newmoonblooms.ie  
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
Want to take your flower skills to the next level but not sure how to do it ?? Check out our FREE Online Flower Taster Course Here - ideal for the total beginner or those who dabble to want to go a bit further -
Sign up Here
https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerarrangingcourse
 
We also have a Free Flower Conditioning Program that teaches you how to maintain and keep your cut flowers looking their best for longer -
Check it out there - Free Online Flower Conditioning Program — 
https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerconditioningcourse
Beginners Floristry Program to start you on your flowery journey to a career as a floral designer - Online Professional Floristry Courses for beginners https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/online-floristry-programme
 
Depending on the country you live in you may be eligible for funding towards training here at Kays Flower School - Funding Available for Training as a Florist https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/funding-and-opportunities
 
If you live outside Ireland you can still train with Kay's Flower School, see how it works here - Overseas Floristry Student Information https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/overseas-flower-students
 
See what our past students have to say about training as a florist at Kay's Flower School https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/testimonial
Get in touch with us today Get in Touch https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/contact-us

How to Become a Florist - Jenny Thomasson Flower Journey

Deirdre is delighted to chat with Jenny about her flowery journey, from starting out parttime in a flower shop during her college days to running her own successful florist and then stepping into education and of course representing the United States in the Interflora World Cup,
 
You can find and follow Jenny at the links below #
www.Jennytfloristry.com
Jennytfloristry@gmail.com
IG: Jennyt.floristry - https://www.instagram.com/jennyt.floristry/
FB: Jenny Thomasson - https://www.facebook.com/jenny.thomassonaifdcfd
 
Jenny Thomasson AIFD PFCI EMC AAF, is an accredited member of AIFD, American Institute of Floral Designers, PFCI, Professional Floral Communicators International, EMC, European Masters Certification and AAF, American Academy of Floriculture. She is a touring commentator for the Education Specialist Team for Teleflora, featured designer in industry publications, networks and podcasts, a lead instructor at the Dr. Delphinium
Design Institute in Dallas Texas, sole proprietor for Jenny T Floristry and a published author of, Perishable Poetics: Manifesting Emotion through Contemporary Floral Design and Endless Florescence: Transformative Contemporary Dried Floral Design. She is also the CEO and product developer for Meraki Floral Tools and an independent instructor
worldwide. Her unique style is described as Contemporary Naturalism, allowing the space and light to interplay with the botanical materials in an effortless holistic way.
Honored to have presented 4 times on the main stage at the AIFD National Symposium and representing North America twice at Fleuramour in Belgium, a member of the decorating team for the White House For Christmas, an AIFD Team Designer at the Philadelphia Flower Show, as well as a dynamic speaker and educator for various groups and programs. A design competitor in the US, China, South Korea and Europe,
crossing borders to teach in Mexico and Canada and utilizing virtual platforms for programs and lectures . In 2023 representing the USA in the Interflora World Cup Competition, earning 8th place for the highest marks ever by a USA Competitor. She has done this all with a passion for pushing the boundaries of American floristry in a fresh and modern way.
 
 
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
Want to take your flower skills to the next level but not sure how to do it ?? Check out our FREE Online Flower Taster Course Here - ideal for the total beginner or those who dabble to want to go a bit further -
Sign up Here
https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerarrangingcourse
 
We also have a Free Flower Conditioning Program that teaches you how to maintain and keep your cut flowers looking their best for longer -
Check it out there - Free Online Flower Conditioning Program — 
https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerconditioningcourse
Beginners Floristry Program to start you on your flowery journey to a career as a floral designer - Online Professional Floristry Courses for beginners https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/online-floristry-programme
 
Depending on the country you live in you may be eligible for funding towards training here at Kays Flower School - Funding Available for Training as a Florist https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/funding-and-opportunities
 
If you live outside Ireland you can still train with Kay's Flower School, see how it works here - Overseas Floristry Student Information https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/overseas-flower-students
 
See what our past students have to say about training as a florist at Kay's Flower School https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/testimonial
Get in touch with us today Get in Touch https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/contact-us

Com.Post - Hannah & Fiona talk about the success of sustainable florists who are composting their floral waste

Hannah and Fiona talk to Deirdre about how Florists can turn their floral waste into compost easily.
 
The COM:POST system takes Florist's weekly green waste and turns it into reusable compost. This helps to reduce the florists environmental impact and reassure their customers of their sustainable practice.
 
There are 4 stages
 
Stage One: The Florist.
We provide all our florists with compostable paper sacks which they in turn fill with green waste - either from conditioning or when they return from a wedding or event.
 
Stage Two: The Collection.
We regularly collect the full sacks from our florists, either via our wholesaler partners or using our fleet of vehicles.
 
Stage Three: The Composter.
We work with composting partners across the UK. It takes up to 16 weeks to turn all green waste into rich, nutrient filled compost. The compostable sacks are a valuable addition as it helps with the process.
 
Stage Four: The Grower.
We pride ourselves with creating a closed loop system as all compost produced by our system is returned to growers for food and flower production.
 
For more information on how you can get involved and use Com.Post for your business - contact Compost on contact@com-post.uk or visit their website - https://www.com-post.uk/
 
#sustainableflorists #compostfloralwaste #compost #sustanablefloralwaste
 
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
Want to take your flower skills to the next level but not sure how to do it ?? Check out our FREE Online Flower Taster Course Here - ideal for the total beginner or those who dabble to want to go a bit further -
Sign up Here
https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerarrangingcourse
 
We also have a Free Flower Conditioning Program that teaches you how to maintain and keep your cut flowers looking their best for longer -
Check it out there - Free Online Flower Conditioning Program — 
https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerconditioningcourse
Beginners Floristry Program to start you on your flowery journey to a career as a floral designer - Online Professional Floristry Courses for beginners https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/online-floristry-programme
 
Depending on the country you live in you may be eligible for funding towards training here at Kays Flower School - Funding Available for Training as a Florist https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/funding-and-opportunities
 
If you live outside Ireland you can still train with Kay's Flower School, see how it works here - Overseas Floristry Student Information https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/overseas-flower-students
 
See what our past students have to say about training as a florist at Kay's Flower School https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/testimonial
Get in touch with us today Get in Touch https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/contact-us