2006 Newsletter May - September, Page 6, Flower Shop Tour, Floral Design Institute, Floral design school, floral school, floral classes, floral supplies, floral videos, home study, wedding design

image004.11.00.18.006 J-Packer.gif (61634 bytes)

I love to visit flower shops. It is always at the center of any traveling that I do and my very favorite play-day activity. I visit and study floral businesses not just because I enjoy it, but because so much can be learned by seeing various styles of merchandising, design, product selection and methods of business management. The retail floral industry is fragmenting and forming niche specialties. Ours has always been a very diverse industry, but retail florists today are more diverse and exciting than ever before; “vive le difference”.

I encourage every student, every floral designer and floral business owner that I meet to get out, visit and share with other florists. I do this because I firmly believe that the greatest cause of failure in any small business is “isolation”.

What do I mean by this? Small business owners, especially in the start up phase, become so involved in the day-to-day activity of running their business that they fail to step away for a day and share with others who operate similar businesses. They become isolated because they are so busy trying to solve a specific problem and overlook others who have found a solution and are willing to share.

As my little flower school has grown, I have the additional joy of discovering Floral Design Institute Graduates working and owning the floral businesses that I visit during my travels. From London to New York to my own back yard in Portland I never fail to find graduates. I thought that you too might like to visit some floral businesses with me. So join me as we tour a handful shops in the Portland area ranging from studio based designers to supermarket florists, to full service traditional florists.

Next Page >

Click Here for the Floral Design Institute Home Page