Today we’re sitting down with Heather Siu, owner of Myrtle et Olive and Lark & Ives in Vancouver, British Columbia to discuss:

• the importance of consistency in branding
• why she decided to rebrand her business
• how she successfully transitioned from a rental company to a full experience floral & event design company
• why she chose to study under individual floral artists rather than attending a floral design program in a traditional college setting
• the part-time seasonal staff she refers to as her “floral fairies”
• her insights into planning and executing floral and event design for destination weddings
• her #1 tool for connecting with wedding planners and fostering relationships that bring opportunities for collaboration her way
• the amazing gift her mother gave her as a child and how it impacted her career path

• Francoise Weeks
• Hilary Chan Photography
• Tomas De Bruyne
• Karen Tran
• Flag Is Up Farm | Santa Barbara, California
• Jill La Fleur
• Daniel Tran
• Written Word Calligraphy
• Steve Jobs biography
• Gongbi Chinese Painting
• JF Floral Couture
• Eat Pray Love

Today we’re sitting down with Emily Avenson, owner of Fleuropean in Aubel, Belgium to discuss:

• what inspired her to begin growing flowers
• some of her favorite varieties to grow (hint: Creme Brulee Phlox and Sahara Rudbeckia made the list)
• how she’s managed to combine the vegetable garden culture of Europe with her flower garden blooms
• making plant-dyed ribbon
• the Slow Flowers movement & culture in Belgium
• why she started The Lonely Bouquet

• Santa Cruz Dahlias
• Madison Hartley | Hart Floral
• Susanne Hatwood | The Blue Carrot
• Anna Doshina Photography

Today we’re sitting down with Jennie Love, owner of Love ‘n Fresh Flowers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to discuss:

• the process of finding land to farm
• custom growing for clients
• her Summer Solstice Party
• how she fine tuned her business to work for her
• the logistics of her CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
• the challenge of pricing locally grown flowers for profitability
• her biggest marketing tool
• the steps she took to elevate her brand and educate her clients about the value of locally grown flowers
• how she found work/life balance

• Longwood Gardens
• Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart
• Upper Roxborough
• Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG)
• Weavers Way

Today we’re sitting down with Christin Geall, owner of Cultivated in Victoria, Canada to discuss:

• her years as a homesteader growing/selling flowers and salad
• her multi-faceted business model
• her thoughts on flower photography
• the workshop that sparked her desire to pursue floral design and growing again
• how a color theory class and an art history class enriched her design aesthetic
• the challenges of working in a remote location
• how she got the opportunity to host a workshop in Scotland
• her floral fantasy for the future

• Gardenista
• Simply by Arrangement
• Hedgerow Florist
• Cambo Estate
• Max Gill Design
• Jamali Garden
• Cafe au Lait dahlia
• Ariella Chezar
• Kiana Underwood | Tulipina
• Susan McLeary | Passionflower
• Putnam & Putnam
• Erin Benzakein | Floret Flower Farm
• Kew Gardens
• MailChimp

Today we’re sitting down with Nick Priestly, owner of Mood Flowers and Flower School Glasgow, as well as co-owner of MUD Urban Flowers in Glasgow, Scotland to discuss:

• how he ended up in the flower business (hint: it wasn’t exactly a life-long dream!)
• what led him to co-host the Chapel Designer European Conferences with Holly Chapple
• how his business background keeps his flower businesses profitable
• the many facets of his flower business portfolio
• the story behind the MUD “Little Bouquet”
• why he said at one point, “I’m not going to be a florist.”
• how he finds time to relax and what helps take his mind off his fast-paced businesses
• how he handles competition
• why he believes his most experienced staff member has remained at Mood Flowers
• how he gets to freelance for his own company
• how he was able to decrease the number of  staff members while still making a good living
• how he runs three businesses from an 1800 sq. ft. studio space
• how a messy studio sometimes works in his favor with potential clients
• MUD Urban Flowers franchise opportunities on the horizon

• Chapel Designers (CD London conferences)
• Holly Chapple (Holly Chapple Flowers / The Chapel Designers)
• Susan McLeary (Passionflower)
• Oscar & Janie of Flowers by Janie
• David Beahm (David Beahm Experiences)
• Sylvia Abraham (Bella Botanica)
• Botanical Brouhaha Expert Panel
• 6-Day Career Course at Mood Flowers

Today we’re sitting down with Maggie & Mick Bailey, owners of Bramble & Bee in Tomball, Texas to discuss:

• how they structured Bramble & Bee to work with their personalities
• why they MUST travel
• how their personalities compliment one another in running the business day-to-day
• Mick’s unique background and what it allows him to bring to the table
• Mick’s biggest fear for Maggie and what he’s doing to circumvent it
• how they became ‘accidental entrepreneurs’
• their journey into retail
• how referrals helped build Bramble & Bee and how they’re returning the favor
• what Mick loves about the industry
• what Maggie learned about working from home

• Texas State Florists’ Association
• Jody Strom of The Moss & Rose 
• Maria Maxit of Maxit Flower Design
• Mayesh Design Star Workshop Tour
• Flower School New York
• Areiella Chezar
• Coolbot
• PODS storage
• Sweet Root Village 
• Tulipina

Today we’re sitting down with Marco Groot, CEO of Hilverda De Boer USA to discuss:

• his childhood growing up in Holland and the role flower farming played in his formative years
• why he has a life-sized cutout image of Elvis in his office
• why he decided to go the ‘trade’ route rather than the ‘farming’ route in the floral industry
• how one summer changed the course of his life and landed him in the US
• how the Dutch Flower Auction works
• why it’s sometimes difficult for family farms to change hands from one generation to another
• the Hilverda De Boer Webshop and mobile app (Just go to the app store on your device and search for ‘Hilverda De Boer B.V.’)
• how Hilverda De Boer can aid designers in sourcing blooms for destination weddings
• logistical details of flower deliveries
• how he and his partners continue to grow the company with their clients in mind
• what he looks for in a salesperson when hiring

Today we’re sitting down with Laetitia Mayor, owner of Florésie based in Blanzy-lès-Fismes in Northern France to discuss:

• her path from being an engineer in Switzerland to being a floral designer in a quaint french municipality of 100+ inhabitants
• how blogging helped get her business off the ground
• the important role workshops have played in her growth as a designer
• the advantages her engineering background brings to her wedding/event business
• her main marketing tool
• Instagram strategies that have worked for her and helped build her business significantly in just 5 years
• the value she finds in creating editorial work
• how her personal garden functions as a resource for her floral design business
• why she chose to open a private studio rather than a flower shop
• the need that led her to begin teaching professionals
• how she found a niche designing flowers for destination weddings
• the story behind her creative retreats in the French countryside

• Mandy Scott
• Sinclair & Moore
• MacGyver
• Alicia Rico – Bows and Arrows
• The Secret Garden Creative Retreat
• Chikae O.H.
• Sarah Winward – Honey of a Thousand Flowers
• Saipua
• Ariella Chezar

• Quite Possibly The Best Flower Story Ever – seriously, you’ve got to read this story!

Today we’re sitting down with Fiona Pickles, owner of Firenza Floral Design based in West Yorkshire in the UK to discuss:

• her unique talent related to event delivery
• how she utilizes interns and freelancers in her business
• the subject of some of her most popular Instagram posts
• her proficient use of social media and why she appreciates it
• how she grew her business into a business model that feeds her soul
• her experience hosting past workshops and her plans for another Large Installation Workshop in 2018 

• The Willow Garden 
• Jane Packer Flower School
• Fiona Humberstone – The Brand Stylist
• Flowerona – Social Media for Florists Workshop
• Sara Tasker – Me and Orla
• Focus and Thrive Workshop with Fiona Humberstone & Elizabeth Cairns
• Castle Howard
• Chatsworth Garden

Today we’re sitting down with Maxine Owens, owner of Max Owens Design in Dallas, Texas to discuss:

• how her background in retail and science prepared her for opening a flower business
• her thoughts on hiring, managing, encouraging, and keeping freelancers
• how she structured her business to take summers off and refuel
• her love of people and the joy she finds in teaching others
• her collaboration with Type A Society for Claire Pettibone’s Four Seasons Campaignprior to NY Fashion Week
• where she finds inspiration

• Claire Pettibone 
• Type A Society
• Slow Flower Movement
• Chapel Designers
• Barneys
• Anthropologie
• Crate & Barrel
• Academy Mansion
• Sex and the City
• Amy Osaba Design
• Sarah Winward
• Ariella Chezar
• Alphonse Mucha