The Floral CEO

In this episode, Jen shares all the details about the final workshop of the year: Floral Rockstar Retreat, happening August 16–18 on her family farm in Dennison, Minnesota. This is not just a floral workshop — it is a restorative, portfolio-building, creativity-fueling experience designed to help florists slow down, connect, create, and walk away with an upgraded body of work they can actually use.

After seeing how attendees used the images from previous workshops, Jen completely rethought and upgraded this experience. That means more intentional styling, more sets, more content, and more opportunities to leave with portfolio images that feel scroll-stopping and brand elevating.

The retreat begins Sunday evening with a welcome gathering on the farm featuring charcuterie, a custom cowboy hat bar, and s’mores if the weather cooperates. Monday includes a restorative yoga session, a beautifully styled Strawberry Fields-inspired lunch, hands-on floral design time building out the next day’s styled shoot, and a girls’ night out at a local restaurant.

The styled shoot itself is farm-to-table inspired, with a basket-filled ceremony installation, a richly layered green velvet head table, fruits and vegetables woven into the design, and miniature donkeys and cows incorporated into the imagery. Jen also shares that the vendor team is incredible, including Rachel L Photography, Grace Myler Media / The Wedding Edit for behind-the-scenes content, and Tim Thornburg Films.

This retreat is meant to feel peaceful, fun, and creatively energizing. It is also designed with florists’ schedules in mind, running Sunday through Tuesday so attendees can still work around weekend weddings.

In this episode, Jen talks about:

• Why she upgraded the retreat experience
• How the retreat is designed to build a stronger portfolio
• What the Sunday welcome night includes
• The restorative yoga and Strawberry Fields lunch experience
• The farm-to-table styled shoot concept
• What florists will create and photograph
• The vendor team behind the retreat
• Why the farm setting makes this experience so special
• Travel logistics and why it is easy to attend even with weddings nearby

Key takeaway

Floral Rockstar Retreat is more than a workshop. It is a chance to recharge, connect with other florists, build an elevated portfolio, and experience creativity in a way that feels fun, inspiring, and restorative.

Learn more

Visit http://floralceo.com/workshop for retreat details.

In this episode, Jen shares some of the biggest lessons she has learned after years of working as a florist and doing a high volume of weddings. These are the things she used to do because she thought they made her a better florist, a nicer person, more accommodating, or more bookable — but in reality, many of them were costing her money, peace, creativity, and joy.

This episode is all about boundaries, discernment, and learning to run your floral business in a way that actually feels good and makes sense. From last-minute emergencies and undercharging, to promising specific blooms and saying yes to the wrong inquiries, Jen walks through the things she no longer does — and why florists should think about letting go of them too.

In this episode, Jen talks about:

• Why other people’s emergencies are not automatically your emergency
• Why she no longer takes labor-intensive work below her minimum
• Why undercharging to get the job is no longer an option
• Why she no longer takes on super rustic barn weddings that do not align with her brand
• Why florists should speak up when they know something is a bad idea
• Why she no longer promises specific blooms
• Why exact delivery timeframes can create unnecessary stress
• Why she no longer says yes to every inquiry
• Why she no longer does things just because “that’s how florists do it”
• Why she stopped over-explaining her pricing
• Why she no longer takes on work that feels miserable or inauthentic
• Why client indecision is not her problem
• Why she no longer compares her business to other florists
• Why she does not do jobs for “exposure”
• Why listening to her body matters more than ever

Key takeaway

Boundaries do not make you a worse florist. They make you a wiser one.

A lot of the things Jen stopped doing were not helping her become more successful — they were draining her. This episode is a reminder that you are allowed to protect your peace, your profit, your creativity, and your body as you build your business.

Mentioned in this episode

Instagram: @‌thefloralceo

In this episode, Jen talks about something every florist and creative business owner faces at some point: how hard it can be to access creativity when life feels loud, heavy, overstimulating, and exhausting. Between loss, motherhood, summer schedules, consultations, weddings, and the everyday chaos of life, it can feel like creativity gets buried under stress.

But Jen shares an important reminder: chaos does not mean you lost your talent. It does not mean something is wrong with you. It may simply mean your nervous system is overloaded, your energy is depleted, and your creativity needs a softer, more intentional way back in.

This episode is all about how to reconnect with your creative self when life feels hard — not by forcing brilliance, but by creating space, lowering the pressure, using supportive inspiration, and giving yourself more grace.

In this episode, Jen talks about:

• Why chaotic seasons can make creativity feel far away
• How stress, grief, motherhood, and exhaustion impact your ability to create
• Why creativity needs space
• Why waiting for the “perfect mood” is not realistic
• How to lower the pressure on your creative process
• Why you do not need genius — you need momentum
• How to use inspiration banks like Instagram folders, Pinterest boards, linens, venues, textures, and flowers to spark ideas
• Why outside input can support your creativity when your brain feels tired
• How constraints can actually make creating easier
• Why protecting tiny pockets of quiet and mental space matters
• How your body, energy, rest, and nervous system affect your creativity
• Why chaos does not mean you are broken
• How creativity can become healing instead of another demand

Key takeaway

You did not lose your creativity.

When life feels chaotic, your creativity may simply need more space, more softness, and less pressure. You do not need to be brilliant on demand — you just need little moments of movement, beauty, and reconnection.

Why this episode matters

If you are a florist, designer, creative business owner, or mom in a hard or heavy season, this episode is a reminder that your gift is still there. You may just need a gentler path back to it.

In this special interview episode, Jen sits down with Carol from Blissful Bloom Studio, one of her favorite flower friends inside the Floral CEO Mastermind. Carol shares the story of how she went from working in the floral industry for 35 years — including years in a demanding corporate floral job — to finally stepping out and building a business of her own.

This conversation is for any florist who feels stuck, overwhelmed, scared to make a big move, or like it might be “too late” to change their life or business. Carol opens up about what pushed her to start something for herself, how she found support and confidence through workshops and the Mastermind, and how she recently left her job and already has 19 weddings booked this year — after setting a goal of just 20 for the entire year.

Jen and Carol talk honestly about:

• what it felt like to work harder with less support after Covid
• why Carol knew something had to change
• how attending a workshop lit a spark in her
• what it was like joining the Floral CEO Mastermind
• how support, systems, and getting uncomfortable helped her grow
• why being authentic in your communication matters so much
• how Zola became a lead source for her business
• what finally pushed her to leave her corporate floral job
• why it is not too late to build something new
• how much lighter and happier she feels now that she bet on herself

Why this episode matters

Carol’s story is such a reminder that:

• it is not too late to start
• you do not have to stay where you are stuck
• the right support can change everything
• and building your own business can create more freedom, confidence, and joy than you ever imagined

Connect with Carol

Instagram: @‌blissfulbloomstudio
Website: blissfulbloomstudio.com

Mentioned in this episode

The Floral CEO Mastermind
http://floralceo.com/mastermind

3 Things You Need to Know Before Starting a Floral Business

If you have been dreaming about starting a floral business—or you have already started and feel like you are not getting the momentum you want—this episode is for you. Jen breaks down three foundational truths every florist needs to understand before building a business around flowers.

Because the truth is, loving flowers is not enough.

You can love flowers deeply and still struggle if you do not understand how to run a business, price profitably, communicate clearly, and build something that actually supports your life. In this episode, Jen walks through three critical things she wishes every florist knew from the beginning.

In this episode, Jen talks about:

• Why loving flowers is not enough to make a floral business successful
• The difference between making beautiful flowers and making money
• Why florists need to understand pricing, sales, systems, boundaries, and client communication
• Why knowing your numbers early is foundational
• The importance of markup, labor, delivery, setup fees, overhead, and profit
• Why undercharging becomes a dangerous habit if you start there
• Why profit is not a dirty word
• How to think about business expenses before you get too deep
• Why you need to decide what kind of floral business you actually want
• The problem with saying yes to everything
• How building a business that does not fit you can lead to burnout fast

Key takeaway

A successful floral business is not just built on beautiful work. It is built on clarity, strategy, numbers, and deciding what kind of business you actually want to run.

If this episode resonates

Jen reminds listeners that there is an entire library of free podcast episodes to help florists grow, and reviews on the podcast mean so much.

If you have ever looked at your to-do list and thought, I am doing so much… but am I actually doing the right things? — this episode is for you.

In this minisode, Jen breaks down one of the biggest struggles florists and creative business owners face: figuring out where to spend their time for the greatest impact. Because the truth is, not everything in your business deserves your time equally. Some tasks feel productive because you are checking a box, but they are not actually creating traction, momentum, or revenue.

Jen talks about how many florists get pulled into low-value admin work, overcomplicating tiny details, reacting too fast, doing things themselves that someone else could do, and spending time in ways that make them feel busy—but not effective. This episode is a reminder that if you want to grow your floral business, you need sharper priorities, not just more hours in the day.

In this episode, Jen talks about:

• Why being busy does not automatically mean you are being effective
• How to identify revenue-producing activities in your floral business
• Why consultations, proposals, follow-ups, content, and networking deserve more of your time
• The problem with spending CEO time on entry-level tasks
• How a “full spaghetti plate” keeps you from creating growth
• Why you need space in your schedule to be visionary, strategic, and proactive
• How to spend more time on what only you can do
• Why templates, systems, SOPs, and better workflows matter
• How to prioritize the highest-return activities in your business
• The difference between urgent tasks and important tasks
• Why peace is a productive use of your time
• How to think differently if you are in a growth season versus a scaling season

Key takeaway

You do not need more time. You need sharper priorities.

When you stop spending your time reacting, overcomplicating, and doing everything yourself, you make space for the work that actually grows your business—more visibility, better systems, stronger offers, more profit, and a lot more peace.

Mentioned in this episode

The Floral CEO Mastermind
http://floralceo.com/mastermind

In this minisode, Jen talks about the very real shift that happens when school gets out, summer begins, and suddenly motherhood, wedding season, and business all collide at once. As a mom with kids home for summer and a floral business to run, Jen shares how she is approaching this season differently—and why summer does not have to feel like survival mode.

This episode is all about creating more peace, more structure, more support, and more intention so that summer can feel less like chaos and more like something you can actually enjoy. Jen shares practical strategies for florist moms who want to stop just getting through summer and start creating a version of it that feels calmer, simpler, and more aligned.

In this episode, Jen talks about:

• Why summer asks more of you as a mom and as a business owner
• Why summer may need a completely different operating system than spring
• What success could look like in this season
• How structure and family rhythms create more peace
• Why it is okay to lower your standards on things that do not matter
• The importance of asking for and accepting more support
• How to protect your energy before you are completely fried
• Why feeling stretched does not mean you are failing
• How to be more intentional about joy during summer
• Why thriving often comes from subtraction, not addition

Key takeaway

Summer does not have to feel like drowning. You can build more support, more structure, and more peace into this season—and create a summer that feels better for you, your family, and your business.

In this episode, Jen sits down with Melanie and Michelle, the founders of Fleurspace, a brand new platform designed to help florists solve some very real problems in the floral industry — like finding temporary studio space, renting cooler space, hiring freelancers, finding setup crews, and getting support in new markets.

If you have ever wondered how you would pull off a bigger wedding, work in another state, find freelance floral help, or rent studio space for a few days, this episode will introduce you to a tool that could make all of that easier. Melanie describes Fleurspace as “Airbnb for florists” — a place where florists can list studio space, workshop space, freelance services, and support roles, and where other florists can search for the help they need.

Melanie shares her background as a florist with 22 years of experience, while Michelle talks about her entrepreneurial background and how the idea for Fleurspace came together. Together, they explain how the platform works, who it is for, and why they believe it can create more flexibility and opportunity in the floral world.

In this episode, they cover:

• What Fleurspace is and how it works
• Why it is being called “Airbnb for florists”
• How florists can list studio space, workshop space, and cooler access
• How freelancers, drivers, setup crews, and strike crews can list their services
• How florists can rent space or hire help as needed
• Why this could be a game changer for destination work, larger events, or home-based studios
• How payments and bookings work through the platform
• Why this could help florists take on bigger weddings with less panic
• How Fleurspace is already growing beyond the United States

Why this matters for florists

This episode is especially valuable for florists who:

• run a home-based studio
• need temporary cooler space
• want to freelance more
• need setup or strike help
• want to expand into larger weddings
• need more flexibility without committing to permanent studio overhead
• want to work in new markets or new states

Key takeaway

You do not always need to build everything from scratch in your business. Sometimes the right support, the right space, or the right freelancer can help you take on opportunities you otherwise would have passed up. Fleurspace is trying to make that support more accessible for florists.

Connect with Fleurspace

Website: http://fleur-space.com
Instagram: @‌fleurspaceofficial
Email: [email protected]

There is a lot of noise in the wedding industry right now.

People are talking about slower wedding seasons, lower booking projections, market changes, and all the reasons to panic. And when that kind of energy is everywhere, it can be really easy to start spiraling and focusing on everything that feels uncertain.

In this episode, Jen shares a powerful reminder: stop spending your energy on everything you cannot control and start focusing on what you can.

Because while you may not be able to control the economy, industry projections, or what everyone else is doing, you can control how you show up in your business, how you price, how you market, how creative you are, and how intentional you are with your strategy.

This episode is all about protecting your energy, staying present, and making sure your time is being spent in the places that will actually move your floral business forward.

In this episode, Jen talks about:

• Why anxiety keeps pulling you into fear about the future
• How to stay focused on what is actually in your control
• Why showing up consistently in your business matters so much
• How pricing for profit can make a bigger impact than obsessing over revenue
• Why you do not need to be the cheapest florist in town to win
• How to attract your ideal client through strategy, creativity, and alignment
• Why chasing dollars without alignment can leave you stuck
• How to create more impact by thinking outside the box
• Why your creativity and passion can help you stand out in your market
• How to make this year powerful, even if the industry feels uncertain

Key takeaway

If the sky is falling, hold your own umbrella.

Stop wasting time worrying about all the things you cannot fix, control, or predict. Focus on what you can do inside your own business to create momentum, attract the right people, and build something that feels profitable and aligned.

Mentioned in this episode

The Floral CEO Mastermind
Instagram: @‌thefloralhustle
Email: [email protected]

Busy season does not have to mean losing yourself.

In this episode, Jen shares practical strategies for staying grounded, protecting your peace, and leading your business well when life and work both feel full. After coming off a busy weekend with two weddings, family responsibilities, and everything else that comes with real life, she reflects on why she felt calm instead of cracked in half — and what has shifted in the way she approaches busy seasons now.

This episode is for florists and creative business owners who are tired of feeling like stress, chaos, and burnout are just “part of the job.” Jen talks about how busy season does not create chaos — it reveals it — and how better boundaries, stronger systems, clearer priorities, and more intentional self-care can completely change how you experience your busiest times of year.

In this episode, Jen talks about:

• Why busy season reveals the weak spots in your business
• How to protect your mornings and start your day with intention
• The difference between what feels urgent and what is actually urgent
• Why you need boundaries before you are already drowning
• How to stop saying yes to everything during busy season
• Why your team needs clearer roles and expectations
• The importance of taking care of your body during high-stress seasons
• How to reduce decision fatigue
• Why you do not need to absorb other people’s chaos
• The power of having a reset plan
• Why giving yourself permission to do less can actually help you do better
• How peace can become part of your business strategy

Key takeaway

Peace is not lazy. Peace is leadership.

If you want to make it through busy season feeling more grounded, more prepared, and less reactive, this episode will help you rethink the way you approach your time, your energy, and your business.

Mentioned in this episode

The Floral CEO Mastermind
http://floralceo.com/mastermind