How a single rose can derail your flower business

Summary

In this video, Alison Ellis of Floral Artistry discusses how floral designers can become the most valuable employee in their business. She highlights the importance of being responsible with flower usage and not overfilling orders. Overfilling, even by a single flower, can lead to significant financial losses over time. Alison stresses the need for accountability, whether you're a shop owner or a solo designer, and encourages open communication about pricing and expectations. Ultimately, she emphasizes that good business practices and creative integrity go hand in hand for a successful floral business.

Takeaways

• 😀 Be the most valuable floral designer by showing up on time, being friendly, and treating everyone with respect, from co-workers to customers.
• 😀 Overfilling orders, even by just one flower, adds up quickly and costs the business significantly, resulting in lost profits.
• 😀 A single designer overfilling by one rose per day can lead to over $26,000 in lost revenue annually for the business.
• 😀 Flowers are treated differently from other retail products. Giving away flowers (even just one extra) without charging for them is essentially giving away business profits.
• 😀 If you overfill, you're giving away merchandise that the shop owner paid for. This can hurt the business’s bottom line and could jeopardize your job.
• 😀 The importance of being mindful about not overfilling orders cannot be overstated, especially when multiplied over weeks, months, and years.
• 😀 Spot-checking and inspecting your employees' arrangements is crucial if you're a manager to ensure that overfilling doesn’t go unnoticed.
• 😀 Always address potential issues with overfilling early and maintain open communication with the shop owner or manager to keep the business running smoothly.
• 😀 Even for home-based floral businesses, small overfilling costs can add up quickly. An additional $4 per event or $20 per bouquet can significantly impact your profits over time.
• 😀 Overfilling can create a false sense of value for the customer, but it also leads to long-term financial harm. It’s essential to balance creativity and profitability.
• 😀 You are not just a florist, you are a business owner or employee contributing to the financial success of the shop. Protecting the business from overfilling will ensure its long-term survival.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video presented by Alison Ellis?

The main topic is how floral designers can become the most valuable employees in their business by preventing overfilling orders, which leads to unnecessary financial losses.

What is meant by 'overfilling' in the context of floral design?

'Overfilling' refers to adding more flowers to an arrangement than what was initially specified, even if it's just one extra flower like a single rose. This can lead to significant costs over time.

How does overfilling impact the financials of a flower shop?

Overfilling adds unaccounted costs to the business. For example, adding just one extra flower to each arrangement, over 25 arrangements a day, can lead to $26,400 being given away annually, impacting the shop's bottom line.

What example does Alison Ellis give to illustrate the cost of overfilling?

She gives an example of overfilling by one rose per arrangement. If 25 arrangements are made daily, that equals $550 a week, $2,200 a month, and $26,400 a year, all given away without being paid for.

How does overfilling in a floral shop compare to overfilling in other retail businesses?

In other retail businesses, like selling art supplies, overfilling (such as giving away free items) would result in immediate termination. However, floral shops sometimes overlook the financial value of flowers, leading to unintentional losses.

What should floral designers do if they feel they can't create an arrangement within a set budget?

They should communicate with the shop owner about the need for more flowers within the given price point. It's important to have a dialogue about how to maintain the quality of the arrangements while keeping costs manageable.

Why is it important for floral designers to be accountable for overfilling?

Being accountable helps maintain the business's profitability. Designers need to recognize that overfilling, even by small amounts, adds up over time and can lead to significant financial losses.

What is the recommended approach for floral shop owners to prevent overfilling?

Owners should spot check arrangements regularly to ensure designers aren't overfilling orders. Monitoring and inspecting the designs helps ensure that expectations are met without unnecessary waste.

What impact can a designer's overfilling have on a small home-based floral business?

Even small overfillings in a home-based business can add up. For example, overfilling by just $4 wholesale per arrangement on 30 events can result in $1,800 in lost profit, which could be a game-changer for a small business.

How does the financial impact of overfilling relate to the long-term success of a floral business?

Over the long term, consistently overfilling can erode profits and harm the sustainability of the business. The small, repeated losses can add up to significant amounts that could otherwise be reinvested or saved.