The Floral Hustle

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Successful Business Strategies and Growth:

• Delegate and Optimize: Jen shares her successful strategy of hiring professionals to manage non-creative aspects, like social media and operations, allowing her to focus on impactful and creative work.
• Creativity and Branding: Emphasizes the importance of creative endeavors in elevating the business, leading to a 20% increase in revenue in 2023.
• Portfolio vs. Business Skills: Stresses the balance between a creative portfolio and essential business skills for long-term success in the floral industry.

Balancing Personal Life and Business:

• Fitness Goals: Jen discusses her fitness achievements and emphasizes the importance of making time for personal well-being.
• Creating Space: Shares insights on creating space in both personal and professional life, especially as a mom, breaking stereotypes around motherhood and space entitlement.

The Growth of the Minnesota Floral Collective:

• Community Building: Jen highlights the significant growth of the Minnesota Floral Collective, showcasing the need for community, belonging, and education in the floral industry.
• Event Success: Describes the successful turnouts at events, indicating a strong desire for collaboration among florists.

Challenges and Lessons:  Growing Flowers

• Time Management: Discusses challenges with time management, particularly in dealing with unexpected weather changes affecting flower growth.
• Sourcing Challenges: Addresses difficulties in sourcing due to delayed flower growth, necessitating flexibility and creativity.
• Continuous Learning: Acknowledges the importance of staying committed to ongoing learning, despite time constraints.

Looking Ahead to 2024:

1. Planning and Goals for the Future:

• Capacity for Growth: Jen aims to create more capacity for significant achievements in 2024 while maintaining joy and personal space.
• Certification: Pursuing certifications as a mindset and life coach, incorporating tapping and NLP, to facilitate personal and professional growth.

2. Strategic Reflection and Decision-Making:

• Reflecting on Failures: Encourages listeners to objectively analyze what worked, what could be improved, and what should be let go, emphasizing strategic decision-making.
• Effective Revenue Analysis: Shares a coaching experience, highlighting the importance of evaluating revenue sources and focusing on higher-producing opportunities.

Conclusion:

• Reflect, Decide, Plan: Jen urges listeners to reflect on their own experiences in 2023, objectively assess successes and failures, and make informed decisions for a successful and fulfilling 2024.

• 00:00 - Introduction and Reflections on the Past Year
• 01:53 - Successful Business Strategies and Growth
• 03:10 - The Importance of Creativity and Branding
• 07:39 - Balancing Personal Life and Business
• 11:22 - The Growth of the Minnesota Floral Collective
• 12:21 - Challenges and Lessons from the Past Year
• 19:32 - Planning and Goals for the Future

• 00:00 - Introduction and Topic Overview
• 00:31 - Understanding Imposter Syndrome
• 02:09 - Personal Struggles with Imposter Syndrome
• 03:14 - Strategies to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
• 07:52 - The Power of Affirmations
• 09:09 - Changing Your Self-Talk
• 12:08 - Conclusion: Embrace Your Worth

3 systems to create your business in 2024.

1. Social/Marketing
2. Communication
3. Customer journey

Have you ever found yourself in a client consultation, bombarded with questions about the cost of each floral element? Let's talk about the art and science behind pricing your floral arrangements."

Understanding the Expectations

• Client Expectations: Exploring the common challenge of clients expecting instant pricing without understanding the complexity behind it.
• Math and Science of Pricing: Highlighting the need for a systematic approach, emphasizing the importance of having a floral recipe.

Simplifying the Pricing Process

• Guiding the Conversation: Discussing strategies to guide pricing discussions, especially when the focus is on cost.
• Starting at Prices: Introducing the concept of having starting at prices to ease client concerns and provide a basic pricing framework.

Importance of Pricing Transparency

• Saving Time and Ensuring Worth: Emphasizing the value of time and the significance of ensuring that the florist's time investment is worthwhile.
• Managing Budget Expectations: Sharing experiences of navigating consultations where clients had lower budgets than expected.

Educating Clients

• Premium Venues and Floral Expectations: Addressing the challenges of meeting expectations in premium venues and the importance of educating clients on floral costs.
• Lack of Online Directories: Discussing the absence of reliable online directories for wedding flower costs and the need for florists to fill this gap.

Providing Basic Pricing Guidance

• Incorporating Pricing in Marketing Materials: Sharing practical tips on integrating basic pricing guidance into brochures, websites, and other marketing materials.
• Competitive Pricing: Discussing the importance of competitive pricing through research and analysis of other floral companies.

Customized Approach to Pricing

• Understanding Color Palettes: Exploring the influence of color choices on pricing and the importance of understanding the rarity of certain flowers.
• Personalized Estimates: Introducing the strategy of providing estimates based on specific color preferences to set realistic client expectations.

Being the Expert in Consultations

• Building a Resource Toolkit: Discussing the creation of a resource toolkit for consultations, including a variety of floral items and their starting prices.
• Expertise in Quick Responses: Highlighting the advantage of being well-prepared to respond promptly during consultations.

Managing Unrealistic Budgets

• Addressing Unrealistic Expectations: Sharing strategies for handling clients with unrealistic budget expectations, including providing starting at pricing.
• Educating on Budget Percentages: Introducing the rule of thumb that suggests allocating 10 to 15 percent of the total wedding budget for flowers.

00:22 Introduction to Floral Pricing
00:31 The Challenge of Pricing in Floral Consultations
01:11 The Importance of Having a Pricing Arsenal
02:31 The Reality of Premium Venues and Budgets
03:24 The Need for a Floral Pricing Directory
04:21 Becoming an Expert in Floral Consultations
08:11 Educating Clients on Premium Pricing
11:24 Concluding Thoughts on Floral Pricing

Segment 1: Foundation and Audit

• Key Points:
  • Reflecting on personal journey to becoming a floral CEO.
  • The importance of foundational understanding and auditing business practices.
  • Some of our past episodes are centered around auditing.

Segment 2: Evaluating Expenses and Time Management

• Key Points:
  • Emphasizing the significance of auditing expenses for informed decision-making.
  • Examining subscriptions and technologies in the business.
  • Tips on evaluating time spent on daily orders and maximizing revenue-producing activities.

Segment 3: Hiring an Accountant and Tax Planning

• Key Points:
  • Stressing the need for a knowledgeable accountant for business taxes.
  • Importance of making data-driven financial decisions.
  • Personal experience with improper payment and the impact of having an accountant.

Segment 4: Implementing Systems for Efficiency

• Key Points:
  • The critical role of systems in preventing things from falling through the cracks.
  • Examples of systems: QuickBooks, ordering strategy, proposal templates, and social media strategy.
  • The impact of having an organized portfolio.

Segment 5: Investing in Yourself

• Key Points:
  • Encouraging florists to invest time and money in personal development.
  • Sharing personal journey and the transformative power of investing in education.
  • Importance of being in spaces where people are investing in themselves.

Segment 6: Floral CEO Mastermind Announcement

• Key Points:
  • Announcing the Floral CEO Mastermind program.
  • Overview of the program's benefits and structure.
  • Encouraging florists to consider investing in their growth through the mastermind.

Closing:

• Recap of key points.
• Expressing gratitude and encouraging listeners to step into the role of a Floral CEO.
• Call to action: Check out the Floral CEO Mastermind at thefloralhustle.com/mastermind
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Jen has advice on how to confidently handle pricing objections in the floral business. This episode covers pricing transparency, practical ways to educate customers on costs associated with floral arrangements and bouquets, tips for communicating value, and methods to handle potential clients seeking cheaper alternatives. 

Jen stresses the significance of not undervaluing your work and maintaining your cost standards, without losing professionalism in discussions with clients.

00:00 Introduction and Topic Overview
00:12 The Struggle with Pricing in Floristry
02:57 The Importance of Pricing Transparency
04:01 Dealing with Clients with Unrealistic Budgets
07:36 Educating Clients about Floral Budgets
12:21 Addressing Quotes from Other Florists
14:26 Standing Your Ground and Closing the Sale
15:50 Conclusion and Encouragement

In this episode of the Floral Hustle podcast, host Jen talks about her secret weapon for managing her personal life, floral business, and podcast: Trello. She attributes her ability to accomplish multiple tasks while managing various aspects of her life to Trello. The software offers flexibility and she discusses how it helps her to manage tasks more efficiently - with 'boards' and 'cards'. Jen also provides guidance on creating workflows for different projects like website redesign, idea organization, and big projects, highlighting benefits like prioritization, time-blocking, and task delegation. She also emphasizes the importance of being consistent, committed, and pushing forward despite challenges, insists how relieving it is to have a plan, and highly recommends Trello for organizing all aspects of life and business.

01:03 Introduction and the Importance of Organization
02:13 How I Manage My Tasks and Responsibilities
03:18 Using Trello for Task Management
06:23 Practical Examples of Using Trello
14:44 The Impact of Consistency and Dedication

Welcome to a special mini episode of The Floral Hustle podcast! In this episode, Jeni shares all the juicy details about her upcoming florist mastermind. She addresses common questions about masterminds and explains the unique benefits of this florist-specific program. From the structure of the mastermind meetings to the type of support and learning provided, Jeni covers it all.

If you've been curious about joining a mastermind or want to know what's in store for this exclusive program, then this episode is for you. Stay tuned for all the exciting details and opportunities that await in the world of florist entrepreneurship!

https://www.thefloralhustle.com/mastermind

Jeni here, and welcome to another episode of the Floral Hustle Podcast. I'm excited to dive into mini episode 55 where we'll be discussing the ins and outs of pricing floral installations and making it super easy.

Key Points Discussed:

1. Simplifying Installation Pricing:
   • Discover how I've simplified the often overwhelming task of pricing installations to make it more creative and fulfilling.
2. Utilizing Square Footage:
   • Learn the step-by-step process of pricing installations per square foot, making the pricing process straightforward and transparent.
3. Consultation Strategies:
   • Explore effective strategies for discussing installation dimensions with clients during consultations, ensuring their vision aligns with the final product.
4. Visuals in Proposals:
   • Understand the importance of including visuals like venue structure pictures and inspiration photos in proposals for clear client communication.
5. Considerations for Post-Ceremony:
   • Discuss the post-ceremony fate of floral installations, whether for reuse or placement elsewhere, and how it influences design choices.  Moving things requires additional labor and cost.
6. Worksheet and Freebie:
   • Head to thefloralhustle.com/pricing for a downloadable worksheet and more insights into square foot pricing discussed in this episode.

Closing:

• That wraps up today's episode. If you found this content helpful, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your fellow flower enthusiasts. For more resources, visit thefloralhustle.com

On this week's episode, I want to talk about the three things that really helped grow my business in 2023, and will continue to grow my business in 2024.  And it's a lot simpler than most people think. 

Over time I have let go of so many things in my business that I felt in the long run were holding me back were keeping me small because I was they bogged down in the weeds of working in my business instead of on my business. 

When you're in the weeds, you don't have time to think bigger, you don't have time to really dream or put thought behind what you really would love to do - but you're drowning in this week's wedding, drowning in quotes... always drowning in something!  And that is holding me back from being able to be strategic in your business. 

• Welcome flower friends to another episode of the Floral Hustle Podcast!
• This week's mini-episode focuses on the hot topic of sustainability in floristry.
• Jen shares personal experiences and the impact of unsustainable practices on florists' health.

Segment 1: The Need for Sustainability:

• Discussion on the growing importance of sustainability in the floral industry.
• Mention of strange weather patterns and personal experiences with environmental changes.
• Reflection on the negative effects of pesticides and chemicals in traditional floristry materials.

Segment 2: Five Ways to Be a Sustainable Florist:

1. Foam Alternatives:
   • Introduction to "FIBRE floral," a volcanic ash-based product from Oasis as an alternative to floral foam.
   • Discussion on its benefits and challenges, emphasizing its use for sustainable designs.
2. Flower Recycling Programs:
   • Highlighting the importance of not discarding flowers after events.
   • Personal involvement with "Bluebirds and Blooms" and similar organizations that recycle flowers for nursing homes and hospice units.
3. Locally Grown Flowers:
   • Emphasis on the environmental impact of shipping flowers globally.
   • Advantages of using locally grown flowers, including reduced carbon footprint and less plastic waste.
4. Container Reuse:
   • Jen's strategy for curating collections of rental items for weddings.
   • Discussion on lowering environmental impact by reusing containers, reducing plastic usage, and saving costs.
5. Composting:
   • Overview of the city's yard waste program for composting.
   • Personal experience with composting soft stems and other materials, contributing to eco-friendly practices.

Conclusion:

• Encouragement to adopt sustainable practices gradually rather than an all-or-nothing approach.
• Introduction to a free guide available on [Website: thefloralhustle.com/gogreen ].
• Inspiring florists to make a positive impact on the environment and the industry.

Hey, flower friends! 🌸 Welcome back to another episode of the Floral Hustle Podcast. I'm Jen, and today we're diving into a topic close to my heart: navigating the strategy of growing your floral business while still working that day job grind. Yep, I've been there for a solid decade in corporate before fully embracing my floral passion.

Overcoming Challenges:

🌿 Flower Pickup Woes: Getting flowers while holding down a day job can be tricky, but it's doable. Consider flexible options like flower delivery or utilizing freelancers to handle the initial processing while you're at work.

🌿 Weekend Supply Runs: If weekdays are tight, use weekends to stock up on supplies. Some wholesalers are open seven days a week, offering that extra flexibility.

🌿 Strategic Location: My life design included living minutes away from work, giving me the flexibility I needed. Think creatively about how you can structure your life to make this work for you.

Consultation Conundrums:

🌸 Lunch Break Consults: Schedule consultations during your lunch break. One day a week, dedicate 45 minutes for client meetings, ensuring you set clear boundaries.

Transitioning from Day Job to Full-Time Florist:

🌺 Putting a Value on Freedom: When contemplating leaving my six-figure corporate job, I assigned a monetary value to the freedom and time I'd gain, especially with a new baby on the way.

🌺 Budgeting for Success: Knowing your expenses is crucial for profitability. Understand what it takes to pay yourself, factoring in taxes, Social Security, and other costs.

🌺 Setting Income Goals: Work backward from your desired income to understand the sales volume needed. Consider promotions or partnerships to fill gaps in your schedule.

🌺 Creative Marketing: Use Instagram, Facebook, or partnerships to fill scheduling gaps. Be creative with promotions and collaborations to boost bookings.

🌺 Knowing Your Numbers: Understand your business averages, profit margins, and costs. This knowledge empowers you to set realistic income goals and make informed business decisions.

🌺 Time Management: Find pockets of time, even if they're just 20 minutes, to focus on your business. Whether it's reaching out to potential clients, marketing, or finalizing quotes, these small efforts add up.

Conclusion:

Thanks for tuning in, flower friend! 💐 Remember, the journey from day job to full-time florist is entirely possible. Empower yourself, know your worth, and have an amazing, flower-filled week ahead! 🌼

In this mini episode we are talking about the sensitive nature of friendships. Not only friendships can feel heavy when they are not in alignment but family dynamics are even more complicated. Stepping into friendships that are giving and that serve the next level of you is so critical.

Listen in as we talk about navigating family dynamics, difficult friendships and what it feels to outgrow others.

Want to be supported by bad ass individuals like yourself join the Floral Hustle Facebook group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/676268590471667

Join The Floral CEO mastermind to seriously elevate your friendships.

https://www.thefloralhustle.com/mastermind

Are you struggling with paying yourself or being able to pay yourself and being able to have the ability to hire on additional help during a busy wedding week?

Often florists especially when they are newer are so excited to book a job but in the end after paying wholesalers, taxes, insurance and any help you have may have had you might be wondering how am I going to pay myself now with the leftovers.

Walk though three things you can start now to start getting on track to really pay yourself in 2024;

Want to be supported by bad ass individuals like yourself join the Floral Hustle Facebook group.

The Floral Hustle | Facebook

Join The Floral CEO mastermind to seriously elevate your friendships.

Floral CEO Mastermind | The Floral Hustle

What if your business was easy? What if everything you did felt like you had the business of you dreams? How would that feel?

That mantra is what would it look like if this was easy? What if things in your business were easier. When you operate your business from ease you get to choose everything. As the CEO you have the right to run the business how you want to.

As someone who has invested a lot in personal development a mastermind is something that I has been something that has been a huge roll in my financial and mental growth. Surrounding myself with people who are at a similar spot in business being led by a person who has done the things that I wanted to do helped short cut my business to make things happen.

Defining a mastermind- . A mastermind group is a gathering of like-minded people who meet up frequently in small groups to support, encourage, and learn from each other's stories, experiences, and ideas and hold each other accountable to well-defined goals.

Be a part of a new mastermind that is unlike anything out there.

https://www.thefloralhustle.com/mastermind

Strategies for bad product often easier said than done. Bad product can also be a frustrating situation.

Steps to take to deal with bad product.

Know the wholesaler/vendors policy for replacements, bad product and credits.

Unpack things right away.

Have the proper tools and clean your tools.

Have the correct processing floral food/fydrator.

Document problems right away.

If it is boxes/farm specific issues- photograph the labels if your wholesaler requires it.

Focus on revenue producing activities

Plan your week- Sunday night prep

Silence notifications

Scheduling activities-

Understanding when you are most productive

Follow this simple strategy for growing relevant followers for your social media. If you want to grow your business you need to have relevant followers. Engaging with industry professionals on social and having a strategy to capitalize your growth is important. Authentic engagement will help foster relationships that matter.