| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MsCwick |
Posted - Apr 26 2008 : 5:47:08 PM
I am in the process of finalizing financing on an already existing flower shop. I'm dealing with the local Small Business Administration as far as a business plan goes, and they are helping with financial projections and whatnot. I guess what I am asking is if any of you gurls have any advice for me. I have an excellent green thumb and am familiar with horticulture, but not necessarily floriculture. There is a full time employee who would be the arranger until I would put myself thru the schooling. Any info would be really helpful :)
THanks
Cristine |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| NancyM |
Posted - Jun 06 2008 : 2:13:46 PM
Hi MsCwick-
My best advice for a new business owner is to make sure you get your accounting function in order from day 1. I am a CPA and see many small business owners who procrastinate on getting their books done, which often results in penalties for taxes that are paid late, money lost through vendors not paid on time or paid twice, and a lack of necessary information that is needed to get federal and state filings done within deadlines. If you're not an accounting type (most small biz owners aren't) it is well worth the $ to get someone in to help you. Ask for recommendations. The SBA people you are working with should be able to help you. There are a lot of bookkeepers out there who don't know what they are doing.
Congratulations on your new shop! It looks very cute!
Nancy
Farmgirl Sister #159 |
| Lizabeth |
Posted - Jun 06 2008 : 12:35:25 PM
Oh so much potential! what an adorable store front! What about these window "wall paper" films? wouldn't they work to dress up those 6 higher windows? and the nice thing about film is it still lets light through.
http://wallpaperforwindows.com/ |
| katie-ell |
Posted - Jun 06 2008 : 09:39:47 AM
Such an attractive shop!
www.youaretoocreative.blogspot.com |
| MsCwick |
Posted - Jun 06 2008 : 09:34:18 AM
heres a pic of the front
 |
| TNfarmgirl |
Posted - Jun 03 2008 : 08:34:27 AM
You are going to have such a wonderful time. I owned my own shop after working for Publix supermarket for 7 years. Prior to that I worked at our family own shop for 10. I love the working with the people. Being a real person to them is number one. You need not fill your buckets full of water. Cover base of stems that you have removed stems from. The hours are long but usually rewarding. Correct on the standing florist. I had to give up my florist days due to back surgery. I miss it so much. I am finally getting into some carfty things on the farm. I know that standing back from an arrangement helps with depth. Plan to have meals there on the floor and be sure you do keep eating healthy so you can work hard and long hours. Can you send pictures of your shop. That woudl be wonderful. You take care of yourself and the work will come and the bills will get paid. Pray a lot and God will work it all out. I am 46 and still hoping to turn the front paddock of the barn into parking for a small shop here at the farm. Gotta run and feed the critters. You be careful and don't cut yourself. You use a knife right.
gracie
tripplejsfarm@aol.com
God blessed me with a farm.
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| Forrester Farm |
Posted - May 16 2008 : 06:24:06 AM
Cristine,
It sounds as though you will be fine physically. It is great that the shop is already running and you can work on the management side of things while you get your feet wet.
Getting a vision for what you want the shop to be is huge. Maybe you just love it the way that it is, but all of Tina's advice was great. It is interesting what a different feel different shops have - all because of an owner's vision and involvement.
It is easy to have the "romantic ideas" of what any business will look like, it is the every day duties that really make it what it is.
Ann
Forrester Farm
http://picasaweb.google.com/FORRESTERFARM/FORRESTERFARMWEDDINGS |
| MsCwick |
Posted - May 05 2008 : 09:59:33 AM
Oh...a little physical labor wont hurt me. I do live on a farm ya know :) 5 gallon buckets half full of water dont weigh as much as completely full of paint(60 plus pounds depending on the paint, and I can carry two if I have to. And i can walk and stand, i just cant be climbing on roofs and up and down and moving 40 foot extension ladders. construction is a lot worse than standing on a floor. I have worked in other retail places where moving 50 lb bags of grain consumed most of my day and after moving a pallet of 40 of them which is 2000 pounds, I would be happy to carry a bucket half full of water :) there can't be any aspect of this that is more strenuous than I can handle. I am only 26, so most of me is still in good shape :) just not the back. We have owned our own business for almost 4 years now, and working long hours and being away from home has become very normal. I am prepared for whatever this throws at me. |
| sunshine |
Posted - May 04 2008 : 1:35:39 PM
umm flower shops are hard work not good on the back carrying 5 gallon buckets all day in and out of coolers half full of water. Also during holidays standing for 11 hours or more on cement which is what most back rooms of flower shops are is also hard on the back and knees. A sitting florist is a slow florist they only sit when doing corsages for dances for hours. If you have a florist who sits while arranging they are a slow florist. A florist/designer works faster while standing. I hope you are going into this realizing this is actually a very physical job on the knees and back. I have been a florist most of my life except since having kids and now I am again. I had to think for three weeks to see if I truly wanted to put my body through the punishment of it again. We decided it best because it was the one place that wanted to hire me that wasn't open on Sundays which is God and family day. But the owner has to work some Sundays if there is a funeral it has to be delivered. So the florist before leaving Saturday makes sure any funerals for Sunday are done that way the boss can go in and out and still be with her family. If any of the other places that wanted to hire me had been closed Sundays I would never have gone back to this line of work. My grandmother who ran this type of business for over 60 years was glad when I got out of it and sad when I went back to it. Don't get me wrong it is fun working in a flower shop just lots and lots of physical work and long hours at holidays and such.
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
Farmgirl Sister #115
my bloghttp://sunshinescreations.vintagethreads.com/
my web store vintage threadshttp://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=79144 |
| MsCwick |
Posted - May 04 2008 : 12:59:34 PM
I have heard that this shop doesnt have the freshest flowers, so I wonder if its the supplier that they use?
I'm going into this blind, I will only be there as management for the first few months until I get the hang of things, and then maybe put myself through some floral design courses online. It is weird to think of being an owner and not knowing what's going on, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it could be so amazing for our family, and our future. DH and I have had a painting business for almost 4 years, and it is very very busy, and I cannot keep up physically with the work anymore. I have a horrible lower back, and up and down ladders, and carrying stuff all day just wears me out. Working one day requires 2 days to rest and recuperate so this Flower shop could be a blessing. I am soo excited, and I have a whole notebook full of ideas, and info. If you girls have any neat ideas let me know!
Cristine
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| craftychick06 |
Posted - May 04 2008 : 05:44:26 AM
Hey Christine!!
That is fine by me, yes i agree with others keep it fresh and new!! We are doing alot of patio pots for mothers day that can be outside and they last and last all summer. It is hard in a small rural area to tell what will sell and you CANT compare one year to another any more. WE just keep pluggin along and hope and pray for the best.
Will answer any questions you have. At least the shop you are buying has been in business for awhile and you arent starting out from scratch. YEAH!! good luck!!
**LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY** |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - May 01 2008 : 06:15:36 AM
Christine, my aunt and three cousins have worked at the same florist for about 25 years or more (for my aunt). Grove City has gotten a bit larger than it used to be, but what I have always appreciated was that the store was a "one stop shop"--flowers, gift items, memorial stones, greeting cards, etc. It became sort of the "go to" place when you needed a gift, and that's really important in a small town to have that variety.
My aunt said that they are busy for all of the holidays you would imagine, but funerals provide them with (sadly) steady business and they are known for their live arrangements that the family can keep inside or take apart and plant later outdoors. Something else to think of...treat your local business folks kindly and they will repay in kind--my husband works next door to a florist and for all businesses in their district, the florist provides free delivery. Nice incentive to get folks to come in who work nearby at the garage, or whatever.
On the consumer end, I like a florist who has a very fresh approach to design and uses really interesting containers and implements like that. We had an arrangement for an open house in the fall commissioned from a local florist and she used peacock and pheasant feathers with hypericun berries and beautiful autumn colored calla lily's. It was STUNNING and it was like the designer read our minds...
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| MsCwick |
Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 7:42:56 PM
Darlene, I may have to get yer email address, and keep in touch with you too! I know i'm gonna have a ton of questions. |
| craftychick06 |
Posted - Apr 28 2008 : 2:17:12 PM
My mom and I have a small floral/gift shop in a very small rural area. We have been in business since 94' but the shop we bought was in bus for several years but one bad designer left angry customers and we have had to several "larger than order" orders to make up for the customers. I will say it is very very dishearting as the economy progressively gets worse so do our sales we are down so much i had to get a full time job elsewhere and just help out on holidays,proms,weddings, funerals or when my mom gets overwhelmed. BUT not saying this to be negative just MI is in sad shape and flowers are a luxury not a necessity. GOOD LUCK!! It is exciting and you can be so creative with flowers. Yes that was good advise earlier on growing your own, it helps keep costs down as suppliers are chargin a min delivery order and we are paying gas surcharges on deliveries so one delivery a week is an extra $12.00 in delivery fees. It is a wonderful job i love it!!! In fact over the last 2 years we are growing alot of our own flowers, tulips are expensive and they grow good, lilies too, daisys and snapdragons and iris we grow in summer even started alstromeria in greenhouse this year. IT is great that your shop was run for so long and has a reputation. It was sure hard building a customers trust especially in a small town where one bad comment out weigh 100 positives.
Best of luck to you and your adventure~~~
Any questions dont hesitate to ask~~
**LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY** |
| sunshine |
Posted - Apr 27 2008 : 03:46:59 AM
yes I work in a flower shop currently and proms are happening( I just pulled a 12 hour shift making corsages) and mothers day flowers were order 3 weeks ago. So I hope the previous owner already did all that ordering for you and kept great logs as you usually look at last years flower orders to order the current years stuff. I have worked in flower shops most of my life I grew up in one ( my grandmother owns one my cousin now runs it) and put myself through collage by being a florist. big things are obvious valentines major, mothers day second, followed by Christmas ( centerpieces and wreaths) the dances. Never turn down funeral they are your bread and butter any order over 100 should never be turned down either try to sway customer to what you have in stock if possible special order always cost the florist more. If you have to do a special order of flowers make sure at least half the bunch of flowers is sold to the person making the special order that way at least your costs are covered. If you can't sell the rest of the batch most flowers can be used even old one as they are put into funerals. Because funeral have to only look great for two days usually and real open flowers look great for about two days but would never work going to the home as you would have mad customers two days later. try to put a few carnations or daisy in all all arrangements as they are cheep flowers with a long life most expensive flowers die quickly. When the lilies die and the rose die a few days latter or even a week later the carnations die thus the customer feels like their arrangement last 2 weeks even though the dollar value actually died 4 days in.
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
Farmgirl Sister #115
my bloghttp://sunshinescreations.vintagethreads.com/
my web store http://vintagethreads.com/ |
| MsCwick |
Posted - Apr 26 2008 : 9:53:08 PM
Tina, one thing I failed to mention is that it is already an existing store, which is a super plus for me. It's been there for 51 years! With our current painting business, I totally hear ya on the budgeting thing, I am the penny pincher between the two of us. I'm planning new things like you said, but I want to introduce them slowly and in small volumes so as not to add to my overhead that goes nowhere. They currently sell yankee candles and alexandria lamps, and some other cute home and garden decor.
It's just a lot for me to think about...overwhelming in such a beautiful way.
And I need to think of a "slogan" for my business plan. any ideas?
Thanks
Cristine :) |
| Tina Michelle |
Posted - Apr 26 2008 : 9:31:12 PM
one thing that I personally have noticed with new business owners..is that they fail to budget..they tend to want to "do it all at once" and when they do..they spend more than they take in and wind up going bust within a year or two.
My best advice would be to budget, budget, budget. Budget for your advertising which is extremely important.Make sure that you advertise and promote and market your business. Don't forget signage on the exterior of your store..but yet don't go for the most expensive signage either when setting up shop. You want noticed, but you don't need to break the bank to get noticed either.
Make sure that you budget to pay yourself.
Until you can get yourself to schooling to learn about floral design..learn all you can through perhaps books and videos and definitely have the floral designer give you hands on training on off hours.Scope out shops in perhaps the next town or so that have what your shop will offer..find out by walking around and quietly observing..how things are put together/displayed/how customers are greeted/treated...etc.
You are heading into a somewhat busy season with Mother's Day right around the corner.
Make sure that you promote this Holiday. Places to contact for potential customers of your product would be some of the following:
banks,real estate offices,funeral homes,hospitals,nursing homes,wedding chapels.
Although it would be nice to rely simply upon "word of mouth" you will need an advertising plan in place.
Yellow pages or newspaper or even radio.
If you grow flowers well..try to offer live plants along with the floral arrangements..but offer them in unique and unusual containers. Wire baskets in unusual shapes, and so forth.Something that sets you really apart from the crowd.
Perhaps include an area out back of the shop/if it has an outside back area for this: that includes fountains and pathways with specialty garden items..as time/finances permit.You might wish to consider bridal archway rentals at some point down the road also.
I'd suggest slowly building the business up to what you invision..and taking it slow and steady.Plan out every new thing that you want to do..to a t...write it out and budget for it.
If it's not in the budget..wait until it can be done affordably without causing a financial burden on the business.
Most new business take approx. 3 yrs before they actually start showing a "profit". The first several years are spent mostly in building the business, establishing a customer base and "finding your feet".
Slow and steady will win the race.
Best of wishes to you.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com |
| MsCwick |
Posted - Apr 26 2008 : 9:21:37 PM
well it is a "small" town :) do you work in a flower shop now? |
| sunshine |
Posted - Apr 26 2008 : 6:04:58 PM
must be a small shop if you have only one floral designer. I have never worked in a shop with less than 6 other designers
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
Farmgirl Sister #115
my bloghttp://sunshinescreations.vintagethreads.com/
my web store http://vintagethreads.com/ |
