2012 august floriology

August 2012

E X P R ES S I O N S O F F LOW E R S ®

EDUCATIONEDUCATIONTRADE ASSOCIATIONS, WIRE

SERVICES AND DESIGN SCHOOLSSTRENGTHEN THE INDUSTRY

ON THE EDGEON THE EDGECONTEMPORARY, HIGHSTYLE AND

EUROPEAN DESIGN WITH DONALD YIM,

BACK TO BASICSBACK TO BASICSFLORIOLOGY INSTITUTE TO OFFER A

COMPETITION AND CERTIFICATION COURSE

August 2012

E X P R ES S I O N S O F F LOW E R S ®

First AnnualEDUCATIONEDUCATIONISSUE

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Mark Nance, AAFPresident, BloomNet

PUBLISHER

BloomNet, Inc.www.MyBloomNet.net

(866) 256-6663

SENIOR EDITOR

Lisa Carmichael

MANAGING EDITOR

Fred Russell

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Len Vermillion, Megan Sullivan

ART DIRECTOR

Shane Hickey

SENIOR DESIGNER

Bill Hamilton

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Mike Pucci

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Ted MarloweJerry Rosalia

floriology is published monthly byBloomNet, Inc.

Printed in the United States, Copy-right 2012. All rights reserved. Nomaterial contained herein may bereproduced without the consent ofthe publisher or editor. Permission toreproduce portions of this publicationshould be obtained through Bloom-Net, Inc. Publications.

All statements are those of the per-son making the statement or claim.The publisher does not adopt anystatement or claim as its own and anystatement or claim does not necessar-ily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

Although published material is intend-ed to be accurate, neither floriologynor any other party will assume liabil-ity for loss or damage as a result ofreliance on this material.

Opinions expressed are not necessar-ily those of BloomNet, Inc.

Annual Subscription Rate is $71.88 (plusapplicable tax) in U.S. and Canada.

>>>Cover: Floriology Institute

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4 Industry InfoAIFD advances the art of professional floral design through education.

5 VideoEducational videos can increase your sales potential.

6 Wire ServiceEducation programs offered by wire services help the industry prosper.

7 Trade AssociationsAIFD, SAF and state floral associations offer a plethora of educational opportunities.

8 Design SchoolsU.S. and international design schools cultivate industry talent.

9 Where Are They Now?Floriology students share their success stories.

10 design center: On the EdgeDonald Yim, AIFD teaches techniques traversing several continents.

12 Owner’s CornerDavid Blevins grows his business through educational opportunities.

14 design center: Back to BasicsFloriology Institute to offer a Competition and Certification course.

16 Neighborhood CornerIn-store education classes can help businesses gain exposure and increase revenue.

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WHAT’S INSIDEV O L . 3 N O . 1 0 | A U G U S T 2 0 1 2

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UP FRONT

KEY TO SUCCESS“What you are is what you have been.What you’ll be is what you do now.” – Buddha

THE YEAR: 1983/4. THE LOCATION: Oklahoma City, OK. THE PERSON: One of thetrue visionaries of floral education, Eulalah Overmeyer, AIFD, PFCI, AAF.THE IDEA: The AFS Education Center.

I had just begun my career in the floral industry when I was asked to joina meeting on establishing an education center in our newly finished build-ing in an open area on the second floor. Looking at the unfinished space, itwas hard to imagine that an education center would ever be fully embraced by our florists, butafter hearing the vision so artfully painted by Eulalah, I was convinced that education was thekey to our success and that of our florists.

Those very early classes lacked the participation we had hoped for, yet for those who didattend as well as the instructors and the staff, they were simply magical. The classes were filledwith extreme enthusiasm, and never-seen-before creativity. There was engaged participationand an atmosphere reminiscent of a family gathering at home. The quality of education, thecurriculum and the participation all dramatically improved over a very short period of time, asthe key content drivers in our classes were our florists.

We were so fortunate to have the very best instructors and hundreds of florists join usthroughout the years in OKC. The crowning moment for me was when we honored Eulalahwith a bronze bust that sat at the entrance to the center, commemorating her achievements ineducation and her many contributions to the floral industry. Loved that woman!

About two years ago, it was 1983 all over again. I met with my staff and we developed plansfor our education center, this time located at our Napco facility in Jacksonville, Fla. It sureseemed like old times, except Eulalah wasn’t physically there, but somehow it seemed like shewas guiding us through the development of a much different approach to education...an all-industry education center that anyone from any background or affiliation could attend and anygroup could use. I think I am most proud of the more than 25 perpetual scholarships we haveawarded to a number of industry associations and our new AIFD CFD accreditation.

This month in floriology we are highlighting all forms of education and the many varied loca-tions where floral education is available. I hope this will be a good resource guide for you toimprove on the skills that you need most.

Speaking of education, as I write this month’s letter I’m preparing to depart for the 2012AIFD Symposium in Miami, Fla., and I’m also looking forward to the SAF Annual Conventionin Palm Beach, Fla., Sept. 19-22. Both of these events offer wonderful opportunities to furthereducation throughout our industry and I’m excited about seeing you there and sharing ideas!

Mark Nance, AAF | President

THE COFFEE POT

WHAT’S ON TAP

● Tennessee StateAnnual ConventionAug. 3-5Franklin, Tenn.

● WesTexas NewMexico FloristConventionAug. 3-5Midland, Texas

● North Carolina StateFlorist ConventionAug. 10-12Greensboro, N.C.

● Arkansas Convention& Trade MarketAug. 16-19Hot Springs, Ark.

● Floral StrategiesProfessional SalesSkills Webinar*Aug. 21

● Independent GardenCenter ShowAug. 21-23Chicago, Ill.

● Labor DaySept. 3

● Grandparent’s DaySept. 9

● Floral StrategiesHuman Resources2.0 Webinar*Sept. 17

● Society of AmericanFlorists AnnualConventionSept. 19-22Palm Beach, Fla.

❋ Go to MyBloomnet.netfor more info!

Dear floriology reader,We value your opinions. What do you like about the magazine? How can we improve?We encourage all feedback—our goal remains to strengthen and build the communitywithin the floral industry. Please email your thoughts to us at [email protected].

❋ The floriology team


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ferent for each individual. For Tom, it was about obtaining a goal and validation.“I’m glad I chose it. I can’t imagine not doing it,” says Tom, who was inducted in1989. Reasons florists may have for going through the process include career ad-vancement, validation of where they are within the design process, and to qualifyto be a part of a product development or design team.

Once florists are AIFD accredited, they must remain dedicated to advancing,through education, the art of floral design. “They have to step up to the plateand be leaders, and show their commitment to service through the industry,”says AIFD President Ann Jordan. “They have to maintain their membershipthrough continuing education points.”

Education is an integral component of building the next generation of de-signers as well. AIFD has chapters at the university and college level, and haspresented different programs through the Future Farmers of America (FFA)organization to expose high school students to floral design.

Executive Director Tom Shaner says AIFD members believe that the successof the floral industry is dependent on well-educated design artists who are up todate with trends, styles and providing valuable service. “All of us are ‘students’—we must continually keep learning or we get left behind,” he stresses.

Looking for pathway providers? Go to aifd.org/cfd-pathway-providers.florio

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INDUSTRY INFO AWARDS, SHOWS, ADVOCACY

Ashared passion and love for flowers anddesign has allowed the American Institute ofFloral Designers to grow bigger, better and

stronger each year. Founded in 1965, the nonprofitorganization has more than 1,600 members and isdedicated to recognizing and promoting the art offloral design as a professional career. In addition toits ongoing commitment to education, the organiza-tion plans to focus on service and leadership.

In July, hundreds of people gathered at the HyattRegency Miami Hotel for AIFD’s 2012 Symposium.AIFD’s annual symposiums showcase the latest trendsand products, and offer stage presentations byrenowned floral designers, hands-on workshops, andbusiness-related presentations. Attendees can learntechniques, network with fellow designers, check outfresh and hard goods, and stay up to date on thelatest industry happenings. “As with any profession,continuing education is extremely important to staycurrent,” says Tom Bowling, AIFD past president.“The industry starts to pass you by very easily if you’renot staying in that learning mode.”

Why should retail florists and designers engage inand attend the annual symposiums and educationaldesign programs? “It’s an investment of time andan investment of money, but who better to investin than yourself, your profession and the industry?”Tom asks. Programs presented at the symposiumsand even at the smaller regional level can inspire at-tendees and demonstrate different approaches theymight not have conceived of before.

Continued education is a key component of AIFD.To enroll as a candidate in AIFD’s Professional FloralDesign Evaluation (PFDE) program, designers mustfirst complete one of five education-based path-ways. “You choose which ‘door’ best suits you at thispoint in your career,” Tom explains. The pathwaysact as stepping stones to earning the Certified FloralDesigner (CFD) designation with the ultimate goal ofbecoming an AIFD accredited member. BloomNet’sFloriology Institute is among the approved AIFDPFDE Pathway Providers.

Earning AIFD certification means something dif-

by Megan Sullivan

AIFD strives to advance the artof professional floral designthrough education.

LifelongLEARNING

(Top) Back row, from left:Napco VP of Marketing DavidBailys, BloomNet PresidentMark Nance, , BloomNetNational Sales Director GinoMarotta and Floriology Insti-tute Instructor Jackie Lacey,, , . Front row, fromleft: BloomNet VP of Market-ing and Business DevelopmentLisa Carmichael and BloomNetMarketing Coordinator NicoleGandini. (Above) AIFD PastPresident Tom Bowling.

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SALES POTENTIAL VIDEO

by Mike Pucci

Today’s digital devices are constantly abuzz with all kinds of videos...somethat make us laugh, some that help us reflect, and some that teach.

Video is indeed an exceptional medium for floral education, con-veying information about the newest design trends, the latest colors,the most recent product introductions and so much more. Most im-

portant, in addition to the inherent convenience of being able to watch a videovirtually anytime as well as rewind and pause, videos can be outstanding vehiclesfor growing the profit opportunities of a retail flower shop.

To follow is an overview of how five companies in the floral marketplace are utiliz-ing the power of video to provide insights that can increase florists’ sales.

MAYESH WHOLESALE FLORIST | www.mayesh.com

Last year, Mayesh announced a contest during whichfloral designers were asked to submit videos depictinga floral demonstration. Following an exhaustive reviewof the many wonderful videos Mayesh received, MandyMajerik, AIFD, PFCI, owner of Hothouse Design Studio(www.hothousedesignstudio.com) in Birmingham, Ala.,was chosen as the “Mayesh Design Star.”

Mandy is creating 12 videos for Mayesh, one for eachmonth. The video series, called “The Art of Flowers,”covers an array of topics including wedding ideas,centerpiece possibilities and many others. “It’s reallyabout the inspiration, rather than certain mechanics,”says Mandy in describing her video content. “Floristscan easily incorporate inspiring ideas from the videos into their shops.”

DESIGN MASTER | www.dmcolor.com

As a company that provides fast-drying color sprays that can be used on fresh flow-ers and many other surfaces as a way of enhancing floral designs, Design Master of-fers creative possibilities for retail florists. On the company’s website, florists can viewvideos providing educational insights about spraying flowers and touching them up,adding color, and much more.

“One of the things we always try to present in our videos is the ability to custom-ize, to make something extremely unique,” says Dwight Larimer, president of DesignMaster. “It’s quick and easy with the techniques in these videos.”

FLORAL STRATEGIES | www.floralstrategies.com

Tim Huckabee, AIFSE, president of Floral Strategies, visits approximately 200retail flower shops each year, finding out where they have been successful andwhere improvements can be made in areas ranging from staffing and advertisingto handling complaints and implementing sales strategies. From his extensivelearnings, Tim has created an educational webinar series featuring 90-minute

sessions florists can attend online.The webinars include ways to broaden wedding and

funeral sales opportunities, improve customer serviceand numerous other topics. “The takeaway from thesewebinars is a heightened skill set with actual tools flo-rists can use to increase their sales while retaining theircustomer base,” says Tim.

SMITHERS-OASIS | www.smithersoasis.com

The provider of floral foams, containers and other ac-cessories has launched what it calls its “Idea Channel”via YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/OASISFloral). “We

have uploaded 83 videosso far and we add to themoften,” says Kelly Mace,marketing communicationsmanager for Smithers-Oa-sis. “We created the videosworking with our DesignDirector team, providingmany different tips andmaking them informativeand fun for florists.”

Available for downloadon the Idea Channel are

educational videos addressing such areas as colortrends, wedding designs, merchandising strategies,and tips for optimizing specific holidays.

NAPCO | www.napcoimports.com

“Hopefully, we can urge florists to think outside thebox by providing insights they’re not typically used to,”says Freddy Bailys, director of marketing for Napco, inexplaining the company’s educational video offering.

Napco, a source for containers and other floralproducts, is hosting videos on its website covering suchtopics as: creating baby-related designs; enhancinggardens; utilizing leading-edge trends to their fullest po-tential; designing for specific seasons; and how to takeadvantage of the growing popularity of urban looks.“We want to offer ideas that can get new customers intoflower shops, keep them coming back for more, andturn them into lifelong customers,” sums up Freddy.

Educational videoscan increase your

sales potential.

Press PlayPush Profits

Mandy Majerik hosts Mayesh’svideo series “The Art of Flowers.”


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by Mike Pucci

The more a floral professionalknows, and the more they keeplearning, the better for every-one—whether they’re a grower,a wholesaler, a wire service

provider or a flower retailer.“Education is a necessity,” says Jackie

Lacey, AIFD, PFCI, CFD, senior design, educa-tion and product development specialistfor BloomNet. “Even florists that have beenin the industry for a number of years arefinding that with all the changes and thegrowing competition, it is necessary to stayon top of the changes...and education isthe way to do that. If there is somethingwe do not know or want to do better, weshould find someone that can teach us. Thebetter we make each other, the better wemake the industry as a whole.”

Below are summaries of the educationalprograms offered by three wire serviceproviders.

TELEFLORA www.myteleflora.com/oklahoma-education-center.aspx

At its Oklahoma Education Center inOklahoma City, Teleflora offers a diversecurriculum. Course topics include promflowers, principles and elements of design,sympathy, wedding bouquets, 2012/13design trends, operating a successful retailflower shop, and European design. Theeducation center is certified as an AIFDPathway Provider.

Teleflora’s educational program also offersseveral design tutorials, including “LivingColor,” “Sympathy Sales” and “SympathyDesign.” The company’s Encycloflora® pub-lication provides a guide to running a floralbusiness, from bridal bouquet assembly in-structions to shop marketing and merchan-dising. Another Teleflora publication, “TheProfit Minded Florist,” offers bottom-lineinsights for running a retail florist shop.

FTD www.ftdi.com/education

FTD University offers a num-ber of educational programsand resources. FTD Universityonline, a free tool availableexclusively to FTD members,includes a training course,video library and webinarlibrary. “FTD provides educa-tion programs that help retailflorists learn how to drive traf-fic to their shop and improvetheir design techniques toincrease profitability,” saysEmily Peterson, FTD directorof marketing and events.

FTD Boot camp is athree-day workshop thatblends business and designtraining, and the FTD We-binar Series offers businessworkshops for retail florists.

“Being a better, smarterbusiness person is more crucial than ever,which is why it’s important to attend educa-tion programs,” Emily adds. “It gives flo-rists a chance to learn from great speakers,as well as share best practices and learnfrom each other.”

BLOOMNET www.mybloomnet.net/floriologyinstitute

The course curriculum at BloomNet’sFloriology Institute in Jacksonville, Fla.,includes Principles and Elements of Design,Advanced Sympathy, Contemporary/High-Style/European Design, Party & Events andAdvanced Wedding. Attendees can alsolearn the latest techniques for optimizinglocal store marketing, SEO, social media,customer service, merchandising, and pro-curement and vendor negotiations. NicoleGandini, marketing coordinator at 1800flow-

ers.com, says Floriology Institute can adjustits curriculum on-site to fit the needs of eachstudent. “Every student has different weak-nesses so we make sure that we challengethose and turn them into strengths by theend of the course,” Nicole says.

An AIFD Pathway Provider, Floriology In-stitute is located at the Napco Showroom,providing florists with access to on-trendproducts and recipes to use with Napcocontainers. Students receive specials ondiscounted products, a free care and han-dling kit from Chrysal and other resourceoffers from AIFD and Florist’s Review.

BloomNet also offers Fresh Forum eventswhere florists can network, share insightsand learn about the latest industry de-velopments. Floriology Institute has alsocollaborated with Floral Strategies to offercustomer service and sales webinars.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFERED BY WIRESERVICES HELP THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY PROSPER.

EducationWIRE SERVICE

Wired for SUCCESSSUCCESS

June’s Principal andElements of Designcourse at FloriologyInstitute.


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by Megan Sullivan

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National and internationaltrade organizations andstate associations offer edu-cational programs, courses,workshops and networking

opportunities that continue to build andenhance the floral industry.

Educated florists can better satisfy theircustomers’ needs, from the hottest colorsto emerging trends. “What our custom-ers wanted yesterday will most likely notbe what they want tomorrow,” says TomShaner, executive director of the AmericanInstitute of Floral Designers (AIFD).

At its annual Symposium (aifd.org/nation-al-symposium/), AIFD offers attendees anarray of motivational educational experien-cess. AIFD offers online courses and hands-on programs that refresh participants onbasic design techniques and the elements

of design. The courses help relativelynew floral designers initiate the work andeducation required to successfully partici-pate in the AIFD Professional Floral DesignEvaluation process. In addition to its hands-on classes, AIFD recommends a number ofprivate floral design education schools forenhanced and expanded design education.

The Society of American Florists (SAF)offers professional development programsand networking opportunities. Programshosted by the national trade associationinclude its annual convention, Congres-sional Action Days, Retail Growth Solutionsmini conference, and webinars. SAF’s 128thannual convention (http://www.safnow.org/annual-convention-saf-palm-beach-2012)will be held Sept. 19-22 in Palm Beach, Fla.

Several trade show veterans sharedinsight on the values and benefits that state

THROUGH AIFD, SAF AND STATE FLORALASSOCIATIONS A PLETHORA OF EDUCATIONALOPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE

KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

EducationTRADE ASSOCIATIONS

Hungry for associations can provide their members.Rod Crittenden, executive vice presidentof the Michigan Floral Association (MFA),michiganfloral.org, says state associationsprovide florists with affordable, non-biased,professional education at the local level.“State association educational functionsprovide florists with the opportunity tomeet and speak directly to a wide varietyof industry competitors all under one roof,”Rod says, “allowing each individual to de-cide what is best for their business.”

The MFA sponsors and administers theCertified Florist (CF) Program and offersyear round classes at its Professional Edu-cation Center. Rod says the CF Programhelps consumers make a choice whenbuying flowers. “As consumers are offeredmore and more options for purchasingflowers today,” he says, “florists must differ-entiate themselves and brand themselvesas the ‘professional’ in the floral industry.”

Dianna Nordman,AAF, executive direc-tor of the Texas State Floral Association(TSFA), www.tsfa.org, says TSFA provideseducational opportunities at all associa-tion-sponsored events. “Florists will gaindesign techniques, business knowledgeand, just as important, they will meetpeople that share the same passion,”Dianna says.

TSFA offers advanced to beginningdesign and business programs, and onlineclasses for florists pursuing the TexasMaster Florists Certification. “Keeping theindustry ‘on trend’ will give them the toolsneeded to provide their customers withamazing, quality products,” Dianna says.

Anthony Swick AIFD, PFCI, CFD, FSMD, ownerand designer at Bay Bouquet Floral Studioin Tampa, Fla., says state associations givelocal florists the opportunity to network,share and see what others are doing.

“Being involved is about educatingyourself,” says Anthony, who is director forDistrict IV of the Florida State Florists’ As-sociation. “Investing in ‘you’ can only makeyou and your business stronger, keepingabove and current in design.”

Anthony’s biggest reward as a frequenteducational presenter at trade associationevents is when attendees gain valuableinsight. “I strongly believe that our retailindustry deserves to have the knowledgeto stay strong and profitable,” he says.

Bill Taylor, presents at aMichigan Floral Association show.


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Around theWORLDWORLDINTERNATIONALSCHOOLS PROVIDE APLATFORM FOR GLOBALINDUSTRY GROWTH

Innovative floral design comes fromimaginative thinking, and it can alsocome from many countries. Excitingdesign ideas are being exchanged and

valuable lessons are being taught through-out the world. Here’s a look at three inter-national sources of floral education.

✱ International Florist Academy andSchool, Montreal, QUEBEC, CANADAwww.interfloristschool.comNguyen Ngoc Lan, AIFD, a graduate of

European, traditional and Asian-influenced(Ikebana) art, founded the school in 1978.

Course topics include introduction to floralart; modern creation; advanced with em-phasis on specific areas of design; interiorplants; colors and lines; daily tasks andstrategies associated with running a shop;and marketing and promotion. Class sizeranges from seven to 15 people, and teach-ers are recognized by Emploi-Quebec.

✱ Judith Blacklock Flower School,LONDON, ENGLANDwww.judithblacklock.com“We offer intensive courses packed with

information on every aspect of floristry andfloral design,” says Principal and FounderJudith Blacklock. Among the options of-fered are a parties and events course, amasterclass and a floral design “diploma”course. There also is a two-week coursefor florists seeking to open their ownbusiness. “Florists with experience alsojoin this course to bring themselves up todate. Day one and two they go back to thebeginning to reinforce their knowledge.They then rapidly progress to learning

new trends and techniques,” Judith says.The course is a pathway provider for AIFDcertification.

✱ Fusion Flowers Tutorials and Interna-tional Summer School, SCOTLANDwww.fusionflowers.com“Fusion Flowers magazine is all about

education and innovation and as suchincludes step-by-step tutorials in every is-sue,” says Alison Bradley, publisher/editor.“The tutorials featured range from begin-ner right through to master level explainingtechniques and how to apply them.” Eachyear, Fusion Flowers holds its annualSummer School. This year, the event washeld July 29-31 in the picturesque villageof Kippen in Scotland. The featured tutorat Summer School 2012 was BaudouinRoelants, a renowned Belgian designer.

✱ Aimi Flower Recipe, JAPANwww.flower-recipe.comLooking to Learn Some New Recipes?

Visit Aimi Flower Recipe for ideas.

EducationDESIGN SCHOOLS

U.S. FLORAL DESIGN SCHOOLS STRENGTHEN THE INDUSTRY

Through ongoing education,florists can embrace new designtechniques and innovations,and stay ahead of trends. Thereare many private floral design

schools to choose from. Here are just a few.The Floral Design Institute in Portland,

Ore., a licensed floral design career schoolsince 1969, is dedicated to teaching floraldesign and the business of flowers. Theschool offers more than 100 programsand classes, ranging from licensed careerprograms and advanced design training forexperienced floral professionals to specialinterest classes for floral design enthusiasts.

The training at FDI gives students theconfidence to fully actualize their talent andpassion for flowers and floral design. “Withgraduates all over the world working as floral

designers, design directors, business ownersand corporate executives, we find ourselvesfeeling like proud parents,” says LeanneKesler, president and co-owner of FDI.

BloomNet’s Floriology Institute in Jack-sonville, Fla., offers courses and trainingtools that help retail florists build a solidfoundation in floral design, expand their flo-ral and business knowledge with advancedcourses, and provide a pathway to extendtheir education through state and nationaleducation certification programs. The Insti-tute is an AIFD Professional Floral DesignEvaluation Pathway Provider.

Designer and educator René van Rems,AIFD says beside wedding design and salesclasses, his company (www.renevanrems.com) now offers other full spectrum designworkshops. René recently moved his firm to

a 3,000-square-foot studio in Carlsbad, Calif.Koehler & Dramm’s Institute of Floristry

in Minneapolis, Minn., has offered basic,advanced, and specialized floristry trainingin traditional, contemporary and Europeandesign since 1989, and is accredited by theAIFD as a pathway to AIFD certification.Ardith Beveridge, AIFD, AAF,PFCI, CAFA, BFA

(England), Ikebana International Instructor,travels around the world taking and teachingclasses to keep a current curriculum.

Student goals include care and handling,mechanics, creativity and design. “The stu-dents learn from each other, share and forma community to make our industry evenbetter,” Ardith says.

✱ Visit aifd.org/cfd-pathway-providers tofind a school near you.

Cultivating TALENTTALENT

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Success breeds success. Learn-ing from some of the industry’smost talented and experiencedfloral design experts, students ofFloriology Institute are inspired

to achieve new goals. We had the chance tospeak to a couple of recent students abouthow the classes have changed their careerand business for the better.

Danaë Timmerman, owner of Floweramashops in St. Paul and Richfield, Minn., hasbeen reaping the benefits of continued educa-tion. Ever since she took the Advanced Wed-ding Trends & Techniques course taught byJackie Lacey, AIFD, CFD, PFCI at the FloriologyInstitute in January, she has had a 100 percentconversion rate on wedding consultations.“The class helped build my confidence, andit must show in the consultation,” Danaë says.“I am going outside of my comfort zone in mydesign executions.”

Danaë has since implemented a $30wedding consultation fee (applied towardflowers), in addition to a wedding packageprogram with no consultation fee. The feeprequalifies customers who wish to have aconsultation, weeding out price shoppers.

Although the number of weddingsbooked has stayed the same, the 100percent consultation conversion rate hasmade the shop more profitable becausethere are no lost labor hours. Danaë addsthat the average ticket on weddings is now

going up, averaging around$1,000, and she speculatesit might be because of theconsultation fee. (The shopsalso do a number of smallerweddings, which rangefrom $250 to $400 and areordered through the wed-ding packages.)

The good news doesn’tstop there. While in Jack-sonville for the class, Danaëreceived a message that RE/MAX wanteda quote on centerpieces for a big nationalevent. The real estate company had a tightbudget, however, so Danaë worked withJackie and another classmate to come upwith a simple, cut-drop design. RE/MAXloved the design, and Danaë secured thesale, which more than paid for the cost ofthe Floriology class.

While designing the centerpieces onsite,Danaë caught the attention of an eventcompany owner who was hired for theevent. They exchanged contact information,and a few weeks later he asked Danaë to bea subcontractor. Danaë called Jackie for ad-vice, and he guided her through the processto ensure it would be a profitable endeavor.In July, she traveled to Milwaukee, Wis., for aweekend event that was worth the equiva-lent of a week’s worth of sales. The event willbe repeated three times over the summer,

which is the shop’s slowesttime of year, and will ac-count for more than $15,000in sales. “The amount ofbusiness we’ve brought in isphenomenal,” she says.

Alicia Jeffers, owner ofClassy Baskets, Flowers andGifts in Palmetto Bay, Fla.,has taken four classes atFloriology Institute: BasicPrinciples and Elements

of Design, Advanced Wedding Trends &Techniques, and Advanced Sympathy withJackie and Contemporary/High-Style/Eu-ropean Design with Donald Yim, AIFD. “Theclasses are well paced and a good mix be-tween lecture and hands-on,” she says. Theexperience inspired Alicia, who recentlypassed the test to become a Certified Flo-ral Designer, to pursue AIFD accreditation.

Although Alicia has been in the busi-ness for a while, she took a temporaryhiatus to care for her ill mother, who hassince passed away. Once her daughter wasgrown up, the timing was right to re-enterthe industry full force. To test the waters,she opened Classy Baskets, Flowers andGifts nearly two years ago in a 600-square-foot facility. The staff consisted of herselfand one driver. Only a year later, in October2011, she moved to a 1,500-square-foot fa-cility, added cooler space, hired additionalstaff members, and increased events work.

The state-of-the-art Floriology Institutefacility also inspired Alicia during the pro-cess of upgrading her shop. “Seeing thedesign of the Institute was inspirational insome of the decisions I made,” she says,including the work tables she chose.

Especially for florists who are just startingout, Alicia advises that investing in educationalopportunities is beneficial to business. “Itgives you credibility and an edge over yourcompetition,” Alicia says.

Danaë Timmerman

Alicia Jeffers

EducationWHERE ARETHEY NOW?

FLORIOLOGY STUDENTS SHARE THEIR SUCCESS STORIES

Competitive EDGEEDGE


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DESIGN CENTER BACK TO BASICS

by Mike Pucci

You have probably heard the famousquote, originally from a play byShakespeare, that refers to the worldas “being one’s oyster.” Over theyears, the saying has become associ-ated with opportunities. Which leadsus to Donald Yim, AIFD, BloomNeteducation specialist.

If the world of floral design can beincluded in a discussion of the above-mentioned oyster, then many of itspearls of wisdom can be attributed

to Donald—and the “Contem-porary, High-Style and

European Design” coursehe teaches at the

Floriology Institutein Jacksonville, Fla.The course exploresthe latest trendsand opportunitiesin color, texture andstyle influenced by

European, Asian andurban landscapes.Donald, who is creative

director at West Van Floristin Vancouver, British Columbia,

left behind a successful and well-established career in Hong Kong andbrought with him to North America avibrant background in floral creativityand design innovation.

Donald has taught at and been fea-tured during demo shows in locationsas geographically diverse as HongKong, New Mexico, Seattle, Philadel-phia and the western coast of Canada.He has also participated in such inter-nationally acclaimed floral events asthe Philadelphia Flower Show and theAIFD National Symposium.

Donald’s course at the Floriology

Institute is more than an educational platform for exciting newpossibilities in floral design from around the globe. It’s also acollaborative exchange of thoughts and vision that can go a longway in spurring the imagination. “Everyone has a different style, adifferent clientele,” says Donald. “We all share ideas in interactivegroup design projects. Collaborating with every designer in theroom is inspiring, and the more technique you learn and know, thebetter you become.”

Among the hands-on techniques, principles and elements thecourse focuses on are vertical design approaches that can elevatethe impact, wow factor and selling potential of floral creations. Stu-dents receive extensive insights into grouping, binding, framing,parallelism, clustering, basing and terracing, along with naturaland vegetative design.

“I learned so many new things,” says course attendee andFloriology Institute scholarship recipient Trish Upshaw, assistantmanager for Shirley’s Flowers in Rogers, Ark. “It was enlightening...it opened my mind to other avenues in design.”

In addition to color and texture, emphasis is placed on balance,rhythm, proportion, line, form and space. The fresh floral variet-ies featured in the course run the gamut from birds of paradise,ginger, horsetail, miscanthus grass, anthurium and cymbidium...topsittacorum heliconia, New Zealand calla lily, pincushion protea,sunflower, and viburnum berries.

Students are encouraged to absorb what they learn and puttheir personal spin on it, concentrating on how to best utilize theknowledge they gain to grow their respective businesses. “Therecipes are a guideline, similar to a stepping stone,” explains Don-ald. “Florists can take what we teach and adapt that to their owncustomers and their own market.”

Strategic use of containers, accessories and various floral sup-plies are also examined closely. The three-day course utilizesNapco products from the urban collection. Students are also giventhe opportunity to purchase the products at a reduced rate.

Students attending the course gain vital tips, insights andinstruction involving designing for profitability accompanied bytips for pricing, marketing and creatively promoting products. “Wedon’t just teach how to arrange flowers,” underscores Donald.

Other important aspects to successfully growing a retail businessare covered as well. “Multi-tasking is another technique we focuson,” adds Donald in explaining how the course stresses ways to in-crease productivity and efficiency, thereby enhancing the potentialfor a stronger and more attractive bottom line for retail florists.

Designer:Donald Yim, AIFD,

BLOOMNET

EDUCATION SPECIALIST

Experience:20 years

Exposure/Achievements:

First place, People’sChoice Awards, 2001,

2002 and 2003;Flowers CanadaIndustry Choice

Award, 2001and 2002

NOBoundariesDonald Yim teaches techniquestraversing several continents.

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Donald’s Modern Twist onEveryday Arrangementswill be held April 7-9 atFloriology Institute.


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OWNER’S CORNER SUCCESS

by Mike Pucci

Dave Blevins grows his businessthrough educational opportunities.

CreativityBLOSSOMS

VValdosta Greenhouses has been serving Valdosta, Ga.,and its surrounding region since 1916. When DaveBlevins took over ownership of the shop in December 2004,he set his sights on substantially expanding the futuregrowth of the business.

Among Dave’s first priorities was to make sure he had theright team in place. Part of that team back in 2004, and a focalpoint of the success of Valdosta Greenhouses today, is GlendaEllis. Glenda, floral designer and shop manager, is a 15-year veteran of the floral industry. And she is livingproof of the power of education.

Glenda has attended every course of-fered at the Floriology Institute in Jack-sonville, Fla., including Basic Principlesand Elements of Design, AdvancedSympathy, Contemporary/High-Style/Eu-ropean Design, Party & Events and Ad-vanced Wedding Trends & Techniques.

“The courses gave me design inspira-tion, and gave me the confidence to try newthings,” says Glenda. “It opened the door forGlenda, broadened her style,” adds Dave. “She wasa good designer before, and now she has blossomed.”

One of the most noticeable benefits of Glenda’s educa-tional experience has been a significant increase in weddingsales at Valdosta Greenhouses. “Our wedding business hadfallen off in 2008 and 2009,” Dave states. “After Glendafirst went to the wedding class, she came back on fire andhas turned the wedding department around. Our weddingbusiness has really taken off. The brides are raving aboutGlenda...about how she is up on the trends of what is goingon in the wedding world right now.”

Valdosta Greenhouses has seven employees and in additionto its expanding wedding business, the shop serves the com-prehensive floral and gifting needs of a wide range of custom-ers throughout the Valdosta area, including military personnel

at nearby Moody Air Force Base. “We have a good followingfrom the local community,” says Dave. The shop offers floralcreations for every occasion and besides fresh flower arrange-ments, Dave and his dedicated staff specialize in tropicals,plants, and European/dish gardens.

In addition to the advantages education has delivered tohis shop through Glenda and the insights she has gained,Dave has widened his own educational horizons by taking

three different courses together with Glenda. “It wasgreat from an owner’s perspective,” he com-

ments. “I’m not a designer, my background isbusiness. But for me to get in those classes

and do some of the creative things, it wasa great learning experience. I also metfolks from other shops in other parts ofthe country, I heard what they’re doingand what’s working for them. I got ideas

to implement in my own shop.”So, what’s on the agenda for Glenda in

the near future? More education, of course.“I’m planning on having some of our other

people here at the shop take the courses,” sheexplains. Among those people is her daughter, Jessica, whorecently began working at Valdosta Greenhouses. And cer-tainly, Glenda herself intends to make more trips to Jackson-ville. “You learn something every time,” she says. “Every timeI go it’s like a whole new world.”

The bottom line is, Dave sees education as being ameans for helping to build his business. “I would definitelyrecommend it to any other shop owners; it is definitelyworth the investment,” says Dave.

Editor’s Note: Courses at the Floriology Institute are avail-able at a 25 percent discount for returning attendees. TheInstitute has also created a special Owner’s Scholarship. Fordetails, please call Nicole at 516-237-7973.

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Owner: Dave Blevins

Shop: ValdostaGreenhouses

Established: 1916

Employees: 7

FAST FACTS

Glenda Ellis works on a new design.


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DESIGN CENTER BACK TO BASICS

by Deidre Wengen

The Floriology Institute, located inJacksonville, Fla., has offered anabundance of classes and work-shops in the nearly two years it hasbeen in business, but the floral designschool never included a curriculumspecifically geared toward certifica-tion and competition. However, thisOctober, Jackie Lacey, AIFD, CFD, PFCI

will be teaching a three-day course tohelp better prepare students for thosemilestone moments.

“If you look at Professional FloralDesign Evaluation (PFDE) testingfor AIFD, on average about 25 to 30percent of those taking the test havea successful outcome each year,” saysJackie, education specialist for theInstitute and co-chairperson for theAIFD National Membership Commit-tee. “We would like to help better pre-pare those participating in the PFDEevaluations and increase the percent-age of candidates that pass.

“We’re going to start with the build-ing blocks of design for competition

and certification,” he adds. “Thecourse will really go in depth

with all the elements andprinciples to better

prepare participantsfor how they will beevaluated as part of

the PFDE process or judged in a competitive atmosphere.”The new class, “Competition and Certification,” will guide

students through the design principles and techniques evaluatorslook for as part of the certification testing process and offer adviceto florists looking to enter into state and national competitions.

“Competition design is very different than what you do in yourshop on a day-to-day basis,” says Jackie. “When you are compet-ing at a state level or a national level, you’re going to be evaluat-ed by specifically some of the same material as if you were goingthrough the PFDE. That’s why we combined the two—so studentscan be better prepared for both.”

Part of the course work will be to set up sample tests for stu-dents—very similar to those used in PFDE certification. Students’work will be critiqued, and those enrolled in the class will get per-sonal evaluations. By the end of the three-day period, studentswill have a firm grasp of the real-world evaluation process.

“One of the reasons that this course was started was becausethere is nothing in this area that really allows people to gothrough a sample experience,” he says. “In evaluating the fin-ished designs, we will help students understand what puts themat the above-average level, or if not, how they can change thedesign for better results.”

“It’s really expensive to spend the money to test or competeand not have a positive outcome,” Jackie adds. The Institute’scourse is designed to give students the experience they need tosucceed in certification and competition at an affordable cost.The training could translate to valuable savings down the road.

This course marks another step in the Institute’s commitmentto bettering its students and preparing them for career-orientedsuccess. “The more you can practice, the better you can see whereyour weaknesses are,” Jackie says. “Hopefully, those participatingin the course will be better prepared and have a favorable out-come in competition or certification.”

Designer: Jackie Lacey, AIFD, PFCI, CFD Experience: 30 years

Exposure/Achievements: Formerly owned retail shops in Tennessee, Texas and South Carolina;Education Specialist for Floriology Institute and AIFD National Membership Committee Co-Chair;Award winner in numerous competitive floral design competitions

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BLOOMNET IN THE COMMUNITY

PRESRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDRIPON, WI

PERMIT NO. 100

One Old Country RoadSuite 500Carle Place, NY 11514

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One of the most rewarding aspects of PhilDeVito’s post as floral designer at the1-800-Flowers retail store in Carle Place, N.Y., issharing his knowledge with others.

Phil took over as instructor of Molloy College’scontinuing education floral design program in thespring, and looks forward to September when thefall semester will begin. The program offers basic, in-termediate and advanced floral design courses overa 12-week period. Each course is four sessions.

“It’s probably one of the parts of the job thatmakes me the happiest,” Phil says of teaching. “Ienjoy passing on what I know.”

Phil offers advice for store owners and mangersand suggests offering in-store education classesmakes a lot of sense because they already havea space with the necessary tools, materials, andrefrigeration. Whether owners do it to bring in extrarevenue or to gain exposure, it’s a great way to getinvolved in the community, Phil adds.

While some students participate in the class to ful-fill a hobby, others wish to pursue floral design as acareer. Phil’s students may range in age from late 20sto 60s. “I try to feel them out if they are doing it fortheir own hobby, or if they want to look to continueat a shop or pursue some type of career.”

Either way it’s a great opportunity to educate thegeneral public and give them an appreciation forwhat a designer goes through on a daily basis. It’salso a great way to cultivate future floral designersand strengthen the industry with young, up-and-coming talent.

“They learn things from the bottom, from scratch,”Phil says. “Things a shop owner would not expectthem to know when they walk in.”

It gives them insight to the differences a profes-sional designer can offer as opposed to walking into

a mass-market or direct shippers. They begin torealize it may cost a little more, but they are gettingthe value tenfold.

Students in Phil’s classes have been so passion-ate about learning, they requested more courses beadded, such as wedding or sympathy. Some evenoffered to help during holidays.

“They were offering that if I needed help, theywould come in voluntarily because they wanted tolearn more,” Phil says. “They enjoyed it that muchthat they were willing to come in and help out to bearound that atmosphere.”

Phil shows his students that persistence makesperfect, and he demonstrates and repeats tech-niques until they grasp the concept. The coursesgive students an appreciation for what floral design-ers do on a daily basis.

“They see how quickly and smoothly I do some-thing practically with my eyes closed,” Phil says,“and realize it’s tougher than they think.”

Pass It On

>>>Students in Molloy College’scontinuing education floral de-sign program take a break fromclass at the 1-800-Flowers retailstore in Carle Place, N.Y.

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