The Business & Pleasure of Flowers

Higher AOV and a Stress-Free Website | Why outsourcing your e-commerce is a game-changer

• Episode 135

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Episode 135: Many retail shops are experiencing a summer slowdown similar to pre-pandemic times. It's only temporary. When business resumes as usual, the businesses that will thrive are the ones that are creating more efficient systems in place now.

In this episode, Vonda and Lori are joined by Kami Martin, Director of One Clique at Flower Clique. We explain the lowdown on what exactly our membership does - and how it's similar to a part-time employee who manages your entire e-commerce and marketing operations.  However, not just any employee - an expert with years of experience and expertise in the tech and digital space of retail floristry! Listen to discover how our agency is what every retail florist needs to grow their business and achieve work-life balance.
 
For more information:
Flower Clique
Schedule an appointment with Kami


Sponsored by:
Flower Clique
Flower Clique Prep School
Real Life Retail Florist

SPEAKER_03

If you want to show up for it for SEO purposes, if you want to show up for that gift line, you need to have it on your website. You know, so if someone's searching unique gifts or Yankee Candles, you know, Tulsa, Oklahoma, or whatever they're searching for, if you want to pull up, you need to have a page for it.

SPEAKER_02

Welcome to the Business and Pleasure of Flowers. We're your hosts, Vonda LaFever and Lori Wilson.

SPEAKER_00

And we believe that business and fun are a perfect combination. Kind of like us, Vonda.

SPEAKER_02

Hey Lori, welcome back.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you, Vonda.

SPEAKER_02

It's good to see you. I know. It's not often we've been seeing each other on video now. It's been we've been face to face for a while. I know it. Lori, you've had been having a lot of conversations with people, um, shop owners who finally have a summer is what they've been saying.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Um, and I think we actually touched on this either last week or the week before, but it's funny because what I we've had a couple of people post in our members only group. Like, is anyone else feeling slow, like kind of panicking? And then we what's great is before you or Cammy and I can get to that comment section, another member, someone like Ralph at Giordano's will go, remember, it used to be this way. Exactly. So take advantage of it, right? So this it used to be the norm in this industry when you would have a little bit of slow time. Um, I remember one of my first one or two years going through a summer in this industry. You reminded me, you're like, this is really the time they're trying to get people's last minute vacations done, get, you know, all of your employees, if they haven't taken them, get them in, get them out. And this is the time to do it.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, exactly. And this time kind of remember reminds me of right when the pandemic hit and we were like slow, and we came up with something called now and later. It's like, what can we do now to prepare for later? And we finally have that little gap right now where we could be thinking about that.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, exactly. And what's funny, I just that vision of those now and later candies just entered my head when you said that. And I was right, didn't we send all of our members and then some non-members but people we knew some of the candies? We did, yeah. A little now and later. That's such a cute idea.

SPEAKER_02

I know, so cute, right?

SPEAKER_01

Anyway, speaking of summer and things feeling kind of slow, I don't think there's ever a time in Flower Click where we feel like, oh, it's so slow, but we were able to kidnap Cammy Martin today to come on our resident uh website director slash manager slash advisor and talk with us about some stuff.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, we did. Hi, Cammy. Hi there.

SPEAKER_01

Glad to be here.

SPEAKER_02

Well, what we like to do is give actionable tips to our uh listeners how to improve their business and and at the same time a better quality of life. And that's kind of Ellie, right? She continues to stress to me that like life work balance. So um one task when I think of flower shop owners that they don't like to deal with is their website. You know, they know it's important, they know it's key to customers deciding if they want to buy from that particular shop or not, and it directly and indirectly affects the phone calls and the walk-in traffic, right? Wouldn't you say Cammy? I would.

SPEAKER_03

I would. I hear a lot of shops tell me that customers are calling in and they're looking at their website. I hear that all the time. Yeah, they're looking at my website right now and they want to buy this.

SPEAKER_01

So it's you guys want to know something that's funny, but that me sitting back hearing you say that is I just did that this morning, Cammy, right? I was telling you my son, my oldest son's in Ireland right now, and he wanted to he text me this morning in what flower shop should I use? I want to send flowers to his girlfriend. Anyway, I was like, I'll do it, just Venmo me. Uh anyway, and I did that. So I pulled up and I sent him three different choices from one of our members sites, which I get so excited when I get to use one of our members in the area, it makes me so happy. Um, and so he chose the one he wanted. So anyway, I was I have never in my life ordered online for flowers. Wow, I never ever ever have because I always want to talk to them and say, this is what I'm looking for, but do you have something else you'd you recommend? Like, did you get some fresh bouquets? And that's exactly what I said to them. And she said, actually, we have all this. This is gorgeous. This is one we make a lot. So I still looked on the website and pictures, and I even know our stuff, like it still took me that long, you know, because I'm kind of evaluating, like, oh, should which cut anyway? It was just funny.

SPEAKER_03

And you know, I mean, we we haven't really talked about this just yet, but it's funny to me to hear that the website outsells or sells arrangements higher than the salespeople. Um, and I'll have shops tell me that like my website outperforms the the girls on the phone or the guy on the phone. Um, because we at Flower Click, we are offering higher-end designs. And when they answer the phone, some of the worst things you can say as a salesperson on the phone is how much do you want to spend? Right, right. And we know that that's been something we've talked about forever, right? But um, instead, you know, we present the options and show what you get for the money, and people will oftentimes choose a higher this higher end design when they're given the option.

SPEAKER_02

Right, right. But we know that flowershop owners aren't really good with technology, and that's why they love Cammy, because she is good at that. I know that my flower designer peeps aren't so good at wanting to do their website, they would rather use that creative brain and spend their time with maybe social media and doing some posts, you know, something pretty and posting on social media or something just with designs. And Lori, you just said you picked a website that didn't look like everybody else's.

SPEAKER_01

Oh yeah, a hundred percent. I I absolutely did.

SPEAKER_02

So let's go back to now and later, Cammy. Um, I want you to talk about what somebody could do now to help them later. And I'm not gonna say, okay, do this yourself because uh they're not gonna get it done. I mean, we we know that.

SPEAKER_03

So it's yeah, I I hear you because it's one of those things where you know it's not their native language, if you will, right? I mean, like putting some flowers in front of me and saying design isn't it's gonna take me a lot longer. Um, so you need someone that knows what they're doing and can just take care of it for you. And that's where we come in. Um, a lot of shops, if I'm just coming right out of the gate, a lot of shops look at us like a part-time employee that works for them without the drama or without the without having to, you know, have any of the the the payroll and the all the things that come along with it. Um, because we do, we take care of their website for them. Um, we proactively do things, but also they can send us things that they want done and we and we take care of that too.

SPEAKER_02

So if we have someone who is like, you know what, um, I'd like to know a little bit about what you do, Cami. Um, and we send you somebody who who's a a prospective for a flower click member, what is it that you do or you tell them? Share with us so that our listeners would be like, well, you know, kind of I wondered what you guys do. So what is it?

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah, I'm happy to. So, first, first of all, when I get someone on the phone, the first thing I want to do is share my screen with them because a picture's worth a thousand words, right? So um I like to show them examples. I I do I get them on a Zoom meeting and I show them my screen. So that's number one. Um, I start showing them um examples of websites we take care of. And usually I'll share, like let's say um they're a teleflora site or a uh floral systems or media 99. It doesn't matter. We work with a lot of platforms, I'll share, you know, a similar website to their same platform. You don't have to change hosts. That's one of the biggest questions and hesitations is people think that we host the website. We don't at this time, we don't host the website, but we take what they have and we elevate it, we make it better. So that's what I'll do is I'll show them the website. I first, if I'm just going through the way my brain works, I'll show them um the homepage, you know, because that is the very first thing the customer sees is the homepage. And then I'll navigate to anniversary and romance. And when we look at anniversary and romance, because I'm dealing with someone who knows flowers, I will have them look at that category. First of all, it doesn't go on and on forever, it's going to have about five or six rows. Um, so that's that's huge.

SPEAKER_02

The paradox of choice.

SPEAKER_03

The paradox of choice going back to that. It's gonna have about five or six rows. And then I have them key in and I'm like, look at this arrangement, look at Mango Showstopper. And by the way, I wish I could share my screen right now with the podcast listeners, but look at Mango Showstopper, look at um love language, look at, you know, first of all, they usually love our names too. We've got some good marketing, some good branding, if I do say so myself. So um, and but I show them the different flower families and how, you know, we kind of start to have repeats. Like we might have Mango Showstopper is a hundred and thirty-nine dollar design that's tall and airy, and then we might have Mango Sunrise that's a $69 design, but it has the same flowers. Um, and so I talk to them and I show them how um we're trying to work smarter, not harder. I've mentioned this before, we're not the Cheesecake Factory, right? As a florist, as a local florist, we don't have every flower under the sun at our disposal. So um, you know, we're trying to take a certain amount of flowers and make the most of them and make multiple designs. And um, and we know that when a customer is shopping, they're looking at price, they're looking at color, and they're maybe looking at style, but they're not noticing that the same flowers in Mango Showstopper are also in Mango Sunrise, right? They're not noticing that. They're just so, but as the florist, I'm kind of drawing their eye to that, to the to the repeats. Then I might go to birthday and show them some of the flowers in birthday, some of the flowers in get well. Um, typically what they're seeing is number one, these look like designs I make. They're pretty and they're on trend. Number two, they're seeing that they're priced right. And they're like, oh, you know, wow, these are good prices and and I can make a profit with these. So that's number two. And number three, it's simplified. So um I have carnations and roses and Alstro on a daily basis that would make up that design, you know.

SPEAKER_02

So that's what I'm showing them first, right out of the realistic, it's something that it's like they can relate to it because you're you're speaking their language, right? You're speaking the flower language and showing how it is smarter to do multiple designs with the same flowers, right?

SPEAKER_03

So that's kind of what you're trying to point out. That's exactly right. And I'm also hitting a major pain point of theirs. A major pain point of most florists is their website has products that are underpriced, they're not making money on them. Their website has too many flowers, um, too many flowers that they can't source at all times. And as we know, now when a customer adds to cart, they expect to get something similar to what they added to cart. So I'm hitting some major pain point. I can hear them going, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. You know, I just kind of it's like the it's a problem. It's a problem across the board, no matter what host they have most of the time.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Have you ever had anyone that you've had one of these conversations with and you're showing them about how simple is better? And they're just like, I don't agree with you. I think which I mean, does that ever happen, or are they all having like a big epiphany when you're showing them them this?

SPEAKER_03

I wouldn't say all, I would say most love them. Um, some uh just talked to someone yesterday, she's in a higher end area that and she doesn't want any carnations in her designs. I you know, that kind of stuff isn't gonna necessarily be a perfect fit for us. If you're gonna be, you know, need all over a hundred dollar designs on your site and orchids galore, and you know, it's just there we're not we're not a fit for everyone, right? And I was quick to tell her that you know what, I don't know if this is gonna be perfect for you, and that's okay. Um, you know, I think they all would agree that less is more, or they wouldn't necessarily no, that's really not true. I do have some a ton up there all the time, and um, maybe they just haven't figured that out yet that it's not in their best interest, right?

SPEAKER_01

But talking about someone that says, No, I don't want carnations, like we do have some members, like they don't maybe they hate Austromeria or they hate carn, whatever. So you can make those accommodations, but right, the maj we have a whole lot of designs that they're not gonna be able to have based on that.

SPEAKER_03

Well, and I love that you said that because another aspect that I haven't even touched on that we do is um we're very intentional about how we merchandise a website. Okay, and I call we call it merchandising, and that's a term um, you know, it's how we market the designs to get that average order value higher. Um because, you know, when someone's shopping in birthday, for example, we're gonna have something that's 49, but also a 79, an 89, a 99, something over a hundred, something over 200. We're gonna have a lot available there. And let me just say that many shop owners will have a minimum. Like there might be someone listening that right now that says, well, my minimum 65, and that's okay. Like during once they join, then you know, I'll make a note their minimum is 65. They don't want to deliver for less than that, and that's okay based on where they're at. But overall, um, we're very intentional about where we put things and why we put them there so that we can get that average order value higher, and it works. I mean, that's just all I can, it's proven it works.

SPEAKER_01

So I've got another question. Um, talking about someone wanting extra things or removal, uh I would refer to that as some kind of customization, right? So what if they have some of their own pictures? Maybe not a lot to fill an entire website, but let's say they have a dozen pretty good pictures that they're pretty proud of.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, there's so there's lots of ways that we could go with that. I love you. I love that you asked that. I love you too. I love you too. I love you. Um, I love that you asked that. Um, because there are people that have their own exclusive, they kind of like that when I say that. Like we could have a flowers by Lori exclusives category. You know, and and put those in there. So that's one of the ways we could go with it. We could also say, you know, there's some people that say always keep these four. They're bestsellers, put those in every category. And we can do that. Um, I find it's most frequently done though at holidays. So I worked with a shop in Springfield, uh, Missouri, with over Mother's Day and Valentine's Day, and I they come to mind because they they sent me about 10 different designs. Actually, some of them were using our bundles, which we haven't even gotten to yet. And they'll kind of put them in their own vases or their and and um I even I'll even help clean them up a little bit at this point. I mean, we clean them up a little bit, we'll add them, you know, they'll send me the name that they kind of had in mind, and I'll even help them with the description a bit, and we'll add them to the website. That's not a problem at all. So, again, part-time employee, um, you know, that helps them out with their web stuff. Yeah, yeah, good.

SPEAKER_01

I I thought that happened. I think you've done, and maybe you mentioned this because my my mind went off when you started talking. You you also have like created an a tab, a separate tab that is just theirs.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, that's like the exclusives, yeah. Like and and I like to do that, and they like to have it because then if it does have a different brat background than ours, it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, you know. But with the tools that are available to me, um, I a lot of times I'll take the background out too. If they can send me a quality photo, I'll I can help them. Magic.

SPEAKER_02

She is magic. I love that. But I do think it makes a big difference that you have the flower shop name exclusive or designed by Lori exclusive, because then it elevates that shop even more, you know. And I and I know you've helped even build out some pages for their gift line. If they have gift line that they have great images from that supplier, right?

SPEAKER_03

I have, and even if they don't have um great images, so number one, we do that often. If you want to show up for it in like for SEO purposes, if you want to show up for that gift line, you need to have it on your website. Uh, you know, so if someone's searching unique gifts or Yankee Candles, you know, Tulsa, Oklahoma, or whatever they're searching for, if you want to pull up, you need to have a page for it. So um, I do help a lot of our shops. Um, Jelly Cat is something I recently added for one shop. A lot of those plush animals, Jelly Cat plush. She said they sell like hotcakes for her. Where but here's the thing: the same member also is carrying a paint line, like a like a boutique paint line that she uses for or people would use for furniture. You know, people aren't gonna add to cart a paintbrush necessarily, and she doesn't want to deliver a paintbrush, right? So so that one said, How about we add some content about you having this paint product, but we make it where they can't add it to the cart, you know, and they just but that way she does show up if someone searches Kansas City, Missouri, blah blah blah paint, you know. But um, so yeah, we can do that and we work with p with our shops on that for sure.

SPEAKER_02

I think a lot of times they don't think about that. They're like, my website just has flowers and I want everything up there I can. And one, we know paradox of choice, getting it down to where it makes sense for the customer and it makes sense for the flower shop in this day and age. You can't invent everything.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, inventory, and then like having to mark sold. If you have two of a product and you have to go in and mark it sold out, you know, that that would be too difficult. It would be too much to handle. So if I go back to what you asked me if I was talking to a shop, uh the next thing I would show them, I would show them our members-only website where they can pull up the recipes. And I don't know if I've ever told you guys this, but um, I'll show them how to search for a recipe. I'll even search by flower family, kind of like the mango, um, and I'll show them how to search and how they can see the same design in a wood box or a white uh cylinder or a clear, you know, and different standard deluxe premium. And they always love that part. And then I'll click on one of the recipes and it'll open up and I'll show them the standard, the deluxe, and the premium recipe. And usually, as an owner, they love to see that because they've got people that are overstuffing, you know, they've got designers that maybe need a little more direction. So they they usually love that. The they absolutely love when I scroll to the very bottom of that recipe page and they see the social supplements. Cause somewhere along the way, some genius, I think it was either Ellie or Lori, I'm not sure which, um, added a little social supplement section that has a picture of the image, like on a wood table, um, a close-up of the image, and you mean a caption and some hashtags. And they're always, I'm like, this is just to use if you have, you know, an influx of these flowers and you want to post this, you don't know what to post that day. They're like, oh, and I see shop, I see our members using that, by the way.

SPEAKER_01

It's so cool. It's funny because I was just working on that with about an hour ago, waiting for you and Vonda so we could do this podcast. But I was just working on that, and it actually crossed my mind. Are people even using this? I mean, they are I did you not? I was just going through. Is this a this because it's you know, I gotta get it all in the system, right?

SPEAKER_02

Um and you size it correctly, you have to make sure because you know well, and make sure the captions are in there anyway.

SPEAKER_03

I really do. They love that.

SPEAKER_01

I love to hear that.

SPEAKER_03

They love it whether they use it or not. They always are like, I love knowing that's available to me. And then and then after that, I typically I don't even have a checklist here. I'm just my this is where my brain works or how my brain works. I show them our bundles. And I explain to them the ecosystem and how, and that's what we call it is an ecosystem that all works together, where if you want to, you can actually order the flower bundles that go in the bouquets. So I've already given them a close-up and had them look at mango and amethyst and love language and all the different designs. Now they're seeing, oh, at the wholesale level, I can order the bundles that match the designs on my website. I've noticed a trend, by the way, and I I've watched a few webinars that weren't even presented by Flower Click that maybe Vonda that you were in, where it's becoming more and more common for florists to use bundles. Or you guys have been, um, you educators, you know, have been promoting that and saying you guys really ought to lean into using bundles, you know, from your wholesaler. It's a big thing.

SPEAKER_02

Especially because there's been a problem getting enough help, right? So they're so much faster and more efficient. And that's why we at Flower Click decided to do that to start with, right? Is because it makes so much sense as far as productivity and profitability because they can't they can't overstuff.

SPEAKER_03

Right.

SPEAKER_02

They're already priced out, and so it makes so much sense.

SPEAKER_03

And they see that these are more premium um bundles, even that they would typically get. Um, frankly, I'm just gonna say we've had some members join FlowerClick because they saw our bundles first at the wholesaler, and the whole particular wholesaler said, Sorry, these are only for Flower Click members because they're that beautiful. They're very beautiful. And then I even have a picture that shows the flowers coming in a box. This is about the time with my screen share that I would show the um someone receiving the pink boxes that say flower click, um, what the bouquet looks like coming right out of the box, you know, and then these are all the different designs this bouquet can make, whether you um add a few more flowers, you know, put some bundles together to buy to make a super premium design or just a standard one, or a wrapped bouquet. Put some craft paper around it, and you've got a uh, you know, cash and carry bouquet.

SPEAKER_02

And so the bundles to clarify, the bundles are available from the Bill Doran Company, or if you have a local Bill Doran company or fresh from the farm, they're FedEx from the farm. So those are the ways that the flower click bundles get to the flower shops.

SPEAKER_01

I was just gonna mention one thing we always want to be very clear. The bundles, they are in a service we offer. By no means do you have to do the bundles if you don't need them, right? Correct.

SPEAKER_03

And and I gotta tell you, it's funny how in certain parts of the country it's almost always a given that they don't want bundles because they've got such fresh flowers available to them. And that's okay, it's it's no problem. Another aha moment for shops when I show them is that you can get a sampler box kind of thing, you know, that you don't have to order um one box of mango and one box of amethyst and one box of Luna. You can actually get one box of all three and have a little bit of each. And they really like that. And I tell them, I usually say, um, dip your toe in and try a sample box and see if you like the quality. And it's very, you know, reasonably priced. And they're like, Yeah, I'll do that. And they typically, I think they usually like them. Uh, usually Audrey does.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, no, I think so. And I'm laughing because I'm thinking, who didn't love a good sample or platter? I know that's what I call it.

SPEAKER_03

I didn't want to say it on here, but I say this is what I call the sample.

SPEAKER_01

Right. I mean, you think about restaurants and you're I don't, I can't make it a sample platter. Give me the sample platter.

SPEAKER_03

Exactly. I love it.

SPEAKER_04

I love it.

SPEAKER_03

So, you know, from there I do I do try to let the florists talk a little bit because I want to know a little bit about them. Do they are they big into weddings? Are they big into sympathy? You know, something I feel like these days a lot of shops are big into weddings because they all got backed up, right? I had a shop tell me, well, we weren't big into weddings, but now we are right. There was kind of a stall there for a little while. But um, I show them that we have a beautiful wedding lookbook, online look book where uh we put that up there. It's absolutely beautiful. Um, it's on trend, it's gonna attract a modern bride. And there are no prices attached to the pictures that we have. Um, but it just is it's just really nice. And we can customize that. That's always the next question. Um, we can drop in their photos into this beautiful lookbook and we attach it to their website. So and it's all got it's got their logo, their hours. Uh the bride can request a consultation, which then goes to their email. So it's all this, usually they really like the the wedding.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Good marketing tool if they're working on weddings for sure.

SPEAKER_01

And you can add some of their stuff too, right? If they wanted.

SPEAKER_03

Definitely. And you know what I like too is they're sometimes overwhelmed by all of the change. And I say, look, we don't have to add the your photos right away. We can do that later. Like, let us put the wedding gallery up, and then when you get a little hit a little slow time or or get some really pretty photos in, um, we can add those in.

SPEAKER_02

So wow, Cammy, there's so much, and I know there's so much more, and you wanted to get into sympathy, but we're getting to the end.

SPEAKER_04

Oh man.

SPEAKER_02

So I'm going to say we're gonna have to go. All right, if you want more, you want Cammy to really show you her screen and show you what Flower Click really can do, then call, you're right, or just send an email or schedule online um and and get some more information about it because you've given us some great information.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I have more to share. So I really do feel like I'm I've got so much more um that we do, but that's okay. Maybe that cliffhanger will have them schedule. I could I I would love to talk to any listener that wants to hear more about it. I really do I'm I believe in it, and I think that shows because I'm gonna be honest, when we bring on a new member, it's a little bit more work for me, right? Yeah, but I still love it. I want more. I want them and they love what we can do for them. I mean, and and here's the here's what I want to put out here too. We're not pushy. Yeah, I'm passionate, but I'm not pushy, and we don't want um someone to, you know, come on if they don't we don't keep any prisoners, you know. And actually, we um so if if you're not um into it, once you hear the spiel, if it's not for you, then that's okay. We can still be friends. And then um, if for some reason you try it and you really just it doesn't work for you, we can put it back how it was before. There's nothing to lose, there's nothing to lose.

SPEAKER_01

Cammy, I feel the same way that you do about, you know, we always joke that we're not for everybody. And what I heard you say earlier, I really resonated with because you were saying if someone wants to know more and reaches out, you love having those conversations. What you don't love is if you're talking with someone they could care less, and you immediately know I'm wasting my time and you're wasting theirs. Right, right, right. You know, those are the worst calls because you feel gross, they're like, Why are you talking? You know, so we only want to talk to people that are like, hey, okay, I'm intrigued. Tell me a little more.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, and and I'm the type you guys know this about me. I need to know what I am getting into. And I think we talked the other day about um what would stop you from joining, right? Your reasons are different than my reasons. Um, my reasons are usually um, I don't want to be stuck, right? Right and I don't want someone to come in and mess things up and leave it a mess. Or you know, it's gonna be more fear-based if I'm being honest. That would be my hangouts.

SPEAKER_04

Right.

SPEAKER_03

So to for me to get out there and say, um, you know, we do screenshot your website before we make any changes, um, just in case. Just in case, if I'm being 100% honest, though, I've I've really I think I can I know I can count on one hand, it just doesn't happen. Um, most most shops that let us do it love it once they give it a chance.

SPEAKER_01

So I agree, I agree. Thanks for coming on here, Cammy. Last minute. I know we pulled you in, but you know what? Bonda and I are nothing if not last minute. Right, exactly. This is how we roll. I don't know if she's in the car and we're talking. Oh, yeah, oh yeah, I'll call Cammy. Oh, yeah, she'll love it, she'll do it. No problem.

SPEAKER_03

I could talk about flower click in my sleep, you know?

SPEAKER_02

Exactly. I know your passion comes out when you speak about it. It's just great.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so okay, Cammy, you know the question I have to ask, and I ask every guest, and I see you laughing. Okay, I wish this was recorded video right now because you and Vonda both just put your hands over your mouth and panic. But think about it, there's gonna be something. What is inspiring you right now? I'll go. Yeah, you go. Vonda, you go, you help her out, help a sister out.

SPEAKER_02

I'll help a sister out. I'll take one for her. I'm inspired by the contractors who are working on my house because you know, when they take so much pride in their work, that's just really cool. I just think that it's inspiring to me because I wouldn't want to be doing what they're doing, right? Yeah, but they love what they're doing and they just want you happy and they want um to have a good product, and it's kind of like us, right? That's what we do, and so I I just have so much respect for them, and it just that's inspiring for me.

SPEAKER_03

Vondi is so mine. No, I'm just kidding. I don't have I don't have contractors, but it is it's true that before you even said that, I swear, the sermon that my pastor preached on last Sunday, and I've already shared it with uh Lori, yeah, that it was all about work and finding your passion in work and serving the Lord in your work. And I thought, oh man, I thought at the beginning of the sermon, I thought, I'm gonna have to change jobs. You know, I'm not a teacher, I'm not a preacher, I'm not a social worker, you know, the things that you would expect. But he talked about how you can do your job with excellence. And he and and I I'm not gonna be able to um regurgitate the things that he said, but one of the examples he brought up was a mechanic. And he brought up this mechanic in Louisiana that where he's from, and he um showed their Google reviews, and the things that people wrote were um were things like these people are salt of the earth. Um these people um give a good price and will never steer you wrong. And like as I was hearing this, I'm like, I feel like we do that. I feel like we do that, like we do have a passion for helping florists. And I mean, I know that at the end of the day, I mean, um, it's it's flowers, but I think it's more, it is more. And when you guys have talked about that in your podcast, it is more, and then we're helping people and we're doing it with excellence, and we're we're yeah, I in the end, I I walked away going, yeah, I I do use my resources for good, you know? You do, yeah, you certainly do, Cammy.

SPEAKER_01

But isn't that good? Because that's affirmation to you.

SPEAKER_03

It was. I I truly expected when he started the sermon out, I thought, oh, I'm not gonna feel good about this. Yeah, and then by the end of it, I was like, Yeah, right. And even honestly, using your resources of the paycheck that you get for work in God's kingdom too. And I loved that as well. So there's lots of lots of ways that we can do that. But yeah, that inspired me. It I walked away.

SPEAKER_01

It's very inspiring. It's very inspiring. Good. And Lori, I am going back to ordering flowers for my son this morning um because he's out of town. I really am inspired by him right now. Talk about taking a salary pay cut for a job you love. You know, he went from a significant salary to a pastor's salary in a small church, and he's in Ireland this week with some other pastors. They have um, I guess like a partner church they're talking with about helping, and just the pictures he's sending me that they're all like he's covered in face paint. These two adorable little girls are drawing, and he's like, How did my life become like you know, he used to be the brand ambassador for this beer company, and now he's like yeah, but he's so full of joy and contentment that I'm like, God, that we should all want that. We should all want that much contentment in exactly what you just said, right? And we're exactly where we are supposed to be. Yep, and so it just kind of, you know, it's I've joked before about how the student has become the teacher in my relationship with him. And I was like, I learned every time I look towards him, something else hits me, as far as oh my gosh, that's awesome. I need to do that, or you know, so it's it's good, it's a weird feeling. I'll be honest.

SPEAKER_03

It's gotta be rewarding, though. I I hope one day I when my kids grow up, I could say the same thing. What a testament to your parenting.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, well, that's right. Trust me, he's we've been through it all with him. So trust me. Anyway, all right. Thanks for coming in, Cammy. Yeah, thanks for having me. Thank you so much for listening to our podcast. We hope you enjoyed spending time with us because we enjoy spending time with you. If you did, make sure you hit that subscribe button or add the business and pleasure of flowers to your Google morning routine or your flash briefing on Alexa.

SPEAKER_00

We look forward to seeing you next week.

SPEAKER_02

So please come back and join us and discover how a bit of knowledge and one small change in your mindset can take you to new levels in your life and business.