Blossoming Success: Inside the Flower Clique Team

Episode 249: Join Lori as she sits down with Kami Martin, the Director of Membership, and Audrey Kristoff, the Product Manager, from the Flower Clique team. Discover how their roles contribute to the success of flower shop owners and Flower Clique members. Kami delves into her expertise in website management, discussing the intricacies of merchandising, while Audrey sheds light on the advantages of Flower Clique bundles. Stay tuned as Lori asks some engaging personal questions, allowing listeners to get to know this dynamic duo working behind the scenes at Flower Clique.

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

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

What is one piece of advice you would give someone who is starting in the flower industry?

SPEAKER_00 0:13

Welcome to the business and pleasure of flowers. We're your hosts, Vonda LaFever and Lori Wilson.

SPEAKER_01 0:18

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

SPEAKER_02 0:30

All right, good morning, my podcast listeners. I am without my partner in crime this morning, Vonda. She is off this week. She is out of town doing some other things, but I've got some special guests. I have some of my fellow coworkers. I have Cammy Martin and Audrey Christoph. Thanks for coming, girls. Hello. Yeah, happy to jump in. Yes, I think I asked you a few minutes ago to join. Thanks, Kimmy, for that. But that's kind of how we roll around here.

SPEAKER_03 1:07

I was just gonna say that's how we roll.

SPEAKER_02 1:10

Yes. You know, the reason I ask you guys, well, number one, because you're my friends and I knew you would do it. But number two, I think we know that, or at least Cammy and I do, because we talk to a lot of shops that are not FlowerClick members. They will reach out to us and they always ask, what is FlowerClick? Which, you know, is always a question. But they get bits and pieces of what we do, but they don't ever get like the whole story. Cammy, have you found that?

SPEAKER_04 1:48

Yeah, definitely. And it's a lot, we do a lot, so it's a lot to absorb too.

SPEAKER_02 1:53

Right, truly. Right. But I find it interesting when I'm talking to them, they're like, no, what is this? You sell flowers, you know, I'm like, no, well, we have bundles, and I kind of talk about that. I'm like, and then I'll send them over to Audrey, and they're like, well, what do you do about websites? You so I have a teleflora site so I can get rid of teleflora. And I'm like, no, let me let you talk to Cammy. And so I'm like, hey, I'm gonna bring Cammy and Audrey on the podcast today and let them kind of talk specifically about their part of our company and maybe explain that. So we're gonna take a little time today and talk about that, but then we're gonna talk about some fun stuff that have nothing to do with that.

SPEAKER_05 2:38

I need to know it.

SPEAKER_02 2:39

So does that sound okay with you guys? Sure, let's do it. Sounds like stuff I can. Okay, I can all right. So, Cammy, I kind of want to start with you, and we'll sort of go back and forth. One of the things they always ask me is what I just said. So I'm with fill in the blank, Hannah, or Florinex, or Wix, or Shopify, or whatever. So, can I get rid of that platform so you guys can just run my website for me? And the answer I always say is, well, not necessarily. Let me let you talk to Cammie. And then I send them over to you because honestly, I can't give them as good an explanation as you can. What do you say to those people?

SPEAKER_04 3:24

I say, Well, you need them. And here's what's funny, what I'm finding, because there have been a lot of shops that have sold their businesses in the last couple of years. And so it's amazing how if I'm talking to a florist who's done it for a year or more, they totally get what we do. But if I'm talking to someone who just bought the shop and they're maybe assessing the costs for something like that, they don't fully get what we do because we do fill a need. There's a gap there between having a website that's hosted by a floral platform like Flower Shop Network, you know, Teleflora. You list them and then what actually happens in the store and how they produce designs and what the actual costs are and all that. We fill in that gap. And that's they get that when I can start saying we're gonna add designs that are easy to make, that are profitable, that are actually flowers you have in your cooler. And we bridge that gap between the website and what's what you're actually producing in the store because there is a gap there and there's a need there. And I guess that's what I would say. We will merchandise the website, we will make it look like things you would produce. We won't make it overwhelming where you have to run to the wholesaler multiple times a day to fill this order that just came in off your website. Right.

SPEAKER_02 4:49

So I want to go back to the word you use, which a lot of people don't know. You we use that word merchandising. We throw that around and Audrey's not we throw it around as if the world knows what merchandising is, right? I've even shortened it to merch. Right. We merch. I don't even know that that word is real. It's probably not in the dictionary. Yeah, we use it on a daily basis as if it's a we merch. You know, it's a merchant word. What specifically does that word mean? Right, we need clarity. What does that look like from an operation standpoint? Audrey, do you want to say something?

SPEAKER_03 5:30

Well, first of all, I was gonna say it is a term because, like in retail, when you merchandise the shop, you set it up so it's aesthetically pleasing when a customer comes in. You're featuring certain items, you know, front and center when they walk in, things that are on sale, things that are seasonal. So it is an industrial term, and that's what we do, that's what Cami does for your website. Well said.

SPEAKER_04 5:57

I I sometimes tell them you can put something right where everyone walks through the shop or right at the cash register and it sells like hotcakes. And they totally get that. We're doing the same thing with your website. What you want to sell and what you have, we're gonna put on the homepage, we're gonna make it aesthetically pleasing, we're gonna make it not overwhelming with inventory because that is a huge problem with web hosts. So a lot of times it's it just goes on and on and on for pages, right?

SPEAKER_02 6:25

So I'm gonna be the devil's advocate here, Cammy. I'm going to play the flower shop who has been in business a couple years, and I've had the same website for a while, but I'm curious about FlowerClick. But my question to you is well, I already have a website that I pay to do this so-called merchandising. Why would I pay FlowerClick too? Why would I be paying both of you?

SPEAKER_04 6:56

Yeah, that is a common question. I think I would point out, because usually I'm going to have their website pulled up in front of me, and I would point out, are you profitable on that arrangement right there that's $39 and the one that's $49 right next to it, and the one that's $49 right next to it? You see it all the time. If the shop is not stepping in, or if we're not stepping in, the platform will often upload a lot of arrangements that are not priced right, and the shop is losing money. They're very busy because they're making those arrangements all day long, but they're not making any money on it. So I would say you need someone to bridge that gap. Yeah. And we almost always, if I can guarantee them that we will make that money back for them, whatever they spend with us, we will make that back. And then some, it will pay for itself because the average order value will go up on every web order and on every phone order, because so often the customer that calls in is looking at the website when they call.

SPEAKER_05 8:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 8:02

So that'll increase the average order value. So I would say that's why you need us. You need someone to come in and make it to where those designs are actually profitable. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 8:14

Yeah. That's great. And so speaking of designs, I'm going to segue over to Audrey, who is our design bundle guru. She's in charge of all of the ordering of our bundles. She also is always part of looking at the designs after the photo shoots, and she's a very intricate part of that. So, Audrey, talk to me about how that fits into the process and how that helps a shop. Because when I'm talking to somebody that's looking at becoming a Flower Click member, and I talk to them about merchandising, they all and I'm talking to them about bundles. How do the bundles integrate with the photos? How does that make it easier for them?

SPEAKER_03 9:08

Okay, so the flower click bouquet system, we call it our ecosystem. We have flower click exclusive pre-made bouquets that only our flower click members can order. They're shipped directly from the farm in Blogata. And these pre-made bouquets are what we use to create the designs that are on the Flower Click websites. So these designs, we can create a number of different designs with one bouquet. So we have a limited amount of bouquets that we feature seasonally that make a number of different designs on your website. So the whole idea is we create this way that you can order the bouquets, have the inventory that you need to make the designs that are on your website. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:02

And I have been to these photo shoots. Like we've been there in person. You and Vonda both are quite quality control fanatics, as is Ellie. You guys have also been to Bogota.

SPEAKER_03 10:16

I was gonna say, back it up. We went to Bogota to see where and how our bouquets are made. They use premium flowers in these bouquets. We feature the Myra roses, we feature the free spirits, and we feature specialty flowers like the pincushion protea or beautiful snap dragons and stocks. So they're premium flowers that we hand pick what we want to feature in these bouquets, and so it's reflected in the design. And then we do these photo shoots seasonally. We refresh the designs, we make new bundles, but also new designs. Vonda is creating new arrangements with these bouquets to keep the websites looking fresh every season. We come up with new designs for holidays, and so we're constantly adding to our photo library of designs that we can feature on the website. So the whole idea is you order the bouquets and everything that you need to make the designs on your website are in those bouquets. So you're not ordering this kind of rows and then this kind of filler and this kind of it's all pre-made in those bouquets. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 11:33

Now I would like to add, because this is where someone might say, well, what if I don't want to buy those bouquets? You have a members who don't order the bouquets. It's an option. Yes. And the thing about it is, you know, I mentioned the average order value, but a huge part of what we do is simplifying. And that's something we've said from the get-go. We simplify the product. So I tell them, look, you have a great local wholesaler that you want to continue to use. That's no problem at all. We've got every flower. So basically, when they go to order those bouquets, they can see a breakdown of what's in the bouquet. So oftentimes, like if 50% of our members don't use the bouquets, what they do is they go out to that form and they call their local wholesaler and say, okay, I'm going to need some purple roses, mini carnations. But you're going to basically use that as an ordering tool. And I love how at the top of the ordering form, you guys put these are the flowers that are going to be on your website from August 15th till the end of November. Yeah. And so that helps them in their ordering, even if they're not choosing to use our bouquets.

SPEAKER_03 12:45

Right. And I think that that's reflected in the website merchandising. You know, you can use a number of different flowers and have numerous designs that look different, different sizes, different shapes, but they're using the same flowers, which simplifies your inventory management. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 13:06

Exactly. You know, the one thing I love to share with shops when they call me, especially those newer shops, and maybe they're smaller and they don't have super seasoned designers. Maybe they themselves are not a seasoned designer. Something that I love to share with them. The thing about the bundles and our recipes, you don't have to be an AIFD designer. I mean, it's great if you are, but you can be an up-and-coming designer and easily follow Bonda's recipes with these bundles. Exactly. Like makes it pretty foolproof to be able to do that. You can be an assistant designer and pretty much make a lot of these things. Or you can be an elite designer and make beautiful things with these. I also love the fact that Audrey and Vonda got together and created fusions, taking half of one bundle and half of another. They put two bundles together that I would have never thought would be a beautiful arrangement, and it's stunning.

SPEAKER_03 14:22

Really, it's endless. I think we have, you know, 28 or 32 different bouquets that we can mix and match.

SPEAKER_04 14:31

I would say, or one thing I tell our shops is that customers are looking at color, they're looking at style, and they're looking at price. They're not zeroing into the exact flowers, you know, that are in. But the florist, they see that. They're like, oh, genius, you know, they love it.

SPEAKER_03 15:14

The one thing I wanted to bring up too about featuring the bouquets was efficiency. We talked about efficiency. And Lori, when you talked about having maybe not seasoned designers in your shop, that especially for holidays, the efficiency in production of many arrangements for Mother's Day or Valentine's Day, the bouquets really help with efficiency during that time when you're producing a lot and you just yeah, you have those things on hand, you grab a bouquet and you have everything you need for that design.

SPEAKER_02 15:53

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 15:54

Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_02 15:55

Well, I mean, Vonda and I talked about that in a few podcasts ago about my son's wedding. You know, she basically had to do all that, and we used all the bundles, and she was that was the first wedding she did with bundles. And she was even she was surprised, you know, at like, wow, like she had always said they're so efficient, but then she truly realized dang, these are efficient. So now it's so cool for us to be able to truly tell people, no, for real, these are efficient because we've done it, we've truly done it. So we practiced what we were preaching, and it's a very cool, cool thing to say. But anyway, I just appreciate the two of you guys really doing a deep dive into those because honestly, those are the two biggest questions, Cammy. You know, that that we get. Um, and I feel like I'm constantly slacking both of you guys when I'm on the phone with someone that reaches out to us. I do want to say one thing about when people reach out to us that want to know about FlowerClick and if it's a good fit for them. And Cammy, you tell me if you find this to be true. I find when people reach out to us, if they come from a business background, they tend to become Flower Click members much quicker than if they do not come from a business background.

SPEAKER_04 17:40

Yeah, I I find that to be true. Sometimes, though, the seasoned designer or the seasoned florist will also will can be both, right? They can be business-minded, but it is true because they don't get so caught up in my own designs and my preferences. And instead, they're really looking at okay, efficiency, like Audrey said. My time is money. They're looking at their time, they're not getting caught up in my designs so much as you know, looking at it from the business perspective of everything we're covering. So, yeah, yeah, it is an easier, almost easier because the long time florists kind of can get in their own way sometimes with wanting to do custom everything. I was just talking to a shop that just joined. Kudos to her because she's doing it. She's like, how I've got to retrain my brain so that I'm not constantly running to the wholesale or constantly doing something custom. I've got to be able to create 10 of these and get them out the door, and I'm gonna be profitable if I do that.

SPEAKER_02 18:45

Right, but I'm one of our new members in Shop Talk. With yeah, that's yeah, and she was saying that, and she was like, I have to remember that my customers have no idea I'm recreating the same design for each of them. It's just me that knows. So, yeah, as far as they know, they're getting a custom design, right?

SPEAKER_03 19:12

Yes, so it's a mindset, but it is way more efficient, and I think bottom line, flower click, our purpose is to help them succeed. So, like Bonda's experience in the industry, like profitability is the biggest thing. Like, you can't keep your shop if you're not profitable, but we also allow for the custom designs and stuff. Cami can put, you know, a category where it is your custom things or designer's choice, which still allows you your artistic creativity side. Yes, to be the forefront. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 19:54

Yep, yep. You know, a long time ago, a couple of years ago, and I think it was at NextGen with Ellie, um, we came up with Flower Click. The whole mission of us is the three P. We should always have the three P's. It should be pretty, profitable, and pleasing to the customer. If it can't have the three Ps, then you shouldn't have it on your website, right? That's what every single design before it goes out the door. I think I was teaching something on customer service, and it has to have the three Ps. And I think that's easy. And when you look at something as a designer, is it pretty? Well, yes. Is it profitable? And will it be pleasing to the customer? It might be pretty in your eyes, but is it pleasing to the customer's eyes? Because sometimes those are different, right? Is that what the customer wanted? That's what I mean by pleasing to their eyes. And so I think that's a easy little quick thing to look at. And that we do at Flower Click.

SPEAKER_04 21:03

I would also say, too, that one of the things that we started out with when we became a company is the the websites are so big now for shoppers. Like I said, they are either buying from it or they're looking at it when they call you. Um, and one of the things that a florist could hear is it didn't look like the picture. And that was one of the things that we were trying to find a solution to because they would hear that objection often. Yeah, it doesn't look like what I bought. And so we're also trying to fill that need where they can make it look like the picture.

SPEAKER_02 21:36

Yeah. And they still, every once in a while, I'll see that on our members' Facebook group. They're still gonna get that complaint. You're still gonna have to substitute, and it just is the because God made flowers look good for always gonna have those people that are gonna complain. But yeah. So anyway. All right. I think we have exhausted all of that, but I do appreciate that. And I hope that our listeners understand a little more about those two things. And if you didn't, and if you want to have more conversation, reach out to me. All right, we're going to the next thing. Now it's on to the fun part. I have some questions that have nothing to do with flower click, but I like to call this the get to know us section.

SPEAKER_04 22:30

Ooh, my favorite.

SPEAKER_02 22:35

So I'm gonna ask some questions. I'm gonna go around the room and we're all gonna answer them. And our listeners will get to know us a little bit. I'm going to start with Audrey. Okay. Audrey, what is something you feel you are not very good at?

SPEAKER_03 23:00

Oh shockingly, it's meeting new people.

SPEAKER_04 23:07

Oh, I just I a hundred percent disagree with you.

SPEAKER_03 23:11

That's a different question, Cami.

SPEAKER_02 23:14

Remember that, Cammy. These are our feelings about I've seen herbs. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 23:20

I can do it. I've trained myself to do it, but I still get intimidated and nervous when we go into a place and I don't know people. No, I don't know anybody. And I have to completely meet new people. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 23:36

You fake it well. Maybe after a couple of cocktails, you're even better at it.

SPEAKER_03 23:44

Couldn't hurt.

SPEAKER_02 23:45

Couldn't hurt. Tammy, what is something you're not very good at?

SPEAKER_04 23:52

Um teaching someone to lie from you. You guys, you guys, I have three 15-year-old girls that have girls, triplets. Triplets that have their learner's permits. And, you know, their dad is a much more patient with them. He's much more patient teacher. Um, but he's not with them as much. I'm the one picking them up, dropping them off, all the things. Oh my gosh. I I lose my mind. And I am not patient. And my brain feels like it's in a vice. Like, yeah, because they are just like not staying in their lane. Oh, let me just say one of mine, I'll let her remain anonymous, but it's one of the three, was driving along the road the other day, and it was about a 20 mile an hour school zone, and she stopped in the middle of the road for someone to turn left in front of her. Well, that's sweet and kind and generous. No, no, right. Luckily, it was one of my friends, okay, and he knows that this is a struggle for me right now. Was it Abby? It was Abby. Oh, it was Abby. She stopped and Abby wouldn't. And he saw me in the passenger seat, like yelling, and my arms are wailing, and I'm going, Go. And then she slams on the gas, and we're like, you know, and he texted me right after that and he said, I feel your pain. I I felt your pain because he's already raised two kids that are driving. I'm terrible at it. Terrible. Lose my mind. So good. I remember those days, and I'm glad they're over.

SPEAKER_02 25:45

I am so glad. I think I told y'all by my third kid I paid Safeway Driving School an exorbitant amount of money just to do it. Just to do it. I just did not care. And it was the greatest thing I ever did for myself.

SPEAKER_04 26:00

They've been through driver's ed. Yeah. And with an instructor, and they're still terrible. Terrible.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

So anyway, are you going to answer to what I am not very good at, and this comes as no surprise, uh, is any type of spreadsheet job, organizational thing that requires spreadsheet. It is a known fact in the world. So, you know, that is it. Next question: What is your favorite book and why? And it can be nonfiction, fiction, sci-fi, adult, you know, whatever. No judgment here. Audrey.

SPEAKER_03 26:48

Lori, you might have guessed. Mine is Chasing Francis. Is that what you were gonna guess?

SPEAKER_02 26:54

No. I was thinking of another one that you and I both love, but that is definitely in my top 10. And why? Tell everybody a little bit about it.

SPEAKER_03 27:01

Oh, it's kind of a self-discovery book. It's a man who kind of loses his focus in life, and his uncle is a Franciscan monk in Italy. And so he travels to Italy and walks the path of Saint Francis of Assisi and just the life lessons that he learns. And if you've ever traveled in Italy, it's very descriptive of Tuscany and Rome. And so it's kind of a self-reflective book, but also it just brings back the memories of traveling to Italy, which I absolutely love. So that is one of my favorite books. I try and read it again every couple years because it just makes me feel so good.

SPEAKER_02 27:52

I need to reread that. It's probably been five years since the last time I've read it.

SPEAKER_03 27:57

Yeah, it's so good.

SPEAKER_02 27:58

It's oh, it is good. And it's I'm looking at it right now up in my bookshelf.

SPEAKER_03 28:04

I completely forgot about it. I've had to rebuy it a couple times because I've lent it to people and I haven't gotten it back, and then I'm like, I want to read that again.

SPEAKER_02 28:12

I'm like, oh, who did I give it to? I forget, so I'm gonna just order it again. So all right, Cami.

SPEAKER_04 28:19

Well, this is a hard question.

SPEAKER_02 28:21

No, it is hard.

SPEAKER_04 28:23

Um I will say, favorite of all time. Yes, it is a trilogy by Frankine Rivers. Oh, yeah. Mark of the Lion. And I thought you were gonna just do her other one. You thought I was gonna say Redeeming Love, but but Mark of the Lion exceeded Redeeming Love. It is three, it is three big books. Okay. You have to start with the first one, and it follows these characters, and I love it because it's historical fiction, which I do love, regardless of whatever I feel like I'm learning more about back in those days, back in Bible days, because it is this one is set back in Bible days, and so it just gives me a whole new perspective. I do remember that it's fiction as I'm reading it, but it gives me a new perspective about the Bible, but it also is so good. And yeah, so that's my favorite. But I will I also have to give a plug for anything, Kristen Hannah. She is not a Christian author, but she's good, and I have devoured every single one of her books. The night and gale, so good. I love that book. I I thought the four winds and the women were women.

SPEAKER_03 29:36

Oh, I haven't read that yet. It's unbelievable.

SPEAKER_04 29:39

Good. So anyway, have to give a shout-out to those two. Good.

SPEAKER_02 29:43

This one, as you know, because I am a book reader, this is impossible for me. But the two, well, it's impossible. So one that I do go back to that I do read every once in a while to go back to because there is something about it is Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan. Oh, yeah. I read that. It's good. It's just stories about the 12 hardest things I'm learning to say. There is something about this book, it is her writing style. She is a really good speaker, a really good writer. I love the cadence of her voice in her books, as well as when she talks. I just love how that book makes me feel. So that is a book that I go back to a lot. A book that I just got that I had pre-ordered a long time ago that I am devouring right now is Sharon Mann's new book, The Small and the Mighty. And I can't put this down right now. It is about 12 unsung Americans who changed the course of history from the founding to the civil rights movement, and it is true history. It is so, so good and inspiring about 12 people I've never heard of who literally changed the course of history in our United States. And it's very inspiring in what I feel like we need right now. I was just gonna say, if we could all read that book before November, yes, that's how I'm like, yay, America. Like it's that's how it makes me feel. And so that is what I am spending my time reading every evening instead of turning on a TV or social media right now, because it's it's pretty cool. The first part of it was a kind of humorous story about a guy that was Alexander Hamilton's best friend that I never heard of, that literally wrote the preamble to the constitution, and he had a peg leg and a burned arm. I was like, I never knew about this man, and he was quite the philanderer, and I mean, but he literally was a huge part of the constitution, but we never heard of him. Okay, all right, here's a fun one. Audrey, who would play Cammy in a movie about her?

SPEAKER_03 32:21

I'm glad you sent these questions to us before because gave us a minute to think. But this one, I thought of it right away, and it was Mandy Moore. And I they um and the reason I think of that is because I think of her as a mother in this is us. And I feel like that is how Cammie is with her kids, like always so encouraging. She's a wonderful mother and a good friend, and yes. Oh that's what made me that's what made me that's what made me think of Mandy Moore right away. Okay, Audrey, that's who I wrote down for you.

SPEAKER_02 33:04

Oh my gosh!

SPEAKER_04 33:07

I wrote down Mandy Moore. I kid you not. That is who I wrote down. I know. I think you kind of look like her, though. You kind of have a similar coloring hair. That's who I think is so funny.

SPEAKER_02 33:22

Okay. I have to tell you who I wrote down for you, Cammy.

SPEAKER_04 33:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 33:29

Felicity Huffman from Desperate Algebra. Wait, let me look her up. The one that had to go to jail because she paid someone to for her daughter to get into UCLA to take because I love it, but you know what?

SPEAKER_04 33:49

I think I'm a mixture of both of those. The devil and the angel right there.

SPEAKER_02 33:54

She loved her daughter so much, she just wanted the best for her. I think I I you know what? I'm not gonna put it in. Funny, yeah, good heart. And here's the thing: she did confess and said, Yes, I did it. I did. I'm willing to do the time. She did, she helped the women in the prison. She did her time, she came out, she's a better person for it. It's okay. It's okay. I love both of those. I love both of those. She's great. I take it. I'm not taking it. In Desperate Housewives, she loved her children, she did everything good for them, but yet she also loved her job. Yeah. I'm gonna watch it. When what season? It was way back. Many seasons way back. Anyway, that's why I chose for you. Love it. And for Audrey, I chose Natalie Portman. Oh, I like her to look like Natalie Portman.

SPEAKER_03 34:51

Thank you. That's one I've never heard. I have heard I look like Charlese. What's her name?

SPEAKER_02 34:57

C. Rome? Yes, that's what she's blonde.

SPEAKER_03 35:04

Well, she's had many hair colors, Lori.

SPEAKER_02 35:06

Oh, that's probably true. I think it looked a little like Natalie.

SPEAKER_03 35:09

Oh, Natalie Portman. I like her.

SPEAKER_02 35:10

And I said Nandy Moore.

SPEAKER_04 35:12

That Nandy Money.

SPEAKER_03 35:14

Okay, and Cammie, who would you pick for Lori?

SPEAKER_04 35:17

I. Without missing a beat, Meg Ryan. Oh, I love Meg Ryan. I like the old Meg Ryan.

SPEAKER_02 35:24

Please tell me pre-plastic surgery.

SPEAKER_04 35:26

Oh, way pre-plastic.

SPEAKER_02 35:28

I'm thinking sleepless in Seattle. Good. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 35:31

You know what I mean? Cute. Okay. Just so bubbly. Bookstore owner.

SPEAKER_02 35:37

Oh, good.

SPEAKER_04 35:38

Go. I'm sorry. That was the first thing that came to my mind. The Meg Ryan Wee film.

SPEAKER_03 35:42

Cute little baggy jeans. Yes. Well, and Lori, I would pick Amy Poehr for you because you are the funniest person I know. You make me laugh more than anybody ever.

SPEAKER_02 35:55

Oh, I love it. My students used to call me her. Oh. Oh, great. Thanks. So anyway. Okay. That's awesome. At least we know if we anyone ever makes a movie about us who will play us. Okay. Okay, here's an interesting one.

SPEAKER_04 36:18

Cammy, how big is your inner circle? It's really small, actually. I would say I mean six to eight people. And four of those live with me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:40

The other four you work with.

SPEAKER_02 36:43

And the other, the other ones are on the call with you right now. Oh my gosh. That's so funny.

SPEAKER_04 36:51

Yeah. Hey, it gets smaller the older.

SPEAKER_03 36:54

I was just gonna say that mine also is very small. I feel like when my kids were busy in school and active, it might have been bigger. But as I've gotten older and more, maybe? Yes. Yeah. Cammy, we are a little bit older than you are.

SPEAKER_02 37:16

Yes, we are.

SPEAKER_03 37:17

And so I feel like as I've learned who I am and who I want pouring into my life, my circle has gotten smaller.

SPEAKER_04 37:25

Which is not a terrible thing. I'll have four. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 37:30

But you know, I always tell my kids too, like, you just need one or two really good friends.

SPEAKER_02 37:37

Also think Audrey, you and I have talked about this because people have come in and out of our lives. Um, and we've talked about people are in our lives for seasons. I do believe that God brings people in your life for reasons and for seasons. Yeah. And that's okay because they are not in your life anymore, doesn't mean that's a bad thing.

SPEAKER_03 38:04

And a true friend will understand that. A true friend will say, Yes, we were there for each other at this season, and we could not have been closer and appreciate those times and not bold any resentment when that season is over.

SPEAKER_02 38:21

Right, right. That's so good. But I do think the older we get, the smaller those circles are. My husband and I joke about as old as we are now, or like, who the heck? We might have three people at our funeral. And that's our kids, maybe, if they have time. Like, I don't know. Would they even come? So anyway, okay, on a lighter note, Audrey, what was your first job?

SPEAKER_03 38:48

Um, I worked at Mr. Hero, which was a cheesesteak place, and we had brown and orange plaid polyester apron dresses, and I had to wear a babushka. Yes. And it was not the best job, but I worked with my friends from high school, so we had a good time, and I didn't have a car, so I had to ride my bike there. Nice. Yes. And I came home and I would bring a little dish of degreaser home with me to wash my uniform because it always smelled so bad. You know, that polyester stuff would not come clean. Yeah. That was my first job.

SPEAKER_02 39:40

How long were you there?

SPEAKER_03 39:42

Two years in high school, my junior and senior year.

SPEAKER_02 39:45

Look at you being a stable worker.

SPEAKER_03 39:49

And then in college, I came home and I worked in an accountant office and I was the receptionist.

SPEAKER_02 39:54

Well, that's a better job.

SPEAKER_03 39:56

It was an upgrade.

SPEAKER_02 39:57

You moved on up. I moved on up. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 40:00

What about you, Cammy? Well, speaking of Greece, my first job was at KFC. Well, there you go. And I had to wear shoes that were like anti-slip, those big, big black anti-slip shoes. I I applied several places, and I got a job at KFC, and I got a job at a department store, clothing department store at the same time. But there was a cute boy that I liked that worked at KFC, so I picked KFC. Well, understandable. Understandable. And I worked there about four months, and then I got a job at the bank, the local bank, and I was a courier. I would drive things from town to town. Like at the time, they had like a proof machine you would have to run things through. I would run all the receipts. Anyway, I got a job at the bank after that. That's a last grade. Much. It was definitely an upgrade. So both of us, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 40:52

Fast food. Yeah. Yeah. Lori.

SPEAKER_02 40:58

Well, I didn't do fast food. I was a lifeguard. Oh, yeah. I can see that. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 41:07

You were much cooler than me and Cam. Ryan was a lifeguard.

SPEAKER_02 41:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 41:13

We weren't wearing big black shoes and a babuska.

SPEAKER_02 41:15

Wear big black shoes or babushka. I wore Sven Suton Ray-Vans. However, here's what I did. I did have to clean bathrooms. We had to clean the bathrooms at night. Also, this one other lifeguard and I we taught a special need swim team. And that's when I fell in love with wanting to teach and work with children with intellectual disabilities. And it was one of the most fun things I ever did because I had this one little boy who was faithful to come to practice and meets every single day, every single morning, but not once got in, but always put on his goggles and his swimsuit and clapped at the side and pretended he was going to get in, but never got in, but went woo woo the whole time. And he was the cheerleader. He was a cheerleader. And we had more fun than any other team, but we didn't get a lot done. But I was a lifeguard every single summer, all the way up through college. And then in college, but that led me to be able to have a part-time job in college. I worked at the local Y as a lifeguard. And then I became a water aerobics instructor. I got certified in water aerobics as you can see that. So I've just always been in water. And I joke about when I'm like, oh, I need my pool time for my water therapy. That's for real. It's for real. It has always been my safe space. So all right. Last question What is one piece of advice you would give someone who is starting in the flower industry? If someone called you and said, hey, I am reaching out to you because I'm just starting a flower shop. What should I do?

SPEAKER_04 43:35

I'm going to start with you, Kami. This one's an easy um answer for me. I would, number one, I would talk to them about getting a Google listing because it's free and that's where everybody finds you, is on Google. Um, you've got to do that. The second thing, to me, that's kind of a no brainer. So I'm but I'm just gonna say it. And then the second thing is I would go to one of those platforms. platforms that we were saying we bridge the gap on. Yeah. Right. Like a File Shop Network or a Florenext or a Teleflora or a hand. Right. There's a lot of platforms out there that I would not build it from scratch. I'm sorry. That's just what you not to dislike Shopify. No, no, no. Because it can be done. Right. But it's hard. It's too much. Someone's already invented the wheel. Right. And you don't need to do that. And that would be my advice to a new shop. You don't have to start from ground up. There's people that have done it already.

SPEAKER_03 44:34

Okay. Great. And I'll piggyback on that when Cammy says there's people who have done it. I would say reach out to the floral community. Get on the flower groups on Facebook or your local floral organizations. I have found so we've all been in this industry now for we kind of started a little bit together. Yeah. I don't know, 10 or 12 years. And I have found that they're the most generous, kind, open-hearted people. There are so many people, flower clickers and otherwise, who really, really want to help people who are just starting in the industry. They want to share their knowledge. They want to encourage you and help you succeed. I have found that people who own the flower shops, they really care about people. I mean you can be a talented designer and love to be working with flowers and stuff. But really the heart of being a flower shop owner is you're sharing these flowers for a purpose, for encouragement, for comfort, for whatever. And so I would say reach out to your community, the floral community and allow them to help you.

SPEAKER_02 45:53

My advice is social media is your biggest form of advertising and it's 100% free. Whether you have a million dollars whether you have a thousand dollars it doesn't matter. It is your best form of advertisement. I was listening to a TikTok because everyone knows I love TikToks the other day and there is a boy on there that interviews millionaires and he always asks what's your biggest piece of advice for anyone and he was interviewing a woman that is you know he always asks what's the the most amount of money you made and what's your industry and I can't remember what her industry is but the most amount of money she made in one year was like 12 13 million dollars. And her biggest piece of advice was she used to spend a ton of money on advertising and she said it is ridiculous not to use social media. She said social media makes everything an even playing field now. Whether you are a millionaire or whether you are a brand new self-starter it's an even playing field out there. And if you are not using social media you are missing the mark and I 100% agree with that. If you are brand new or even if you are a few years old and you are wondering why are my sales not where they're supposed to be it's because you are not utilizing free social media Instagram TikTok even Facebook get it out there but you have to be consistent. You have to put yourself out there in order for people to see what your products are and who you are.

SPEAKER_04 47:38

People buy who you are not just what you make that's my advice and with that Lori that wraps up so well because we talked about what we make at Flower Click and then we talked about who we are. There you go.

SPEAKER_02 47:52

I shouldn't mean for that to happen full circle. Vonda I hope you're proud of us when you edit this you know she's going to be a little upset because we went to we went a little long yeah we didn't have Vonda to to rein us in no this is what happens Vonda when you're not here so we're sorry. We love you. We love you very much. So all right guys thanks for joining us we hope for inviting us for listening to our podcast.

SPEAKER_01 48:22

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 48:38

We look forward to seeing you next week. So please come back and join us in discovering a little bit of knowledge and one small change in your mindset that can take you to new levels in your life and business.