In episode 120, we have the pleasure of reconnecting with the incredible Francoise Weeks, whose hands weave magic with woodland designs. She's back with a treasure trove of wisdom in her new book, Wonder of the Woodlands: The Art of Seeing and Creating with Nature. It's a visual feast over 200 pages long, and trust us, it's a must-have for your collection. Francoise's zest for life is contagious. We're fortunate that she not only inspires us through her floral artistry, but also with her...

In this episode, Natalie & Meg, co-owners of Native Poppy, take us behind the scenes of their retail shops in San Diego, where they've created an immersive experience for their customers. In an effort to explain the price gap between flowers bought at locally-owned flower shops vs. large grocery store chains, they speak about the unique characteristics of their shops including the extensive training their team undergoes to become skilled floral artists and the seasonal art installations...

In this episode of the Botanical Brouhaha podcast, Amy McGee and Natalie Gill, the co-hosts, interview Marsha Parker, a seasoned teacher with a passion for history and culture. Marsha shares her experiences teaching around the world and her personal battle with cancer as a 3x survivor. She discusses how these experiences influenced her floral business, Refined Gatherings, which specializes in creating floral experiences for cancer survivors and others facing health challenges. The...

In this podcast episode, flower farmer and author Lennie Larkin of B-Side Farm discusses her experiences in the flower farming industry, her book Flower Farming for Profit,  and her educational initiatives for other farmers. She talks about her transition from other careers to farming, the financial aspects of the business, and the importance of strategic planning and efficiency. Larkin also reflects on the personal challenges of relocating her farm and starting over in a new community. The...

In this podcast episode, Amy and Natalie visit with flower shop owner Stacy K Ercan of Stacy K Floral in Rochester, New York. She shares about her shop expansion and business model which includes a collaborative space with a coffee counter, retail offerings, and a subscription service. Stacey K also talks about how her background working with tents, events, and trade show exhibits helps her have an edge when bidding on events in her community. She discusses employee motivation, financial...

In this episode of the BB podcast, Amy and Natalie talk with Lucy Hunter about her 20+ year career in landscape design and her newest book The Flower Hunter: Creating a floral love story inspired by the landscape. Lucy shares openly about her past burnout, her shift towards flower design, and her return to the landscapes that inspire her creativity. This conversation delves into the impact of age on creative confidence and the pressures of social media. Lucy shares how routines inspire her...

In this podcast episode, Amy & Natalie conclude Season 7 with a Q&A session centered around listeners' questions. Natalie shares insights on pricing strategies, staff payment, and the benefits of an a la carte menu in the floral industry. She also discusses the challenges of balancing motherhood and business. And, finally, Amy and Natalie emphasize the importance of networking, reviews, and open discussions about industry topics. A special thanks to Madrid Flower School for...

Floral designer Carrington Winkelmann, owner of The Farmer & I in the Texas Hill Country, shares her journey from college days dreaming to starting her own flower business with her flower farming husband, Grant. She discusses the challenges and rewards of running a business, including managing inventory, managing client expectations, and pricing her services. Carrington shares her dream for the future, which includes housing all parts of her business with her husband on one piece of land...

In this podcast episode, a seasoned rooftop flower farmer (yes, you heard that right - she farms on rooftops) shares extensive experience in agriculture. Joanna Letz, owner of Bluma Flower Farm, discusses the transition from traditional farming to rooftop farming, the unique challenges it presents, and the logistics involved. She also talks about her business, which includes a variety of offers such as retail, direct-to-consumer sales, weddings, events, and teaching. Joanna emphasizes the...

In BB Podcast Episode 111, Abby Daigle, owner of Stems Floral Design & Event Styling in Austin, Texas shares her journey from growing up in the events industry at the venue owned by her family to starting her own floral business. She discusses her love for weddings, the services her company offers, and her business model, which includes a showroom for full-service wedding clients and important relationships with industry vendors. She also talks about her team structure, hiring process,...

In this podcast episode, we visit with Rachel Nafis, owner of Psalter Farm Flowers, an urban flower farm in San Diego. Rachel shares a behind the scenes look at her unique business model. She grows flowers in her neighbors' yards and then supplies San Diego shops and florists with her local grown flowers. Rachel discusses the challenges and rewards of farming in an urban setting, the importance of community and connections, and the ecological impact of her work. She also talks about her...

In Episode 109, Botanical Brouhaha Podcast co-hosts Amy and Natalie welcome guest Graeme Corbett of Bloom & Burn back to the show. They discuss Graeme's shift towards working mostly with British-grown flowers and he reflects on his decision to scale back the number of weddings he accepts while incorporating more teaching into his business model. They touch on what led to Graeme's decision to move to the Kent countryside with his partner and how he's adapted to a slower pace of life. They...

In the first episode of Season 7, Amy and Natalie (Native Poppy founder) share what led to the strong bond between them which ultimately led to Natalie becoming the co-host of the Botanical Brouhaha Podcast. Setting the stage for their new podcast format, Amy and Natalie dive into their hopes for the podcast including a shared desire for more laughter and deeply honest conversations around topics that impact flower business owners. They introduce their guest, Rachel Bridgwood, co-owner of ...

After taking a few months off to rest and reflect, the podcast is back! And we have a new co-host you're going to love! The first episode of Season 7 will drop on September 6th and we couldn't be more excited to hit the ground running. We've missed our chats!

Overcoming the fear of starting and financing a new business idea Learning the basics of business startup Testing the popup concept The importance of packaging at a popup Bringing the skill of fashion buying to a flower shop The power of asking questions Building a team Becoming a mother while running a business LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 107: Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising  Gansevoort Market Tori Burch Foundation Fleishman is in Trouble FOLLOW POPUPFLORIST: WEBSITE ...

Today's Guest: Yasamin Salavatian  Topic: Brand Communication in True You Fashion If you're struggling to find the words to convey who you are and what you do, today's episode is for you! We can't wait for you to meet Yasamin Salavatian, Yasi for short. She describes her expertise like this: "I partner with you to bring words to your vision, leading you to differentiate your brand from the sea of…well, let’s face it - drab. As a Storytelling Strategist (and your Partner-in-Communication),...

Today we’re visiting with Amy Dunlap, owner of Stemz, Inc. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Amy never could seem to avoid the draw of flower shop jobs in high school and college. After studying horticulture in college and getting a Masters degree in Agricultural Education and Communication, she opened a home-based floral design business to service weddings and events and eventually bought a building to house her business. Following her intuition, Amy decided to close her shop in 2018. But...

Today we’re visiting with Tina Sharpe, owner of Living Fresh Home Goods & Flower Shop in St. Jacobs, Ontario. Tina has woven together a business model uniquely built on her life experiences - first managing garden centers and greenhouses, then studying floral and interior design, and ultimately finding the love of her life, moving her business to the charming Village of St. Jacobs, and restructuring to a 4-day work week alongside her husband which leaves time for travel and rest.   If...

Today we’re visiting with Brittany Sarhage, owner of Rudy's Flower Truck in St. Louis, Missouri. Brittany embodies the courage and tenacity most of us wish we had. She started a flower truck business with no prior experience in the industry and has continued to steadily grow the business while caring for both her customers and her city. Join us as we talk with Brittany about: How she came to own 2 flower trucks with no prior floristry experience Why she wanted to start her business in St....

Today we’re visiting with Felicia Alvarez, owner of Menagerie Farm & Flower in the Sacramento Valley of California. Felicia returned to the prune farm she grew up on to raise her own children there —and decided to add a rose farm and nursery to the property. She's a committed advocate for fellow flower farmers. Join us as we talk with Felicia about: Breaking into rose farming Staffing for the ebb and flow of flower farming Scheduling and hiring for efficiency Learning the logistics and...

TODAY’S GUEST: Hitomi Gilliam AIFD TODAY'S TOPIC: FREESIA Summit Today I’ve invited our friend Hitomi Gilliam back to the podcast to talk about the FREESIA Challenge & upcoming FREESIA Summit she co-founded with Gregor Lersch and Colin Gilliam. Since the summit is right around the corner, I’ve asked Hitomi to give us the scoop because it’s an incredibly affordable educational opportunity with a top-notch lineup of educators and designers! What is the freesia summit? It's 3 days of...

Today we’re visiting with Brooke Snodgrass, owner of Seventh Stem in Portland, Oregon. Brooke entered the flower world while working for a flower farmer as a side hustle to her career in finance. An avid gardener, she grows varieties that make her happy while using her private garden as inspiration for her designs. Join us as we talk with Brooke about: Finding her footing in the floral profession while working for a flower farmer at the Portland Flower Market Navigating illness as a wedding...

From YOUR HOST, AMY MCGEE: While I could go on and on about Hitomi Gilliam & Gregor Lersch — the things they've accomplished, the books they’ve written, and the competitions they’ve won — I’ll leave the details of their stories to them. I want you to hear it in their words. What I really want to tell you about first is how I met them and how they’ve each impacted my life not only as a floral professional, but also how they’ve touched my life personally. It’s no accident that I met both...

Today we’re visiting with Melissa Sullivan, owner of Le Bloomerie in Los Gatos, California. Melissa jumped into the floral profession with enthusiasm after a career in healthcare. She believes in dreaming big and tuning out any negativity as she pursues her dreams. Join us as we talk about: Her thoughts on creating, paying for, and collaborating with other vendors for editorial work The role editorial work plays in the Le Bloomerie business model Why she believes it’s imperative that floral...