1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Make it Work

Speaker: Derek Woodruff, AIFD, CFD, CF, PFCI, Floral Underground

In a world of uncertainties when it comes to supply and demand, trends, and curveballs at every corner, what can you do to sharpen your skillset? In the craft of floral design, stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying new things will help push your boundaries and make you more than just a creative designer. In this design program, learn how to turn obstacles into opportunities.

You’ll learn:

• How to be creative with limited resources.
• How to pivot and make alternative substitution selections.
•  The latest in design styles, trends and products.

2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Network and Meet with Tabletops

1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Stress-Free Events

Speaker: Tim Farrell, AAF, AIFD, PFCI; Farrell’s Florist

According to The Knot’s 2021 Real Weddings Survey, the average American couple will spend almost $34,000 on their big day — and they’re allotting about $2,300 of that money toward flowers and décor. How can you and your team capture more of this (big) business? During this interactive session, longtime florist Tim Farrell will share tips on how to generate more wedding and event business — including practical tips on how to adapt designs to the tastes (and budgets) of very different clients — all with the goal of more profit, less stress and stronger wedding and event sales.

You’ll learn:

• How to create different styles that you can customize for different events — and training tips for the design room that can help get even less experienced designers up to speed quickly.
• Tips and techniques on how to scale up or down according to budget considerations — and advice on how to communicate more effectively up front with couples on their expectations and your services.
•  Design ideas and inspiration through hands-on demonstrations.

2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Network and Meet with Tabletops

2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Incentive Plans that Recruit, Motivate and Retain Teams

Speaker: Derrick Myers, CPA, PFCI, Crockett & Myers Associates

A business’s long-term ability to recruit and retain top talent is dependent on how it rewards its team. Floral businesses with solid incentive programs in place are finding they can compete with large corporations for talent and enjoy higher sales and profits. Geared toward owners and employees alike, this session sheds light on how and why incentive plans achieve business goals — including greater employee satisfaction — and how to identify areas in your business that an incentive program could improve. Discover how an incentive program revolutionized one florist’s business and how you can scale a program based on your business size and model.

You’ll learn:

• How to structure an incentive program for different positions – and use your financial statement to formulate your plan.
• How “blended” programs can work for teams that work across multiple departments.
• How to avoid the typical missteps of bonus and incentive programs

3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Network and Meet with Tabletops

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Communication: If I Could Read Their Mind…

Speaker: Vonda LaFever, AIFD, PFCI & Lori Wilson, Flower Clique

Customer service starts in the store with a strong team, common goals, and clear communication. When there is a disconnect between leadership and other staff members it leads to frustration, dissension and even turnover. Wouldn’t it be great if you could read the mind of your employees, and they could read yours? In this fun and informative session for employers and employees Lori Wilson and Vonda LaFever AIFD, PFCI, of Flower Clique share actual stories of what owners thought they communicated clearly and how it was perceived differently.

You’ll learn:

• The most common areas of miscommunication.
• How to articulate your expectations and break down misunderstandings.
• What every owner and manager wants their team to know and what every employee wishes they could tell their boss.

5:15 p.m.
Closing Comments

5:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Network and Meet with Tabletops

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Network, Meet with Tabletops, Light Lunch Served

Sponsored By:

1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Welcome and Opening Comments

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Network, Meet with Tabletops, Light Lunch served

1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Welcome and Opening Comments

1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Fast, Profitable – and Sustainable – Holiday Designs

Speaker: Kevin Ylvisaker, AIFD, CAFA, CFD, PFCI, Floral Trend Consultant

With staff time being limited, retailers need to learn new, efficient ways to produce and sell profitable holiday arrangements — and if you can do that while also  delivering on the consumer’s interest in sustainability, you’ll truly set your brand apart and enjoy increased loyalty. Join the award-winning Kevin Ylvisaker AIFD, PFCI, as he shares some of his favorite time-saving tools and demonstrates techniques for creating gorgeous holiday arrangements using earth-friendly materials.

You’ll learn:

• New techniques for creating holiday designs with high impact and minimal product
• How to use and design with the latest foundation media on the market
• Producing and selling profitable arrangements using sustainable items

2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Network and Meet with Tabletops

2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Automate Your Email and Social Media Marketing

Speaker: Melanie Spilbeler, FreshPath Marketing

Demand is high – there are plenty of flower buyers out there – but with lean teams, how do you find the time to capture new flower buyers and drive repeat business from existing customers? The key is to work smarter, not harder – and you can do that, regardless of the size of your team, with the right systems in place and by using automation that’s right at your fingertips.

You’ll learn:

• How to streamline your promotional planning processes
• Best practices for automating your email marketing
• How to use content calendars and other no- or low-cost tools to streamline your social media marketing efforts

3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Network and Meet with Tabletops

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Incentive Plans that Recruit, Motivate and Retain Teams

Speaker: Derrick Myers, CPA, PFCI, Crockett & Myers Associates

A business’s long-term ability to recruit and retain top talent is dependent on how it rewards its team. Floral businesses with solid incentive programs in place are finding they can compete with large corporations for talent and enjoy higher sales and profits. Geared toward owners and employees alike, this session sheds light on how and why incentive plans achieve business goals – including greater employee satisfaction – and how to identify areas in your business that an incentive program could improve. Discover how an incentive program revolutionized one florist’s business and how you can scale a program based on your business size and model.

You’ll learn:

• How to structure an incentive program for different positions – and use your financial statement to formulate your plan.
• How “blended” programs can work for teams that work across multiple departments.
• How to avoid the typical missteps of bonus and incentive programs

5:15 p.m.

Closing Comments

5:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Network and Meet with Tabletops

Supplier Showcase

14 top floral industry vendors will showcase the newest products and network with attendees.

• Syndicate Sales
• The Queen’s Flowers
• Transflora
• Valley Springs

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Registration, Breakfast & Supplier Showcase

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Opening Comments

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Extraordinary Service in Your Shop Every Day

Speaker: Sam Bowles FSC, FloralStrategies

Sponsored by FloristWare

Whether they buy flowers online, over the phone or in the shop, consumers have high expectations for customer service. Veteran floral business educator Sam Bowles points out tools, ideas and concepts that demonstrate your expertise and readiness to help customers select the perfect arrangement for any occasion. Additionally, Bowles shares anecdotes from his ongoing work as manager at one of the country’s top flower shops.

You’ll learn:

• Effective language to greet customers, introduce more high-end designs and handle complaints with professionalism and grace, putting buyer and seller at ease
• Simple ways to engage customers on the floor and tactics to empower even your shyest employees
• Follow-up techniques to ensure customers’ complete satisfaction and how to nonchalantly prompt them to share their experience online

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Supplier Showcase Vendor Spotlight, Networking and Refreshment Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Eventology: The Science of Profitable Events

Speaker: Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI, Crockett, Myers & Associates, Inc.

Creating a profitable event package isn’t magic … it’s science. It requires solid pricing formulas that factor in all the unexpected costs that pop up when you least expect them. Floral industry financial expert Derrick Myers and his alter ego “The Professor” explain how it’s done in this lighthearted but fact-filled lesson in the science of “Eventology.”

You’ll learn:

• Event pricing formulas that guarantee profitability
• Ways to ensure you’re paid for delivery, setup, teardown — even handholding a bride
• What you need to know about each venue — before you price the job

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Supplier Showcase and Networking Lunch

Visit growers, technology companies and supply manufacturers in the SAF Supplier Showcase and mix and mingle with fellow attendees.

Hortica has very generously sponsored lunch.

1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Digital Strategies that Drive Everyday Business

Sponsored by Floriology
Presenter: Renato Cruz Sogueco, AAF, PFCI, business instructor, Floriology powered by BloomNet

Summer and fall offer a little breather before the rush of the winter and spring holidays, making now an optimal time to rev up your digital marketing engine. Strategic search and online advertising approaches can drive business year-round — and ensure that your flowers and services are top-of-mind with your customers (even when Valentine’s Day is months — and months —away!). Join Renato Cruz Sogueco, AAF, PFCI, for a fast-paced primer on best practices and steps to creating a durable online strategy and four-season marketing approach to build everyday web sales.

You’ll learn:

• Top SEO practices to build rank and relevance
• Proven Google AdWords strategies to help you compete with national competitors
• How to leverage consumer trends, including associated keywords to rank in searches for other gift segments

2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Vendor Spotlight/Refreshment Break/Supplier Showcase

2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Wedding Designs, Tricks and Tools You’ll Love

Presenter: Loann Burke, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI, event specialist at Furst Florist and Greenhouses

Sponsored by Smithers-Oasis

Ah, weddings. The work can be creatively fulfilling — and heartbreaking. Seldom do brides’ pricing expectations align with their visions shaped by dreamy images on Pinterest and Instagram. Sylvia Cup champion Loann Burke, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, demonstrates techniques for creating some of today’s hippest looks, such as loose, unstructured hand-tied bouquets and hoop arrangements plus florals for table décor, arches and ceremony embellishments. Watch how to design in a more efficient and profitable manner and see multiple applications for those arrangements to minimize your labor and costs while maximizing your client’s budget. She also shares some of her favorite time-saving tools, including the Oasis Casket Saddle (works just as well for nuptials as funerals!) and Midnight Floral Foam, and flower care essentials for weddings and events. You’ll walk away energized, empowered and educated on how to earn a fair fee for your talents.

You’ll learn:

• Three techniques for creating loose, unstructured designs beloved by today’s brides
• Trendy designs with multiple uses to get more mileage for your client’s budget
• Care and handling tips specific for weddings and events

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Conference Wrap Up

4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Bouquets & Bouts*

Presenter: Loann Burke, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI, event specialist at Furst Florist and Greenhouses

Sponsored by Smithers-Oasis

You watched her demo them, now it’s your turn. In this hands-on, interactive workshop, Sylvia Cup champion Loann Burke, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, helps you master the mechanics of constructing a loose hand-tied bouquet and hoop arrangement. Plus, you’ll learn a quick technique to create a peel-and-stick option for any boutonniere.

* You must be registered for SAF 1-Day Profit Blast to attend this hands-on workshop, and there is an additional fee to participate. Members pay $49; Non-members pay $79. Space is limited to the first 24 who sign up. 

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Supplier Showcase

Visit growers, technology companies and supply manufacturers in the SAF Supplier Showcase and mix and mingle with fellow attendees.

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Registration, Breakfast & Supplier Showcase

8:30– 9 a.m.

Opening Comments

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Design Hacks and Smart Services to Delight Consumers

Speaker: Jody McLeod, AIFD, CFD, NCCPF, owner of Annie V’s Floral Design Studio, Clayton, North Carolina

Sponsored by: Syndicate Sales

Recreational floral design and experiential in-store events. Loose, billowing bouquets and centerpieces. Large floral showpieces and plant ephemera. Many of today’s hottest trends are show-stoppers, and time sucks for your design staff — if you aren’t taking advantage of cutting-edge products and mechanics to minimize labor. Join Jody McLeod, AIFD, CFD, NCCPF, as he demonstrates clever design hacks, including cages and accessories to elevate statues, picture frames and urns in event and sympathy designs. Watch McLeod demonstrate how the Holly Chapple Egg and Pillow mechanics are game changers for wedding and event work, saving you precious time and money. He’ll also discuss revenue-driving services you can offer, such as flower and terrarium bars, design workshops and subscription services, to engage consumers, cultivate loyalty and increase sales.

You’ll learn: 

• Handy techniques using innovative tools and accessories to create distinctive — and profitable — designs for everyday arrangements, event and sympathy work
• Ideas for in-store experiences that entice foot traffic and create flower and plant enthusiasts who turn into repeat customers
• How to cater to consumers’ interests in sustainable design solutions and subscription services

10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Supplier Showcase Vendor Spotlight, Networking and Refreshment Break

11:00 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.

Lost in Space: Where are Your Profits?

Speaker: Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI, president of Crockett, Myers & Associates, Inc.

Dive deep into the six main cost centers of your floral business for an eye-opening look at cost of goods sold, labor, delivery, occupancy, marketing and wire service business. Floral finance wiz Derrick Myers shows you how to track, measure and adjust costs — and increase profits in ways you never thought possible.

You’ll learn:

• How to understand — and use — formulas and worksheets to improve your profits
• Time-tested cost control techniques used by hundreds of profitable florists
• The most common — and detrimental — black holes of lost profits in every business

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Supplier Showcase and Networking Lunch

Visit growers, technology companies and supply manufacturers in the SAF Supplier Showcase and mix and mingle with fellow attendees.

Hortica has very generously sponsored lunch.

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Extraordinary Service in Your Shop Every Day

Speaker: Sam Bowles FSC, FloralStrategies

Sponsored by FloristWare

Whether they buy flowers online, over the phone or in the shop, consumers have high expectations for customer service. Veteran floral business educator Sam Bowles points out tools, ideas and concepts that demonstrate your expertise and readiness to help customers select the perfect arrangement for any occasion. Additionally, Bowles shares anecdotes from his ongoing work as manager at one of the country’s top flower shops.

You’ll learn:

• Effective language to greet customers, introduce more high-end designs and handle complaints with professionalism and grace, putting buyer and seller at ease
• Simple ways to engage customers on the floor and tactics to empower even your shyest employees
• Follow-up techniques to ensure customers’ complete satisfaction and how to nonchalantly prompt them to share their experience online

3:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Vendor Spotlight/Refreshment Break/Supplier Showcase

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Six Steps to a Profitable Social Media Strategy

Speaker: Crystal Vilkaitis, owner, Crystal Media

Not enough hours in the day to focus on your store’s social media? Get a crash-course in social media planning from Crystal Vilkaitis, one of the nation’s premier social media experts for retailers. She shares her proven step-by-step process that is helping thousands of business owners save time and increase sales.

You’ll learn:

• How to create a strong social media foundation
• Actionable and easy to-do’s to support your business goals
• The types of social content that connects and converts
• What social media metrics to track and how to measure success
• How to effectively reach your customers

5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Supplier Showcase and Networking Break

Visit growers, technology companies and supply manufacturers in the SAF Supplier Showcase and mix and mingle with fellow attendees.

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Registration, Breakfast & Supplier Showcase

8:30– 9 a.m.

Opening Comments

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

M³ : Money Making Mechanics

Speakers: Jody McLeod, AIFD, CFD, NCCPF, owner of Annie V’s Floral Design Studio, Clayton, North Carolina; and Derek C. Woodruff, AIFD, CFD, CF, PFCI, owner of Floral Underground, Traverse City, Michigan
Sponsored by: Syndicate Sales

In any business, including the floral business, time = money. In this engaging program, Jody McLeod and Derek Woodruff share solutions using design mechanics, new and old, to help you increase efficiencies and grow your bottom line profit. And while you may be thinking mainly of floral mechanics, this program will also teach the mechanics behind using plant-based events that will grow your business and tap into the terrarium craze.

You’ll Learn: 

• Why using the right mechanics in your designs is critical
• How to use sustainable floral design mechanics to save time, money and increase your bottom line for everyday and event arrangements
• What mechanics to use for executing a successful and profitable terrarium bar or plant focused-event in your store

10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Vendor Spotlight/Refreshment Break/Supplier Showcase

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

A Roadmap for Profitable Deliveries

Speaker: Paul Goodman, MBA, CPA, PFCI, president of Floral Finance Business Services.

Delivery is a valuable service that distinguishes professional florists from mass-market retailers — but it can seriously erode your profit margin if not managed well. Paul Goodman, MBA, CPA, PFCI, author of “The Profit Minded Florist,” reveals best practices to minimize labor and vehicle costs, tips to increase volume, and pricing strategies to turn last-minute orders and other special requests into money-making opportunities.

You’ll learn:

• How to set delivery zones and charges
• How to track drivers’ productivity
• Where to find quality drivers for holidays

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Vendor Spotlight/Lunch/Supplier Showcase

Sponsored by: Hortica Insurance & Employee Benefits

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Smart Selling

Speaker: Tim Huckabee, president of FloralStrategies, LLC

Tim Huckabee has visited roughly 6,000 flower shops, training florists in the art of sales, management, merchandising and customer service for over 20 years as president of FloralStrategies. Time and time again, he’s encountered the same issues, regardless of shop size, location or years in business. In this presentation — a live, interactive version of his new Floral Management column — he details the processes that will improve your shop’s customer satisfaction and lead to a fatter profit margin.

You’ll learn:

• How to teach your team how to give exemplary service on the phone and and on the floor
• Discover how you can easily increase nearly every sale by 20% or more by simply listening better
• Find the hidden profits in the items and services your staff aren’t offering shoppers now

Plus listen in as Tim makes mystery shopper calls to real florist shops!

3:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Vendor Spotlight/Refreshment Break/Supplier Showcase

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Pick Me! Stand Out and Sell More Online

Speaker: Josh Glass, AAF,  vice president, Peoples Flower Shops

The World Wide Web is arguably the world’s largest shopping mall — and it has way too many retailers to count. How’s a florist supposed to get attention in such a crowded marketplace? It’s a challenge — but not an insurmountable one, contends Josh Glass, AAF, vice president of Peoples Flower Shops in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In this jam-packed session, he’ll share a range of tweaks big and small that help customers find you and, once on your site, spend significant time and money.

You’ll learn:

• Simple actions that raise your Google Quality Score
• Why GoogleAds are so effective and how to get started
• To view your website through customers’ eyes and how to edit it to align with their needs and preferences

5:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Conference Wrap Up

5:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Supplier Showcase

Supplier Showcase, Networking Breaks and Lunch

Take advantage of breaks throughout the day to visit growers, technology companies and supply manufacturers in the SAF Supplier Showcase and mix and mingle with fellow attendees.

Hortica has very generously sponsored a delicious lunch, during which attendees can not only nourish themselves but also visit with fellow attendees and suppliers.