Educational Session Handouts

Thursday, September 7

State of The Industry

Speaker: Kate Penn, CEO, Society of American Florists

SAF CEO Kate Penn tees up the convention with a high-level overview of the state of the floral industry. Based on the most recent floral industry data, SAF member surveys and dozens of interviews with industry leaders across all sectors, Penn details the high and low points of the past year, challenges and opportunities going into 2024, and what SAF is doing to help the industry address them.

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Operational Tools That Sustain Your Business

Speaker: Liza Roeser, AAF, Fifty Flowers

Have you hit the ceiling? Feeling burned out? Is growth harder to achieve? Are you spending 100% of your time on execution and 0% on strategy? Given the increased demand, combined with supply chain and labor challenges, it’s not surprising. It might be time to adapt a business operating system – a set of processes that define your company’s unique way of doing business, from building the right kind of team, to establishing goals and managing based on data, not emotions.

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Experience Zone: Clique & Create with Flower Clique!

Speakers: Vonda LaFever, AIFD, PFCI, Ellie LaFever, PFCI, Lori Wilson, PFCI

Join Vonda and Ellie for a dynamic 20-minute session where they’ll share practical tips and tricks specifically tailored for retail florists. Vonda will guide you through the art of design and delegation, unveiling simple yet profitable techniques that any employee can easily follow. Meanwhile, Ellie will dive into photography tips and introduce user-friendly tools and tricks to elevate your social game and e-commerce aesthetic. As an added bonus, Lori will provide interactive entertainment as a fake employee, and you’ll walk away with tips to implement into your daily business workflow!

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Friday, September 8

Harvesting Talent in Local Schools

Panel: Jazmin Albarran, Seed Your Future Inc., Chris Drummond, AAF, PFCI, Penny’s by Plaza Flowers, Alyson Upshaw, Ball Horticultural Company 

Want to find out the fastest pipeline to local talent? It’s time to create a relationship with your local high schools, colleges and universities. Easier said than done? Hear how your peers and Seed Your Future are making it easier than ever, with turnkey tools to that help you connect with school administrators, organize regular visit to the school and events at your business and more.

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Reaching Customers in a Crowded Digital Landscape

Panelists: Erin Bruno, McNamara Florist; LaToya Ferguson, Sweet Psalms Florist; Brennen Rigler, Albuquerque Florist

Frustrated with low open rates on email? Wondering how to get through to today’s consumer, when there’s so much competition for their attention? Hear from several floral industry peers on what’s working for them to drive sales and click browsers to buyers.

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Saturday, September 9

Leveraging AI to Revolutionize Your Business

Nicole Donnelly, AI Smart Marketing

AI is more than just a buzzword; it’s a tool that, when used correctly, can help you streamline your operations, better understand and reach your customers, and create unique, personalized experiences that will set your business apart. Whether you’re a tech-savvy floral pro already incorporating digital tools into your business or a traditionalist looking to stay competitive in the evolving marketplace, this session will enlighten, inspire, and empower you.

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Impact of Communication Styles on Morale, Culture, Performance and Results

Speaker: Elle Stella, The Wonderful Company

Communication is the cornerstone of every successful interaction, relationship, and endeavor. In this breakout, Elle Stella, Senior Director of Learning & Development for the Wonderful Company, will explore the profound impact of communication on various aspects of our personal and professional lives. Participants will gain valuable insights into the critical role communication plays in building strong connections, enhancing teamwork, resolving conflicts, and achieving desired outcomes. Through interactive activities, practical techniques, and engaging discussions, attendees will develop essential skills to become effective communicators and harness the transformative power of communication to drive positive change.

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Creating a Customer Profile using AI

Speaker: Kelsey Thompson, AIFD, CFD, Bloom Floral and Home Studio

Watch as Kelsey Thompson creates a customer profile avatar using AI!  This avatar can then be used to clarify your target market, discover customer desires and motivations, generate content ideas, discover pain points and frustrations, and so much more.  You will also learn how to brainstorm product and service ideas and fine-tune your marketing channels by learning how to create your own avatar for your business.

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Frictionless E-Commerce: Secrets of High-Performing Websites

Speaker: Chris Beals, Komet Sales

Seasoned e-commerce executive Chris Beals brings best practices he deployed to drive online sales in the cannabis industry to floriculture. Beals, former CEO of leading online cannabis marketplace Weedmaps and now CEO of Komet Sales, shows how to remove barriers – “friction” – that get in the way of captivating and converting online buyers. From visual merchandising to shopping cart to post-order handling, Beals shows the hallmarks of effective websites.

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E-Commerce for Suppliers: B2B Hacks to Drive Online Sales

Speaker: Chris Beals, Komet Sales

Are you a floral industry supplier looking to unlock the potential of online B2B sales? Take a deep dive into the topic with Chris Beals, former CEO of online cannabis marketplace Weedworks and now CEO of the B2B floriculture platform Komet Sales. From using e-commerce to evaluate sales representatives based on their total sales performance to enhancing client relationships to drive sales, Beals equips you with actionable steps to take your sales figures to new heights.

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