Hi, I’m Alison Ellis. I started this site to help florists succeed in business!
And the first thing you need to know is, I’m a floralpreneur®…just like you.
I wash buckets and carry big boxes of flowers.
I work year round to maintain my “seasonal wedding business”.
I started driving a minivan YEARS BEFORE becoming a mom.
I worry about my peonies blowing open too soon, delayed shipments and roses that look “more ivory than white”.
And that’s all the fun stuff!
I love floral design. Just about every flower is “my favorite”.
But the “business stuff” is just as important as a designer’s eye and a master florist’s touch!
In order to succeed, florists must attract excellent customers who are willing to pay you for your time and skill.
But it’s not always easy to find customers who value your time…and turning a profit is not optional!
Because it takes a lot of time and effort to run a floristry business and if you’re not turning a profit, then you’re working for a hobby, not a business!
And a hobby can’t be relied upon to pay your bills or provide a reasonable salary that allows you to “quit your day job”.
Good news! It doesn’t have to be that way.
You don’t have to skip paychecks or reduce your prices to compete. You can have a profitable floral design business on any scale that works for you, whether you work from home, a shop, or still consider flowers to be your part-time gig!
You can turn a profit on every order you make and build a reputable brand that attracts awesome clients!
And I can help show you how!
I’ve been a floral designer for over 25 years and I’ve been running my own small-scale home-studio business for 17 years.
I’m as passionate about “the art of good business” as I am about the art of floral design!
I’m the author of the first online pricing course for florists to show talented designers how to increase your income, PLUS downloadable templates to help with your client e-mails, proposals, contracts and overall booking process.
You can feel confident in your pricing, gain authority and respect from clients, and create freedom in your small business.
This is where I teach florists how to make more money and book better clients who truly dig your work so that you can have more fun in your business!
Grab my FREE e-mail course “How To Book More Weddings More Quickly“.
Yes, I’ll try a free course!
Why have over 5,800 floral designers signed up for my courses already?
Because expert advice can take years off of your learning curve! And running a floral business involves a lot more than “just playing with flowers”. (Sometimes it can be overwhelming to balance the design work and the business “stuff”.)
If you want to make more money, spend less time typing e-mails and proposals, & build a long lasting brand, click here to find a full list of course offerings & free resources for floral designers.
Jessie @maidenhairfloral said:
“Alison is the real deal. The knowledge that she shares…is solid – no fluff here. She has such an amazing understanding of how to attract your ideal client by speaking directly to them…I really appreciate Alison’s perspective because she’s running a successful business that is built around a top-notch customer service experience.”
Watch my video below to learn more about my Real Flower Business “stuff”:
See a list of courses!
“Hey everyone! I just have to say… Alison’s content works! If you are dragging your feet…just do it!…”
-Jessica Ormond
I’m the author of over a dozen online courses for florists including:
- Flower Math. The Florist’s Guide To Pricing And Profitability,
- The Art of Good Business,
- E-mail Templates for Florists,
- Build A Better Website,
- Contracts For Florists,
- How To Write Proposals That Sell,
- Wedding Workflow,
- The Vault, &
- Business Plan Jumpstart
AND I offer FREE courses including:
- How To Start A Floral Design Business,
- Flower Boss, A Free Training Course For Florists,
- 4 Pricing Mistakes Florists Make,
- Floral Crown Tutorial and
- How To Book More Weddings More Quickly.
Pros know: The right business advice can take years off of your learning curve!
Jennesa wrote via YouTube:
“You are the Floral Godmother!!! I’m in the beginning of my floral journey and your videos are giving me wings!! Thank you for sharing your magic!!”
More from Alison:
I believe in “the art of good business”.
My mission is to educate and empower floralpreneurs to achieve their business goals and build long-lasting brands, which is why I share heartfelt advice from my personal experience with professional florists around the globe in my free videos, online business courses and Facebook community.
Read success stories from real florists who’ve tried my courses here.
How’d you get started?
I’ve been working as a floral designer for over 25 years…
But I took my first hands-on floral design class at a summer camp in 5th grade.
I started working as a florist at the age of 16…
I enjoyed my first floral course so much that when I began looking for my first job, my mother suggested I apply at the floral cart in the mall…
“Remember how much you enjoyed that floral design class when you were a kid? They’re hiring at the flower cart….why don’t you apply there?“
My first flower boss taught me everything I needed to know in order to work solo-shifts at the flower cart; which I did for the next 2+ years as I worked about 20-24 hours a week during the school year…and more during summers and holidays.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Plant & Soil Science from The University of Vermont, as well as a minor in small business. After college, I started my own home-studio floral business, Floral Artistry, in 2002 out of the kitchen of our 2nd floor apartment. I’m proud to say that 2019 marks my 18th season in business.
I worked at 6 different flower shops between the ages of 16-25, specializing in everything from bucket washing to cash & carry wraps to customer service to wire-service orders to wholesale purchasing to my very first experience with wedding work in 2001.
I’ve learned quite a few tricks over the years and I’ve perfected a few tricks of my own. In November 2015, I released my very first course, Flower Math, and I’ve been creating courses ever since. I really do love to talk about the business of the flower business.
I first started sharing my real flower business “stuff” with florists as a guest contributor on FlirtyFleurs.com in 2011. I’m a business contributor to Florists’ Review Magazine, and I recently wrote a 4-part series for Botanical Brouhaha, and I’m a member of the Chapel Designers.
How can you work with Alison one-on-one?
Florists say:
“Alison is that mentor/friend that every florist should have.
She gives a great perspective on problems that face a small business owner. [I’d recommend Alison’s courses to] anyone who needs guidance in the floral industry…it can be so isolating…”
-super kind, anonymous floralpreneur®
“I’ve been given a roadmap for business success that will be a baseline for my future growth…
Alison has put her heart and her vast knowledge into this class. She is open and supportive. Honest and kind. She will tell the truth. She is clear and concise. She is a bit of a genius and she’ll bring out the genius in you!…the inquiries started coming, I booked three clients and have two new prospects!”
What is a floralpreneur®?
A floral designer with initiative & business savvy is what I call a “floralpreneur®”.
Floralpreneurs who take my courses range from 30-year floral industry pros (a species known as the “flora-saurus” as one industry pro wrote to me!) to aspiring business owners & designers in their first few years (or even months!) of business. You don’t have to buy anything from me to be a floralpreneur®!
Join my free Facebook group here & Try a free course today!
My online business training for florists include free video training courses, downloadable pdfs, and my Floralpreneur® Mastermind Series including Flower Math, The Art of Good Business and private 1:1 coaching sessions.
Why not try a FREE course today?…
FAQ’s
Which course should you take first?
This is a questions I get often and the answer really depends on your own personal business goals and struggles…
However, what I’ve noticed over the past few years is that the #1 thing florists struggle with is pricing and as a business owner I believe the #1 most important thing for you to understand is how to price your work! Turning a profit is essential to staying in business. If your pricing and profitability foundation could use some reenforcement check out Flower Math first!
If you already have your pricing on lock (you’re making 70% profit on the cost of your flowers and supplies), then what’s your current burning question?
Question: Do you want to spend less time on clients who aren’t a good fit?…
Answer….I recommend these courses:
- E-mail Templates
- How to Write Proposals That Sell
- Free email course: How to Book More Weddings More Quickly
Question: How do you attract excellent clients who value your work?…
Answer…Check out these courses to level-up in your biz:
Question: Need to define the terms for your customers so they follow your rules…
Answer….Build authority and trust with help from these courses:
Question: Your website isn’t as awesome as you/your work?
Answer…These courses help you flex your website skills:
More from Alison:
I live in Vermont with my husband and son, along with our very sleepy cat, Lily.
You can see my floral design portfolio here: floralartvt.com
Find a full list of my course offerings here.
Find more free resources on my Blog here.
Get in touch!
I’d love to hear from you! Ask to join my Facebook group here.
To ask me a question or drop me a line e-mail: info@floralartvt.com
Join me and over 7,000 florists around the globe in my Facebook group. (it’s free!)