Alison Ellis is the founder of realflowerbusiness.com, creator of Flower Math, and author of Falling Into Flowers, A step-by-step guide to today’s modern wedding business. She’s a floral designer and educator who teaches florists around the world how to increase their income and find more freedom in their small business with honest, actionable strategies and step-by-step courses.
Alison graduated from the University of Vermont in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Plant and Soil Science and a minor in Small Business. She trained in flower shops for 9 years, worked on an organic flower farm, and has been running a home-studio floral business for almost 20 years. Alison understands the challenges that floralpreneurs can face when growing a business on your own!
Since 2015, over 8,000 florists around the world have enrolled in Alison’s online business courses, private & group coaching, and free resources for florists.
Find a Course List Here
More from Alison
I’m a real florist.
I started washing buckets and carrying big boxes of flowers when I was 16 years old.
I worry about my peonies blowing open too soon, delayed flower shipments and roses that look “more ivory than white”.
I started driving a minivan YEARS BEFORE becoming a mom.
I don’t wear anything I can’t wipe my hands on.
I’ve been running my own small-scale home-studio business in Vermont since 2002.
Andy Warhol famously said, “Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.” And after 25 years in the floral industry and over 19 years of small business ownership, I truly believe in the art of good business!
It’s my absolute joy to be able to help florists build their own successful businesses! You’ll find a list of course offerings here.
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Experience:
- I took my first floral class in 5th grade.
- Got my first job as a florist at a flower cart at age 16.
- Trained in flower shops from 1994-2003.
- Graduated from The University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Science in Plant & Soil Science and a Minor in Small Business in 2000.
- Opened my own home-studio business, Floral Artistry, in 2002.
- Sent my first guest blog post to FlirtyFleurs.com in 2011.
- Started making educational videos for florists in 2014 to add to those guest posts!
- Created my first course, Flower Math, in 2015 to help florists learn to make more money.
- Released a series of “done-for-you” templates and courses in 2016.
- Started this super sweet free Facebook group for florists in 2016.
- Started guest speaking/teaching workshops in Spring 2018.
- Recently featured on some pretty cool floral podcasts, 2019-present.
- Published my first book, Falling Into Flowers, in 2020.
More About Me:
- I believe in lifelong learning and unlearning.
- I drink too much coffee and have way too many tabs open.
- I don’t have a favorite flower because EVERY flower is my favorite depending on the day.
- I believe in building your brand with integrity.
- I think giving-back should be part of your growth strategy.
- I believe in kindness, equality and human rights which means that Real Flower Business respects and values diverse life experiences and heritages and aims to ensure that all voices are valued and well served regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.
Alison is available for live or virtual workshops and speaking engagements and has been invited to teach at the Chapel Designers Workshop, The Floral Reserve, Koehler & Dramm, British Florist Association, & The Floral Source.
Click here to see a full list of course offerings or click here to learn more about private coaching.
Rave Reviews
“…your flower math course,email template and faster proposal courses have been the most helpful tools I could ever ask for. I have learned so much from these courses alone, it has been imperative to my confidence and ability to bring in a profit.” -Jay
“I took your Flower Math course a year ago and it’s totally changed my business.” -Kasey
“Your courses have been a game changer for me especially the sales based courses…I like that I have new found confidence in my wedding pricing and that I am not afraid to turn down work that is below my minimum…I’m 100% happy with everything [I bought]…I often suggest that florists purchase your materials on the facebook group and to my florist friends…”
-Michelle, Chartreuse Flower Works
“Man do I wish I had used them earlier…sent off all my latest proposals using your email templates and 3 from 3 have come back before the expiry date in acceptance!! [You’re] a floral super star Alison thank you so so much for the time and effort you put back into the industry.”
-Casey (from Facebook)
“I have just spent my morning enjoying your tutorials and loving your course templates…
I just have to say that I have been hating proposals for five years now because I put so much work and detail into them. Your templates have inspired me to just simplify and I love it!…
Staying inspired and growing as a designer and a company has been so much easier with websites and facebook pages such as yours. It has encouraged me to keep seeking ways to get better and grow as an artist and business person. Thank you for all you do…”
-Allison Schrade
“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 [The Art Of Good Business]. 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!”
-Rebecca Raymond
Click here for a full list of course offerings or click here to learn more about private coaching.
