BB+ (Ep. 8) Joseph Massie on Working Through a Pandemic

06/03/20 • 32 min

TODAY’S GUEST:

Joseph Massie | Joseph Massie Flowers + Joseph Massie at the UK School of Floristry

TOPIC: Working Through A Pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down his city, Joseph Massie got to work figuring out how to handle the sudden halt of business cash flow due to wedding postponements, class cancellations, and budget restraints on commissioned work. Because he envisions his business being around for years to come, Joseph knew he had to play the long game and make decisions based on building the long-term relationships he'll need to sustain his business post-pandemic. He shares two important skills he's learned while trying to find the opportunities in what he calls his "blank slate moment" when business as he once knew it all changed.

Join us as we talk about:

handling staffing during the pandemic shut down
dealing with the confusion and insecurities created by an unprecedented situation
offering great customer service during challenging times
handling wedding postponements with grace
finding opportunities in the "blank slate moments"
why he decided to postpone the launch of his online school until July 1st, 2020 (it's right around the corner!)

Joseph’s Advice for Carrying On During the Pandemic:

Prioritize – Determine what’s essential, what you can do in the here and now, and what’s important to you.
Innovate – Look for new ways to serve your clients, team, and community.

MENTIONED IN BB+ EPISODE 8:

Podcast Host: Amy McGee (Botanical Brouhaha)

BB Podcast Sound Engineer: Joel McGee

Music Written & Performed by: Landon McGee

TODAY’S GUEST:

Joseph Massie | Joseph Massie Flowers + Joseph Massie at the UK School of Floristry

TOPIC: Working Through A Pandemic

Join us as we talk about:

handling staffing during the pandemic shut down
dealing with the confusion and insecurities created by an unprecedented situation
offering great customer service during challenging times
handling wedding postponements with grace
finding opportunities in the "blank slate moments"
why he decided to postpone the launch of his online school until July 1st, 2020 (it's right around the corner!)

Joseph’s Advice for Carrying On During the Pandemic:

Prioritize – Determine what’s essential, what you can do in the here and now, and what’s important to you.
Innovate – Look for new ways to serve your clients, team, and community.

MENTIONED IN BB+ EPISODE 8:

Podcast Host: Amy McGee (Botanical Brouhaha)

BB Podcast Sound Engineer: Joel McGee

Music Written & Performed by: Landon McGee

Previous Episode

Ep. 62: Mattie Bush (Amelia's Flower Truck)

Today we’re visiting with Mattie Bush, owner of Amelia's Flower Truck & Amelia's Flowers located in Nashville, Tennessee to discuss:

How she dreamed up and executed the flower truck concept without a background in the floral industry
How she scaled her business quickly to include 3 trucks
Why she decided to add retail shops to her business model
The challenges of selling flowers from a mobile truck
Details on sourcing her flower trucks and the accessories she needed to complete the flower truck concept
The story behind the names of her trucks...Amelia "Amy", Rory, and Melody
Why she's chosen not to include wedding/event florals in Amelia's business model (with a few exceptions...for now)
The merchandise and flower options offered by Amelia's Flowers
The process of shifting to flower deliveries during the pandemic
How she sources the flowers she sells from the flower bars on the trucks and in the shops
The challenges of growing quickly and finding community in a unique niche
Her dreams for the future of Amelia's Flowers

LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 62:

SEE MORE OF AMELIA'S FLOWER TRUCK HERE:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

SEE MORE OF AMELIA'S FLOWER SHOPS HERE:

Website | Instagram

Today’s episode is brought to you by:

REAL FLOWER BUSINESS

Click here to learn more about online business courses and free training for florists including Flower Math: The Florist's Guide To Pricing & Profitability, and Wedding Templates to help you streamline your proposal process and help clients book more quickly.

How to Connect with Botanical Brouhaha:

Host: Amy McGee (Botanical Brouhaha)

BB Podcast Sound Engineer: Landon McGee

Next Episode

BB+ (Ep. 9) Maria Maxit on Profitability

TODAY’S GUEST:

Maria Maxit | Maxit Flower Design

TOPIC: Profitability

Former BB Podcast co-host, Maria Maxit dropped by for a visit recently (via Zoom, of course) and we had fun catching up on what's happened at Maxit Flower Design since she last sat in the co-host chair. As we visited, she shared about her decision to step away from the podcast to continue growing her business in Houston. After about 15 minutes of catching up, we got around to the topic I asked Maria to share with the BB audience -- profitability. In this episode, Maria shares 6 tips she believes were crucial to building her profitable and sustainable floral design business. Hope you find her insights helpful!

Maria's Tips for Building a Profitable Business: