Ep. 96: Sophie Felts

04/25/22 • 61 min

Today we’re visiting with floral designer Sophie Felts, owner of Sophie Felts Floral Design which services the Washington DC area. Join us as we talk with Sophie about:

Building a flower business from the ground up with a business degree and a passion for flowers
Starting and running a business with small children
The framework she used to create a great team structure
How she defines 'freelancers' and the role they play in her business
The annual Freelancer Workshop she founded
Building a business model that allows the business owner some weekends off while the company is still producing events
Building strong productive relationships with wedding planners
Honoring the responsibility she feels to support the community in which she lives & runs her business
Building a positive and supportive team culture
Dealing with staffing shortages, turnover, job benefits as a small business
The importance of having consistent team meetings
Treating company values as a living document and updating it regularly
Giving back to her community through a Flower Drive
Adding a professional video to her website to connect with potential clients

LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 96:

Ariella Chezar | Ariella Chezar Design
Erin Benzakein | Floret
Kelly Perry | Team Flower
Sue Prutting | White Magnolia
Amy Balsters | The Floral Coach
Greater Washington Community Foundation
Veronica Rogers

FOLLOW SOPHIE FELTS FLORAL DESIGN:

WEBSITE

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

Today's Episode is brought to you by: Madrid Flower School

Want to study floral design in Europe? Madrid Flower School offers contemporary and traditional styles and techniques with 10 instructors. Check out the professional program which also includes photography, styling, and business essentials. Offered in both Spanish and English.

Co-Hosts: Amy McGee (Botanical Brouhaha) and Maggie Bailey (Bramble & Bee)

BB Podcast Sound Engineer: Grayson McGee

Music & Voiceovers: Landon McGee

Today we’re visiting with floral designer Sophie Felts, owner of Sophie Felts Floral Design which services the Washington DC area. Join us as we talk with Sophie about:

Building a flower business from the ground up with a business degree and a passion for flowers
Starting and running a business with small children
The framework she used to create a great team structure
How she defines 'freelancers' and the role they play in her business
The annual Freelancer Workshop she founded
Building a business model that allows the business owner some weekends off while the company is still producing events
Building strong productive relationships with wedding planners
Honoring the responsibility she feels to support the community in which she lives & runs her business
Building a positive and supportive team culture
Dealing with staffing shortages, turnover, job benefits as a small business
The importance of having consistent team meetings
Treating company values as a living document and updating it regularly
Giving back to her community through a Flower Drive
Adding a professional video to her website to connect with potential clients

LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 96:

Ariella Chezar | Ariella Chezar Design
Erin Benzakein | Floret
Kelly Perry | Team Flower
Sue Prutting | White Magnolia
Amy Balsters | The Floral Coach
Greater Washington Community Foundation
Veronica Rogers

FOLLOW SOPHIE FELTS FLORAL DESIGN:

WEBSITE

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

Today's Episode is brought to you by: Madrid Flower School

Co-Hosts: Amy McGee (Botanical Brouhaha) and Maggie Bailey (Bramble & Bee)

BB Podcast Sound Engineer: Grayson McGee

Music & Voiceovers: Landon McGee

Previous Episode

Ep. 95: Susan McLeary

Today we’re catching up with our very first BB Podcast guest ever! Join us for a conversation with Susan McLeary aka Passionflower Sue — author, educator, wearable florals innovator, and self-appointed corsage ambassador. A few of the things we're chatting about in this episode:

the process of writing a book
her curiosity around figuring out sticking points in the floral industry and how to improve or solve them
the ebb and flow of business
dreams she’s realized and business changes that have happened in the 5 years since we last chatted on the BB Podcast
choosing what feels most aligned with who you are rather than leaning into traditional success markers
how she stays inspired
finding, testing, and introducing unique items to the profession as floral mechanics
why she deliberately rejects the idea of holding onto ideas
seeing shortages of product as a catalyst for experimentation

LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 95:

FOLLOW + LEARN FROM SUE MCLEARY HERE:

Website

Instagram

Today's Episode is brought to you by:

EveryStem

EveryStem was created because software has the power to change the way you price and order flowers for a profit.

A SPECIAL OFFER FOR BB PODCAST LISTENERS:

Grab our free checklist of The Top 10 Profit Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Business and we’ll send you a code for a free month of EveryStem florist software.

Co-Hosts: Amy McGee (Botanical Brouhaha) and Maggie Bailey (Bramble & Bee)

BB Podcast Sound Engineer: Grayson McGee

Music & Voiceovers: Landon McGee

Next Episode

Ep. 97: Ginny Early (Enemies of the Average)

Today we’re visiting with floral designer Ginny Early, owner of Enemies of the Average in Gainesville, Georgia. Join us as we talk with Ginny about:

Flowering for weddings, museums, and editorial shoots
Using the painful experiences she's walked through as a catalyst to support other women in feeling valued
Building a business that reflects her talents, values, and interests
The challenges that landed her in the luxury wedding market
Her advice for new flower business owners
Working with interns vs. apprentices
The experiences that have solidified her resolve to flower with purpose

LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 97: