The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
Vonda LaFever & Lori Wilson
Join Vonda LaFever and Lori Wilson as they share expert advice, insider tips, and a whole lot of fun on all things floral. While everyone loves flowers, running a floral business can come with its fair share of challenges that might make you lose sight of the joy it brings. In this engaging and informative podcast, Vonda’s wealth of floral expertise pairs perfectly with Lori’s background in teaching, sales training, and life coaching to deliver valuable insights you can use right away.
From industry trends and the flower shop of the future to overcoming obstacles like boosting sales and building a stellar customer service team, they’ve got you covered. Discover how small shifts in your mindset and approach can create big transformations in your business and life.
Hit subscribe to put the pleasure back into your life, go back to loving flowers, find fresh inspiration, and bring the joy back to your business!
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Top 10 The Business & Pleasure of Flowers Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Business & Pleasure of Flowers episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Business & Pleasure of Flowers for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Business & Pleasure of Flowers episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Interview with Kate Penn, CEO Society of American Florists
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
04/07/20 • 33 min
Episode 015: Join Vonda and Lori in an in-depth interview with Kate Penn, CEO of the SAF as she shares her passion for the industry and explains WHO, WHAT WHY and HOW the Society of American Florist is involved in the industry. You might be surprised at many of the projects that are going on behind the scenes for the good of the industry. During the challenges of the coronavirus, SAF is offering free services to help, and Kate explains.
Learn more: https://www.thebusinessandpleasureofflowers.com/
Sympathy Series #2: Must Know Tips to Increase You Sympathy Sales
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
07/20/21 • 43 min
Episode 082: Vonda and Lori chat with special guests Ralph Giordano AIFD and Steve Rogala as they share their secrets on how they have grown their sympathy sales to what is now nearly 50% of their annual sales.
Ralph is owner of Giordano's Floral Creations in Fort Pierce, Florida
Steve is from Especially for You Florist & Gift Shop in Freehold, NJ
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Flower Clique
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The Lowdown on the Legal for Small Businesses with Laura Waits, Attorney
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
08/17/21 • 41 min
Episode 086: Vonda and Lori had a chance to meet with attorney Laura Waits and ask her some specific questions that many small business owners want to know. They discuss subjects from the need for being specific in setting up your will and your small business entity, to the important question on hiring an employee or contract worker (freelance) for our peak seasons. A few Covid specific questions come up as well as some advise on finding the right professional attorney for your small business. Great information everyone should know.
Check out the special package for Texas Small Businesses
Laura Waits, Attorney ~ L P Waits Legal, LLC
Our Sponsors
Flower Clique
Prep School
Time to catch up...Whatcha doing? Whatcha learning?
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
11/01/22 • 35 min
Sponsored by:
Flower Clique
Flower Clique Prep School
Real Life Retail Florist
Interview with Ellie LaFever: Lessons learned growing up in the flower shop and beyond
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
02/18/20 • 25 min
#008: Vonda and Lori talk with Ellie LaFever about her floral journey, from growing up in the flower shop to lessons learned at the design school at Iowa State University, from her travels, to a clear vision of the focus needed for a flower shop to bloom in today's marketplace.
Check out additional information at https://www.thebusinessandpleasureofflowers.com/ and watch for additional episodes with Ellie in upcoming weeks.
Sponsored by:
Flower Clique
Flower Clique Prep School
Real Life Retail Florist
Floral Trends & The Power of Permanent Botanicals with Sarah Botchick
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
02/25/25 • 27 min
Episode 270: In this episode, Vonda and Lori continue their conversation with Sarah Botchick, General Marketing and Purchasing Manager at Pioneer Imports & Wholesale. They dive into the world of floral trend forecasting—how trends are identified, what’s driving consumer preferences, and the evolving role of permanent botanicals in weddings, events, and everyday design. Sarah shares expert insights on mixing faux and fresh florals, common mistakes florists make when purchasing silk flowers, and why every florist should consider adding permanent botanicals to their repertoire. Plus, they discuss must-have varieties, new product innovations, and how florists can use floral installations to tap into new business opportunities. Don’t miss this inspiring and insightful discussion on the future of florals!
Sponsored by:
Flower Clique
Flower Clique Prep School
Real Life Retail Florist
Interview with Ryan Freeman: What can you do for your online business?
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
06/02/20 • 34 min
Episode 023: Vonda sits down with Ryan Freeman, founder and CEO of Strider, Inc. an online website marketing and development company. Ryan grew up in the flower business but floral design was not his thing, so he discovered what he loved to do and it involves making a florist online presence stronger and more profitable. A problem solver, avid learner, and all around great guy, you won't want to miss his inside story.
Learn more at: https://www.thebusinessandpleasureofflowers.com/
Sponsored by:
Flower Clique
Flower Clique Prep School
Real Life Retail Florist
Interview with Tom Bowling: Trends to expect for 2020, Permanent Botanicals
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
03/03/20 • 28 min
#010: Tom Bowling AIFD, PFCI shares his thoughts on trends to expect this spring, summer, fall and winter. Working with Pioneer Imports and Wholesale he knows first hand the colors and textures that are emerging for the wedding and home decor market. Join Vonda and Tom in their conversation about not only what to expect, but how this could affect your shop this year.
Read more at: https://www.thebusinessandpleasureofflowers.com/
Sponsored by:
Flower Clique
Flower Clique Prep School
Real Life Retail Florist
What Can You Learn from Tik Tok 🤷🏼♀️
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
12/20/22 • 29 min
Episode 156: We've all heard about the importance of social platforms to bring awareness to your brand and products, and Tik Tok is no different. Lori is a TikTokker and Vonda is not, which is not a surprise to most of you Cliquers. In this episode Lori is sharing what she's learned and the advantages for you to download the app and join in the adventure.
Sponsored by:
Flower Clique
Flower Clique Prep School
Real Life Retail Florist
Chimneys, Choices & Customer Care: Why Actions Speak Louder Than Smoke
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
05/13/25 • 29 min
Episode 281: What do the Pope, memory care planters, and your favorite steakhouse have in common? More than you think. In this episode, Lori and Vonda take a thoughtful (and often funny) dive into recent global events—the passing of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV —and what it reminded them about unity, leadership, and the power of actions over words. From emotional crowd scenes to boutique service lessons, and even Bob “watering” the garden box, this one’s packed with reflection, humor, and a few truths we all need to hear.
Register Here for the Webinar: Weed out worry, Grow your know
Sponsored by:
Flower Clique
Flower Clique Prep School
Real Life Retail Florist
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Business & Pleasure of Flowers have?
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers currently has 287 episodes available.
What topics does The Business & Pleasure of Flowers cover?
The podcast is about Self Improvement, Management, Business Management, Podcasts, Self-Improvement, Education and Business.
What is the most popular episode on The Business & Pleasure of Flowers?
The episode title 'AIFD Leadership: Interview with Jody McLeod AIFD, PFCI + Mayor of Clayton, NC' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Business & Pleasure of Flowers?
The average episode length on The Business & Pleasure of Flowers is 33 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Business & Pleasure of Flowers released?
Episodes of The Business & Pleasure of Flowers are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of The Business & Pleasure of Flowers?
The first episode of The Business & Pleasure of Flowers was released on Dec 29, 2019.
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