The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
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!
The Business & Pleasure of Flowers
What Can You Learn from Tik Tok 🤷🏼♀️
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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
What it shows me is wow there's some really fun, incredible, bizarre people on this planet.
SPEAKER_00Oh boy, that's for sure. Welcome to the Business and Pleasure of Flowers.
SPEAKER_01We're your hosts, Vonda LaFever and Lori Wilson, and we believe that business and fun are a perfect combination. Kind of like us, Vonda.
SPEAKER_00Lori, I'm very excited about our conversation today because it's something brand new to me. I know, and it is my mission.
SPEAKER_02I want to convince you how positive TikTok can be because I want you to download it. Because here's here's the biggest problem in my life right now at this moment. When I am scrolling in the evening, which is my TikTok downtime, and I see something funny or inspirational on TikTok, many times, I'm like, ah, I need I want to send that to Vonda. Well, I can't because you're not on TikTok. So you miss out. You miss you're missing opportunities, I think is what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_00Oh, am I missing opportunities?
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_00But I also hear how much of a time suck it is. Like, even my son who is managing a lumber yard, right? And he's like, Oh man, I just went down a TikTok hole. I was there for 30 30 minutes, and I'm like, damn, I'm not sure I have 30 minutes to go down a hole. Here's what you do.
SPEAKER_02Here's what I do. Okay. And and I besides this morning, because we were preparing for this. Um, I only TikTok at night in the evenings. I don't, I try, well, I don't want to say never, but very, very rarely do I open that app during the daytime because you can. You will just start scrolling, going down this hole of uh just entertainment, right? Because you know, I I there is a dark side of TikTok. I've heard about it. I've never ventured over there because that's not what I want to do. I'm very kind of particular who I follow. I get a lot of great ideas because there's actually a lot of influencers in in the marketing world, in the leadership world. Um, I'm even learning. There's a whole TikTok on different Canva, you know, how we use Canva. I've learned things about Canva that I didn't know. Um, and I'm sure it's sponsored by Canva, but they're they're teaching, they're teaching things. So anyway.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so let me tell you a couple two things that Tyler shared with me. Okay, Tyler, your son. Tyler, my son. One was that when you break an egg, you should never be break it on the edge of a pan. You're supposed to drop it flat on a flat surface because then all those little eggshells don't get in. So you drop it on a flat surface, then you break the egg. Okay. That was interesting. Did you know that? No, I haven't no, and it's funny because I am on scrambled egg TikTok. So I don't know how to I don't know that one. And the other one was when you take a garbage bag out to put in the bed, you know, how you like goosh to try to get all the air inside. You don't do that, you turn it inside out and you pull it through. You knew that one.
SPEAKER_02I think I have that one saved to favorites. So there are TikTok hacks. You can do a search. I am amazed at how people have simplified things. For example, here's one I learned last night. I want to preface it here. You have to be a cautious TikToker because some of these you're like, oh my gosh, that's amazing. It doesn't really work. It's like they made it not, but there's also people on TikTok that will go, okay, we're gonna try it, and they'll do it, and it either works or doesn't. So they're like, that was a lie. Like a mythbuster, yeah. Yes, a hack that I learned just last night. Now I have not tried it yet, but this is a game changer. Somebody took a baggie, just a baggie, you know, a normal sandwich-sized baggie, Ziploc baggie, and they wanted to do two different snacks. So let's pretend you wanted to do raisins on one side and nuts on the other. They cut put it down, they cut the baggie in half with a super sharp knife, and it had it sealed itself, and you had two separate baggies.
SPEAKER_00So it didn't cut it in half.
SPEAKER_02No.
SPEAKER_00You have to try that one.
SPEAKER_02You cut it, yes. I well, I am. I was like, but then there were some quote unquote fact checker TikTok people that did check it and it worked, but I don't know if they were legit. That's the thing.
SPEAKER_00You have to try it yourself. That's the thing.
SPEAKER_02You can't try it yourself, yes.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so okay. Okay, well, and the other one is Erica, my daughter-in-law, uses it for recipes, and she I was visiting and she made this great soup in the crock pot, and I'm like, this is really good because it was on TikTok.
SPEAKER_02Yep. You can favorite things that you want to keep, you know, and I I was doing that this morning, right? Because I was looking for some of the things, and the I would say 80% of my favorites are recipes. Um inspiration, you know, really positive thought inspiration. Um, but yeah, I focus on animal tick tock, of course, any of the farm because some I don't know if I had a past life or not. But if I did, I feel like I lived on a farm bond because I really, really am so drawn in to these baby goats and miniature, it like it had to be a miniature farm because everything I love, like miniature ponies, miniature donkeys, miniature goats. I just they're so stinking cute. Did I did I live on a farm? Was I a farmer? Was I a goat? What was I can't figure out why I'm so drawn to it.
SPEAKER_00So tell our listeners what is the advantage of TikTok, besides entertainment and recipes, right for a business. Like we keep talking about it with Flower Click, and you're you and Ellie are like, oh yeah, we're gonna get one of our goals for 2023 is we're gonna do something on TikTok. What are we gonna do on TikTok, Lori?
SPEAKER_02So here's here's what I think. Um, because I follow some of our members that are on TikTok and they actually do a pretty good job. Okay. First of all, it takes time, yeah, which is not uh something that flower shop owners have a lot of during the day. Right. Um, but the the ones I follow, and even florists that aren't flower click members, which I follow, it is something usually like either DIY, right? Like they're because if you did a little quick, let's pretend Julie from Julie's Fountain of Flowers, our friend Julie Poulter, you know how she if she did a little quick tutorial. Here's how you can make a really quick bow for your Christmas gift. I mean, something like that. Okay, because people would, and the more you do any kind of little D DIY, people are gonna keep coming back to you that want to think they want to learn. I will tell you, I follow a lot of people that DIY stuff. Never have I ever gone out and actually bought the stuff to make it, but I do like to watch them and I would buy from them.
SPEAKER_00So that's the whole idea is for you as a flower shop expert to set yourself up as the expert. And so then they're learning from you, but then also they would come in and buy from you because you're their star.
SPEAKER_02You're their star. And so the other thing that a lot of um bus businesses do, especially now because your your shops are so decorated with sparkly, beautiful Christmas stuff, showing part, you know, quick video of that, showing one of getting one of your employees with a lot of personality to maybe feature something, you know, just it doesn't have to be perfect at all. You know, just featuring parts of your shop. Um, if maybe it's a beautiful Christmas tree, right? So you can have, you know, you can do a video and just get up close and feature the sparkly of the tree, just a tree with lights is amazing on there because there's also filters and there's music and there's just the key to it, and the reason that flower click, aka Ellie and I have not done a lot of them is number one, we're virtual, right? I mean, if Ellie was working right next to me, we would probably make them because it's more fun, right? But when you're by yourself, and number two, it's not like I have a lot to feature. Okay, I don't have I don't live in a beautiful store.
SPEAKER_00Um so can we when we go to SAF when we're there in January? Is that a time that we would take to use for TikTok?
SPEAKER_02I think okay, so let's say this out loud and live and recorded so we are held accountable. I think what is it, January 14th, when we're gonna be a profit blast in St.
SPEAKER_03Martin Rose, Texas?
SPEAKER_02When we are there, we need to get make some TikToks. Okay, we'll be together, we can do it, and whatever happens, happens. And you will be teaching me, okay? Yes, well, I don't know how to make them, I've never made one. You know who makes them? Cammy Martin, our wonderful director. She's got some, um, and she does a good job. Mostly it's of her girls like singing, you know, she's got triplets, um, and she'll send them to me and I get a kick out of it. It's very cute. I think she probably she's she doesn't make them daily or anything, but she she has done them before, and the other part is you can make them private until you get the confidence you need if you were doing like personal TikToks. I would I don't do it personally, but I think we need to try it at because we have nothing to lose, right?
SPEAKER_00No, we we need to try it. You keep saying that, you and Ellie, for probably the last two years, and we have not even had one little breath that we could take the time to learn this and to sh make some TikToks, right?
SPEAKER_02Right, and that was that was my other reason we haven't done it, is not just because we're virtual, but it's a time thing. A lot of people listening are probably already on TikTok and they know a lot more about it than I do. But the key is consistency, you know, because there's all the algorithm stuff, but it is a platform and it is not going away anytime soon. And the youngsters in the world love TikTok. And if you're trying to grow your business and try to, you know, influence that what is it, Gen Z generation? Is that what my youngest 22-year-old is? I think he's Gen Z, um, after millennials, like that's your audience, right? I could see people that do a lot of weddings, sure. TikTok's a huge platform for that. I would think so. Yeah, I would agree. So, anyway.
SPEAKER_00Well, so you had mentioned that you had mentioned that part of the reason you're on TikTok is that 20% are inspirational. So share with me something that recently you've read that's inspirational. Okay.
SPEAKER_02So where did it come from? So I told you the two things I follow are animals and inspirational things. Well, this is a little bit of both. This is a farmer, but he once a week will say, Here's your while he's out feeding his donkeys and stuff, he'll say, Here's your inspiration for the week, or here's five things to think about this week. Um, so this is a farmer of what? What is he farmer? His name is Hidden Cove Farms, H-I-D-D-E-N-C-O-V E Farms. Um, and so once a week, it's a sanctuary, it's an animal sanctuary. There's so many animal sanctuaries out there. I had no idea they take in animals that nobody else wants. Oh, it's just like, oh my gosh, maybe, maybe I ran one at some point in my life. Maybe that's what it was, Lori. That was it. What it was all of these animals. I don't know because it's anyway, it's crazy. Anyway, so once a week he gives some inspiration, and some weeks it's great, some weeks it's fine, but last week um it really spoke to me, and I don't know if it's just because of the mood I was in or what, but he gives you five things to think about. So I thought I would share with you the five things and share with the rest of the audience. Number one, sometimes the very thing that breaks your heart will fix your vision. So that one kind of hit me, and I thought that's very, very true. Sometimes we have to have our heart broken to see have clarity. So true. I can oh yeah, so true in in your personal life and your work life, right? No matter so, um, number two, I you and I've talked about this before, and I mean, this is just I've been I was taught this my whole life. Don't waste your time trying to prove that you are a good person, your actions will do that for you. Yeah, and I think that has never been more true than in our day and age right now. What comes out of my mouth is very might be very different than my actions, and always keeping that at the forefront of your mind. I think I've shared this story before with you, Vonda. And if if I have said no, they already know that. When I taught school, it was seventh grade, and in my room there was a big glass, it was connected to a smaller room, and the and so it was a glass window, but the window was they could see into me, but I couldn't see out. One of those kind of windows. Yep. Yeah. So um, and it because we had moved around, it used to be a room for um children with disabilities. So you would have this kind of room for aides and psychometrists and psychologists to come in and monitor without disturbing the class. So sure that was my classroom. I will tell you what was good about it is every time I taught, every day, I was very aware that at any moment someone in administration would be could be in that room watching me, right? So it was very important, not only my words, they couldn't really hear me, but my actions. So it was it was really a good thing for me because it did keep me accountable, even on those days that I'm like, I kind of just want them all just read silent and let me scroll on the internet because I don't feel like teaching.
SPEAKER_00Right, right.
SPEAKER_02Right. So there's always checking your actions.
SPEAKER_00When I hear you say this, what comes to my mind is, and you've heard this before, and many of you have preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words. I mean, St. Francis of a C Z. Yeah, and that's when you when you read that to me, that's what came to me. And I'm like, yeah, yeah, just that's how we live our life, right?
SPEAKER_02Well, and you think about it if you are a flower shop owner, right? And let's say you manage, you have four or five employees, and you're busy, it's the holiday season. Be very mindful of how you carry yourself in front of everyone, even if you know, so people are watching all of your moves, how you treat people. Um, it's it's just a good reminder that um number three is a really, really good one, and it kind of hit me. If you are helping someone and expecting something in return, you are not being kind, you are doing business. Wow. And and I think about this because I have had friendships that they were scorekeepers. Ooh. And I learned this was 20 years ago, and I I remember it hitting me, wow, you know, if this person, I don't know, brings me a diet coke, I don't know, just some, and then if it was that feeling of I have to reciprocate or they're gonna bring this up in a few weeks. Yeah, do you remember like that one that one actually leads into number four for me because it's it's exhausting to have a relationship with somebody that's a scorekeeper.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_02You know, so I I let that it leads into number four. Some bridges are meant to be burned because there are some things you cannot afford to return to, afford to return to mentally, especially, right? Emotionally, all of the stuff, right? So I think we can if go down a road of um regret, thinking, oh, maybe I could have done something different with this person, or but at the end of the day, it it was probably best, you know, and we all have those kind of relationships. So for me, people that are scorekeepers in in relationship with me, they're it's not a safe feeling for me because I'm constantly worried that I haven't reciprocated enough, which is my own problem, right? Um, so if that bridge gets burned, it's okay.
SPEAKER_00But it's hard to burn that bridge, especially because there's that scorekeeping, and you're just like, ah, and they probably think it's because you couldn't keep up with them.
SPEAKER_02Right, right. Yeah, exactly. And the truth is I probably couldn't because I mean you don't want to. I can't remember who did what when, and is it my turn to bring the diet coke, or is it your like I don't I don't know, I don't want to do that. So the last one is everyone has a soul protected, and I don't think that means be self-centered at all. I just think it means I'm gonna say this, and you're gonna say that's the same thing, that's redundant, but it's not. I don't think it's being self-centered, but I think you need to put yourself first in certain situations. So when I think about self-centeredness, I think more of being like self-absorbed. But what I where I think a lot of people, especially in this industry, because they're all givers, um, most of them are very empathetic, they have big hearts, they're passionate, they love people. Um, we don't protect our souls enough, and so we get hurt, right?
SPEAKER_00Well, self-care. I mean, that's really it's about mental wellness.
SPEAKER_02Mental wellness, yeah, yeah. And it's it's hard though, because I don't I don't feel like that comes naturally for a lot of people, myself included. But I think that's why people get hurt because we assume everyone is gonna put the other person first. Like if the whole world put others first, be a great place. So anyway, that's that's those are really great from your what was the name of it again?
SPEAKER_00From your farmer guy from your past life.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, from the same from the sanctuary in which I used to be a little fainting goat or something. So anyway, so so the downside of TikTok for me, yes, there's dark side. I don't venture over there, I don't know what that is. that's that's your own business I don't know but the the worst part of it is you get attached to these animals and animals die and that's hard on you Lori it is very hard on me and I know that just last week may he rest in peace Noodle the pug that had a bones day or a no bones day he passed and I will tell you the only person that reached out to me was Ellie and she texted me and she said I'm sorry for your loss she knew she knew when she heard it she's like oh no Lori's gonna be bad so she texted me I'm sorry I I'm not being empathetic I'm very sorry I love Mesa noodle she just put like I'm sorry for your loss hashtag R I P noodle because I was devastated so there have been I have shed tears over miniature goat uh horses that I have absolutely fallen in love with a goldfish yes a goldfish really big a big goldfish that they tried everything I get on uh chicken tick tock and these poor mama chickens get eggbound oh boy you gotta soak the whole chicken you gotta soak the chicken's bottom in warm water and etz and salt because it doesn't work and you are so rooting for that chicken just out i you know what i'm not sure I have enough time for tick tock I don't even know if I have the mental capacity to jump on tick tock you are rooting for these chickens i i follow a girl nurse jen now cammy follows nurse jen too she'll swaddle her chickens and rock them like little babies it is the funniest most intriguing thing i don't know it's what it shows me is wow there's some really fun incredible bizarre people on this planet oh boy that's for sure you're just giving me just a moment I would love to know every one of these people because they like to have fun so I don't know it doesn't sound like soaking a chicken oh in water is a lot of fun Lori I cannot see the fun in that no that part's sad because think of that poor mama chicken an egg is stuck in her and she can't get it out it would be so painful anyway there's a there's another chicken I follow it's a male Carlos is his name um he's got some um he's not really right in the head and he like puts his head has a chicken brain yeah he's it's the funniest thing she finds him in the most bizarre places and anyway it's funny I could go on about chickens that's nothing to do flowers but I think I would encourage shops to at least test it test tick tock you know create an account find someone on staff maybe if you have a younger employee that's already TikToking you know talk to them see if they want to help start one for you um I think you have to start with a list okay what is it that would be beneficial right what what is tick tock worthy well but here's the thing that's the thing there's no rhyme or reason like I follow chickens right who would have ever thought that was worthy you never know that's what again they even say on TikTok you never know what's going to catch on and go viral. It's you just don't know and for a flower shop it might have nothing to do with flowers it might be something that was just really funny and I don't know what it is and they went viral for that yet they start getting more business because of that so it's there's no rhyme or reason um but I do think well it is a platform when you look at any kind of social media when you're looking at marketing your business you can't ignore it because it is it is very much there.
SPEAKER_00Obviously or you and Ellie wouldn't want us to be spending time on it in 2020 right no we have to we have to ramp it up and I think you know I think it will be a platform for us to bond it because we you know we combine flower click and business pleasure flowers we're all kind of the same but we could start doing 30 second little tips right and and doing that when it comes to flower shop and that that we could do alone and then the times we are together try to make as many as we can okay I don't know I'm in you just have to give me direction that means I have to download the TikTok app I suppose download the app and then I will send you a couple of people that I think you will like to follow because you're you're like me you don't want any negative stuff on there you'll want some inspirational stuff and turtles I'll get I'll send you turtle tick tock okay okay I can do turtles don't don't give me the chickens I won't give you the chickens I have a mental block for chickens because my aunt and uncle used to raise chickens and I would have to go out pick up the eggs and I just like the smell whenever I see a chicken I can still smell the chicken coop which I didn't like sorry it's crazy yeah you've got some chicken trauma I have chicken well just like one of those things you're like never mm-mm that's so funny because I think a lot of I mean I see that a lot a lot of people have chickens I never knew I didn't know how so many people have chickens whatever okay so that's our goal we're gonna so we'll we'll drop it in we'll talk about it when we get to that point Lori.
SPEAKER_02Yes we will we're on it 2023 and flower click tick tock woo thank you so much for listening to our podcast we hope you enjoyed spending time with us because we enjoy spending time with you. If you did make sure you hit that subscribe button or add the business and pleasure of flowers to your Google morning routine or your flash briefing on Alexa.
SPEAKER_00We look forward to seeing you next week. So please come back and join us and discover how a bit of knowledge and one small change in your mindset can take you to new levels in your life and business