A Growing Success: An Interview with TSFA Texas State Floral Association

Episode 202: In this episode, we sit down with the current President of TSFA, Susan Piland AIFD, CFD, TMF, as well as the Immediate Past President, Cheryl Vaughn CFD TMFA, to learn more about the organization and its success. They share their insights on what has made TSFA a thriving community of floral professionals, what keeps it strong and what upcoming events and projects are on the horizon. Tune in to hear from the leaders of Texas State Floral Association and discover what makes this organization so special.

Sponsored by:
Flower Clique
Flower Clique Prep School
Real Life Retail Florist

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:02

What specific challenges or issues are you guys noticing or addressing right now in our industry?

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Welcome to the business and pleasure of flowers. We're your hosts, Vonda LaFever.

SPEAKER_03 0:19

And Lori Wilson. And we believe that business and fun are a perfect combination. Kind of like us, Vonda. Good morning, Vonda. Good morning, Lori. How are you?

SPEAKER_01 0:37

I'm great. I couldn't be any better. Excuse me? I couldn't be any better.

SPEAKER_03 0:44

Oh, I thought you said I need to be better. Oh.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

I think you know me better than that, Lori.

SPEAKER_03 0:53

I was worried. I was worried there for a second.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

We've got us visitors here, Vonda. I know I'm very excited, Lori.

SPEAKER_03 1:01

I am very excited too. We have Cheryl Vaughn and we have Susan Pyland. They both have lots of letters behind their name, just like you, Vonda, which always tells me they're big deals. They're really big deals in this industry. They got all the flower letters behind their names.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Means they've worked hard to achieve where they are. That's what it means, Lori. Yes, meaning they're a big deal.

SPEAKER_03 1:27

So Cheryl and Susan, thank you for joining us. They are both part of Texas State Floral Association, and I'm going to let the two of them kind of share a minute or two of their background slash bio because you know I'm bad at reading bios. So Cheryl, I'm gonna start with you. We did just see you guys at SAF, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:56

Right.

SPEAKER_03 1:57

And I thought you were ignoring me because I had emailed you like two weeks prior, and I ran into you, and you were like, What? I never got your email. I was like, thank God you weren't ignoring me.

SPEAKER_02 2:11

I think I was in the middle of the mountains on a camping trip up in Montana. So not much internet till I got to SAF.

SPEAKER_03 2:21

That's a great excuse, I will take it. So, Cheryl, tell us a little bit about yourself.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

Well, I am currently the immediate past president for TSFA, and I'll just tell you a little bit how I got involved in TSFA. I began a little later than Susan did. Susan got on early, a little smarter than me, but I didn't get into the floral industry until the 90s, and then it got involved in I know late 90s, actually in 97. So we say I'm a young florist to be so old. I became involved in TSFA in the early 2000s and went to my first convention. And at that convention, they asked for volunteers for Bloomsover, Texas, and of course I volunteered. Yes, you know how that goes. So I yes, yeah. I actually met my mentor there, and soon I learned my passion was education, and I got on the education committee, became a co-chair and an instructor for TSFA, and then of course got on the board, and the rest is history. So that's all about me, Susan. Okay. Um wow.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

Cheryl, that's interesting because you're like, oh, you know, I'm kind of new to this. That was 23 years ago, girl. That's a long time. That's a long time. Very true. That's 23 years. That's a lot of great experience. Thank you. Sorry. Go ahead, Susan.

SPEAKER_04 3:49

Sure. Uh, my path was a little bit different. I started at Skyline High School. Um, they had a career development center. So my beginnings was in the floral design, career development, horticulture area at Skyline High School. And so my first TSFA convention was the year I graduated high school. I walked in and I was just in awe. I'm like, this is the career path for me. And so I was very fortunate to kind of have started that early on. My career path was not college, it was having a career. And so TSFA made a way through the Texas Master Forest program today. It took two years to achieve that because they only offered it at conventions and we didn't have the internet, none of that. But through the years, I just got involved more with education, leadership, serving on the education co-chair with Cheryl and being an instructor, retail director, vice president, and now I serve proudly as TSFA president.

SPEAKER_03 5:02

Wow, that is amazing. That's amazing. That's kind of why I was, I guess we could say, stalking you guys a little bit. Because I kept telling Vonda, and she agreed, because she is in Florida, and and Florida is another one. The Florida State Floral Association. They're they're fairly big, and you guys work a lot with them. We do. I mean, you guys are buddies, and Arkansas is another one that is a pretty robust one, but there's very few states that have really well-run, I mean, like Great Lakes, they're pretty big too. But I run into so many people, florists, who live in states where they don't have one. And so that's why I wanted to bring you guys on here because I'm just so curious on how you guys have sustained, and I know it's not just the two of you, I know it takes lots of people. I just think for our listeners who don't live in Texas or Florida or Arkansas or the Great Lakes, how do you make this whole wheel keep turning? So I wanted to start with what is the overview goal or mission statement for Texas State Floral Association?

SPEAKER_04 6:22

Yes, absolutely. TSFA's mission statement is cultivating member success in a strong floral community. So each time we approach a new project, we make sure, like TSFA committee and board, you know, we bring that mission statement forward, and we just want to make certain that the new project matches uh that goal and that purpose, that objective of uh cultivating the members and and making sure, you know, we stay strong in the floral community. So we just want to bring that forward.

SPEAKER_01 6:59

Yeah, yeah. Okay.

unknown 7:00

All right.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

So many times easier said than done, though, you know, right? You have that mission statement and you're like, this is what we're working on, this is what we're working towards, but to be able to really build that community and get that involvement, I think that's where everyone has been falling short in you know, many years. And for some reason, I'm not sure the communication that you have with your members or your outreach for new membership, something in that is what truly, I think, especially years ago, right? Everybody's like, we want to be like Texas, we want to be like TSA. So that's the question is really how, and maybe there's not an answer to that, but there's got to be some way that you have continued to drive the membership forward and to give value to the members that they can want to continue to be involved.

SPEAKER_02 7:52

I'll take that one. I would say that we actually have a really good leadership program where we train our leaders as they're coming through. So, I mean, we have a very strong leadership team, and I would say, you know, that's one of the main things that help us. Of course, we have an amazing executive director, Diana Nordman, who helps keep us focused. She's always forward thinking. And I would say that TSFA is always continues to evolve. I mean, things change in the floral industry all the time, and we with Forward Thinking try to evolve. An example of that is during the pandemic when you know the we made a quick call to the, you know, to their agriculture commissioner and added floral to our essential to the ag build that was going through. And so that kept Texas essential during the pandemic and kept our florists and wholesalers working. So that is just an example of some of the things that uh TSFA has done. And I just feel like that if we can do that through a pandemic, what's gonna stop us now? So that's how I feel.

SPEAKER_00 9:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:07

I have a question I run into people in different states that don't have floor, uh the state floral associations, and they know I'm from Texas, and somehow we we talk about these things because again, you guys have quite the reputation. And something that typically comes up is they will say, Well, we used to have one, and they do bring up the pandemic, and if they had one and it wasn't going great, the pandemic usually wiped it out and nobody ever came back anyway. But what they usually say is the younger generation wants nothing to do with it, they want to do their own thing, they don't care, they don't want to come to meetings, they don't want to put in the work, they don't want to do it, don't want to do it. And that is my question to you. When the expos in Houston, I came down, that was like the first expo after COVID, right? When we had it downtown in the galleria area. Yes, it was years, so there was a lot of younger. I'm like looking around, I'm like, wow, there's so many like young, excited, and I was talking to young people, like florists that were doing things out of their house, you know, that didn't even own a brick and mortar shop. It used to be like a traditional florist, and it was exciting, you know. And I thought they are doing it. How are they getting the younger generation to come to stuff or to even want to be involved? So, how are you doing that?

SPEAKER_02 10:49

I would say that a few years back, that was one of our discussions and it was one of our struggles. Like, you know, our leadership was getting older, and we didn't have a lot of younger leadership and not as much younger attendance as we wanted. Yeah. So, you know, involvement. So we have begun kind of reaching out to floral industry, I'm gonna say stars who really bring in the young people and motivate them. And so we have brought some people like that into our events, and we also talk about it in our Texas floral design school. We have a design school here at the office. So we also talk about that there and trying to reach the way the new people, not just the new florists, but also how the younger generation of consumers actually shop.

SPEAKER_04 11:43

I think bringing floral educators that are very popular on social media and the younger generation sees them coming to our events, and I think that pulls them in as well. That is, we want to welcome anyone in the floral industry. It's not just brick and mortar, it's just a wholesaler. We want to welcome anyone because we have so much knowledge to give, and we just think bringing in younger and developing that leadership in them is gonna help the floral industry. We have to change, we have to be open to change. There may be some organizations that aren't open to that, but we definitely are. We see the need for that, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:24

Right, right. And you want to learn from them too, right? New younger leadership coming in, we can learn from them, and they can learn from you, and because they someday will be new leadership and you'll retire.

SPEAKER_04 12:35

I think one thing with Cheryl and I, when we're instructing, when we have someone new come in, and it's just amazing how their mind thinks because we have developed this style that we were taught years ago that might be more traditional, and we're working out of that box. But when some of these newer designers come in, that just a love of flowers just inspires us. So we learn a new passion, and we tell them we we learn from y'all, so yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:07

No, it's fun, it's fun just to watch. I mean, I know Ellie isn't an AIFD designer, but she is a quite a great designer because she grew up in the industry and she has her mama's flair. But for me, it's fun to watch Vonda and Ellie, her daughter, design and their styles. And at the very beginning, Ellie saying, try to do one more like this in her mind. And Vonda's like, oh, but you know, and right, and then, but now she's like, Okay, okay, like trying to move around and just the compromise, and then flip-flopping to Ellie having to do a little com and they're like, We're doing it, like it's beautiful, it's absolutely beautiful to watch, plus it makes a beautiful design, right? And so it's it's a balance, it really is. I love that, it's a balance, it is such a balance, and so I I loved that. I I want you guys to know I saw it, I noticed it in Houston, and I never ever brought it up, but I did notice that at the galleria and was like, wow, this is cool. There's a lot of young people, it wasn't just those stereotypical husband, wife, business owner carrying the little tote bags around. Like I saw more than that, and so that was because that's normally what we see, right?

SPEAKER_04 14:37

And I think with the SFA, we recognize that change, and so that's why we kind of had to morph into uh realizing it's just not brick and mortar anymore, right? There is a there's a lot more that we need to be educating as well, and we want to be the educators. We you know it's hard when they get so much from YouTube and and all of that. We have principles and elements that we want to stand by, and so that's education is really strong with TSFA.

SPEAKER_03 15:06

Yeah, that's great. Okay, here's my next question again, talking about other associations. I've noticed that some state associations partner with neighboring states, and I'm assuming because they are smaller and they have to partner with them. Does Texas do that? Like does Louisiana can they be a part of Texas, a member of Texas State, or what's well, Texas State TSFA benefits and our educational programs are open to Texas and beyond.

SPEAKER_04 15:38

So we have many florists and also educators that are members of TSFA outside of Texas. So we do have other people in different states that are members and we welcome that. Right. So you do not have to be just in Texas to be a member of TSFA.

SPEAKER_03 15:56

Okay. I kind of figured that, especially if you're close, like parts of Oklahoma, parts of Louisiana. Right.

SPEAKER_01 16:02

Yeah, a lot of our members from Louisiana have go to Texas State and Annie does from Leona soon.

SPEAKER_03 16:09

She used to come to a lot of Texas State stuff, I remember.

SPEAKER_02 16:12

And we also have people from New Mexico and even a few from Arizona. Matter of fact, we had uh a girl from Arizona that came and competed in our designer of the year competition this last year.

SPEAKER_03 16:21

So that's very cool. Well, speaking of designer of the year competition, can you share any of your projects? What's coming up? What are some things you guys are working on?

SPEAKER_02 16:33

We have some amazing projects coming up. I'm very excited. We have a member spotlight in January, which is going to be in East Texas, and then in June, we have our Texas Floral Forum in San Antonio, and that is gonna be a two and a half day event. And we haven't been to San Antonio in a while, so we're excited about what is that? Pardon? What's the June thing? Okay, we have expo every other year. In the off-years, we have a forum. It's not as big, and we don't have as many designers coming. So it's a two and a half day event, and we'll have hands-on classes, we'll have presenters there, both business and design.

SPEAKER_04 17:16

And we also have the designer of the year, of course.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

That's when our designer of the year competition will be, and of course, our annual meeting and that kind of thing. We're excited actually just to come back to San Antonio because it's been a long time and people love the river walk, and so we're excited.

SPEAKER_03 17:32

Yeah, yeah. I love San Antonio. And you know what? Sometimes those smaller things are even more fun, more intimate.

SPEAKER_02 17:39

They really are, and then we also have a couple showcases. We have a showcase in the fall, which will be in West Texas, and then we have our very first holiday-themed showcase that will be in Central Texas, and we're hoping that will become an annual event. We've not ever done anything like that, so it will be all centered around uh the holidays. So we're super excited about that.

SPEAKER_03 18:04

Ooh. And your holiday themed thing, is that just like a one-night thing or a one-day thing, or what are those?

SPEAKER_02 18:12

It is a one-day, but it will have a hands-on class. I'm not sure what he's gonna teach during that, but it'll be something holiday related. Yeah, and then there will be a dinner and presentation that evening. So just give a little hint. We haven't announced it yet, but it will be in a place that has a lot of Christmas shops and things like that that will just be opening so people will have a chance to stay overnight and do a little, you know, Christmas tour.

SPEAKER_03 18:38

That's always fun. Yeah, you had me at shop. That's always always good. And people can look on your website, tsfa.org. Right? That's correct. And my other question for any of those kind of things, you have member pricing and non-member pricing?

SPEAKER_02 19:01

Absolutely, we do. Buy tickets, absolutely, and of course, our membership fees are pretty low, and we have different prices for it, whether you're an owner or an employee, so that way it helps the employees be able to afford that a little better. And some of our brick and mortar stores actually pay for their employees, also. So it's it's very affordable.

SPEAKER_03 19:27

Sure, sure. Okay. All right. Next question What specific challenges or issues are you guys noticing or addressing right now in our industry? I know we just came out of the pandemic, right? So, what what is it you guys are noticing? I'll tell you what we're noticing after you tell me what we're noticing.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

Well, a never-ending challenge is the workforce. We have, you know, everybody you talk to in the that's what I was gonna say. Okay, that is a never-ending challenge. So we actually began addressing this before we knew it was going to be that hard, and that is through our high school program. So we are actually training the teachers who teach the high school students. We have at least 300 high school teachers that teach floral design with hundreds that teach floral design part-time. So we have a lot of teachers teaching these students, and we know not all of them are going to become florists, but they're also gonna be educated consumers. So that is one way that we have hopefully helped with our workforce because I know at our shop we have two level one certified students at our shop, and we actually have one high school teacher that works for us on Saturday. So I can see firsthand that that has really helped us. So I would say that was one of the main ways, and then one of them I already mentioned, and that's you know, bringing in people that help us reach that younger generation, and you know, they just shop differently than we do, and so bringing those people in to help us adapt to that younger generation. Susan, you have something to add?

SPEAKER_04 21:11

I think that's that I think that that has a lot to do with it is educating a younger group and not only having them have the education to come in and be in the workforce for the floral industry, but also very well consumer of flowers. We want that. This new generation, they love flowers, they do. I mean, I had someone say, What is that flower over, you know, tall with all these beautiful blooms? And I said, That's a gladiola. I've never seen one before. So it's just exciting to see that newer generation.

unknown 21:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:45

But it's also that you're learning from them. I think that's the thing. The teachers are learning from the students what they're asking, what the questions they want to have answers for, which helps us better understand that generation and know what to put forth. For education and what we can expect as far as consumers for the younger generation. So I think it's it's so awesome that you guys are in the high schools and can bring that forth for everyone to learn from one another. I mean, obviously you're teaching them and making them great consumers, but that's how we learn. That's how we find out how we're going to market to that next generation of consumers as well.

SPEAKER_02 22:24

Absolutely. And it's interesting because, you know, for a while we were seeing that uh group of young people who were not necessarily wanting to come into the shops, but these young people, they want to come in, they want to touch, they want to feel, you know, it's kind of gone full circle and they kind of want that little experience. And so we're we are learning and adapting to that too. So they are like you said, they are teaching us every day.

SPEAKER_01 22:53

Yeah, love that. Love that.

SPEAKER_03 22:56

So segueing into my next question from that is kind of perfect. What are ways florists in Texas? How can they get involved? What are ways they can volunteer for Texas State? Maybe they can't weekly, but what are some ways they can volunteer?

SPEAKER_04 23:15

Sure. That's so easy. You can call the office, TSFA's office. You can go online to TSFA.org and look at all the upcoming events. You can call me personally, Susan Pylon. I'm the president. We welcome new people that want to become involved and volunteer in the organization. That's wonderful. We have so many opportunities where they can come in and just learn something new or just partner with us in some of our events that are taking place.

SPEAKER_02 23:50

We always have people working in the workroom. That's a huge need all the time. And some of them have never seen that back room, what's happening back there. So we welcome those volunteers. Some of them might be just, you know, slopping buckets, as we say, but others may be assisting designers. But we always need help in that workroom or getting things on and off the stage. There is so much to be done. So we welcome volunteers in all those areas.

SPEAKER_03 24:18

Yeah. I love watching the volunteers. I always see like Mary McCarthy. She's always one of the ones running around in the back, and she always has the biggest smile on her face. And I think nothing brings that woman more joy than working in a back room.

unknown 24:35

You're right.

SPEAKER_03 24:36

For Jim or somebody.

SPEAKER_04 24:38

And I'm like, only you designers love doing it. Well, SFA is fortunate because we have so many volunteer members that love what they do, they don't all have to have recognition. Yeah. They just love the community of the floral industry, the family that we bring.

SPEAKER_03 24:57

Yeah. Yeah. No, it is. It's it's fun to watch. It's similar, like when I've been with Vonda, you know, when we've done shows and Tim Farrell's designing. It doesn't matter if it's him or Vonda, but Tim can be designing, and Vonda's back there running his stuff back and forth, or it's vice versa. And they don't care, they're just in their element. They're having so much fun helping. And I'm like, you guys are so wacky and so happy. So before we get to my favorite part, is there anything else about TSFA that you guys would like our audience to know?

SPEAKER_02 25:38

I would just say that everyone is welcome and we are trying to get the word out. We know we need to do a little better at marketing. I mean, I feel like we have a good marketing system, but you know, you can always improve. Just to get the word out there that they are welcome and we have an amazing networking and education. I mean, we support each other. I mean, we always have someone we can call because of that networking, and that is so important. Yeah. I I agree completely.

SPEAKER_04 26:09

We want to include everyone in the floral industry. Everyone. I mean, they're all welcome to TSFA.

SPEAKER_02 26:15

And I don't know if we mentioned, but we have a lot of wholesalers and growers, and they're all part of TSFA. And also when I talked about our high school program earlier, that has also brought a lot of value to our wholesalers because of the extra product that's being sold. So we include everybody, and I would say we have an amazing organization that uh includes all of the floral industry.

SPEAKER_03 26:45

I love that. I do I love that. That's great. Great. So, and if anyone that's listening has questions and needs help with it, email me and I can send you all of their information.

SPEAKER_01 26:57

So we'll drop it in the link below, too.

SPEAKER_03 26:59

Yeah, we'll drop it in the link and super easy. Just Google Texas State Floral Association. Okay, we have a couple of minutes. I'm gonna do a few rapid fire questions. This is the important stuff, lady. It's super important to get ready. All right, Susan.

SPEAKER_04 27:16

What's your favorite flower? That is so hard. That's like picking your favorite child. I know. You gotta pick one. So I'm picking two flowers, Lily of the Valley and Runuculus.

SPEAKER_03 27:30

Okay, all right. You can have two.

SPEAKER_02 27:34

Cheryl, your least favorite flower. I would have to go with chrysanthemum.

SPEAKER_03 27:42

I didn't see that come up. I know, I'm sorry. I did not see that come up. I'm sorry. No, no, this is a no judgment zone. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 27:53

And I use them all the time, Lori. And there are certain ways that I'd like to use them, but I don't like to see them just mixed up in an arrangement, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 28:03

So I'm okay. No judgment. My least favorite flower, as the world knows, it's the sunflower, and it is in everything right now. Happiness.

SPEAKER_02 28:13

But I just it's so hard to control, Lori. It is just weird. It just stares at me.

SPEAKER_03 28:24

It's just weird. I don't like it. It's like it's gonna open its mouth. It's just not normal.

SPEAKER_02 28:32

We will not send thumbs to you, okay, Lori?

SPEAKER_03 28:36

Thank you. Thank you. That tells me you listened. I appreciate that, Cheryl. I appreciate that so much. Susan, which do you prefer when designing? Wedding design or sympathy?

SPEAKER_04 28:49

I love them both, but I'm gonna go with sympathy. I do that. I love sympathy trip preference. Yeah, I do.

SPEAKER_02 28:57

Yeah, I love that. Cheryl, what about you? I have to say wedding because I have mostly a wedding and event designer. So I mean, I do everything.

SPEAKER_03 29:06

Okay, all right. That's sympathy. That's good. Susan, are you a texter or a talker?

SPEAKER_04 29:14

I would rather talk. Absolutely. I don't use a two thumbs. I'm so slow at texting. Talking. I get it. I get it, Cheryl.

SPEAKER_02 29:24

I text a lot, believe me. And I can use both thumbs, but I prefer talking. And that's my generation. Well, I think, ladies, it's being here in Texas.

SPEAKER_03 29:35

We just talk a lot. Vacation. Susan, are you beach or mountains?

SPEAKER_04 29:40

I'm gonna say beach, just because I have not ventured into the mountains. So, you know, my love for mountains could be there. I just don't know. I haven't explored that. You don't know what you don't know.

SPEAKER_00 29:51

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 29:52

Is I get it. Cheryl. If I have to choose, I'd say the mountains. Okay. Well, because you were just there. That's why you didn't email me back and I thought you hated me. Right. So party. So okay. Last one, Susan. What is one piece of advice you would tell 25-year-old Susan?

SPEAKER_04 30:15

Well, besides the fact of that perm did not look good on you when you were 25 years old, the other advice would be it'd be more encouragement. Just keep on giving to the floral industry because it will come back to you tenfold. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 30:38

Love that. Love it. That's so good. What about you, Cheryl? 25-year-old Cheryl is sitting across from you drinking a tab.

SPEAKER_02 30:47

Um, I would have to say get involved in the floral industry and find TSFA because I did that way too late.

SPEAKER_03 30:57

Oh, that's good. That's good. That's great. Ladies, thank you so much for coming.

SPEAKER_04 31:02

It wasn't scary, was it? No, no. Thank you so much, Flower Click. Yes. We just love y'all's support for TSFA education and as a Texas floral education underwriter, and um, y'all just supply us with all the support that's needed, and that's how we have excellent programming to provide to all those in the industry, and we are just so thankful for y'all. Yes, thank you both.

SPEAKER_02 31:30

Well I know we are glad to have you. Thank you from me also for inviting us, and we hope to see you both in Texas in June.

SPEAKER_03 31:38

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_01 31:57

We 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.