Why Showing Up Matters: The Power of Face-to-Face in Floral Education

Episode 323: In a world where we can learn anything online, is it still worth leaving your shop to attend a floral conference?

After returning from the Great Lakes Floral Expo, Lori shares what truly happens when you step out from behind the counter and show up in person. From unexpected hugs at the booth to meaningful hallway conversations, this episode explores the kind of connection, confidence, and inspiration that simply can’t be recreated on a screen.

Vonda and Lori talk about the unseen volunteers who make these events possible, the designers learning inside the flower room, and the ripple effect that happens when florists gather with open hearts and open minds. They reflect on the energy shift that takes place over a single weekend and the leadership impact of investing in yourself — and your team.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you have the time or whether it’s really worth it, this conversation is your reminder that showing up still matters. When we elevate one another, we elevate the entire industry.

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

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

If someone says to you, I don't have time to leave my shop and go to a convention, what would you say? I can watch it online. I can see it later. Welcome to the Business and Pleasure of Flowers. We're your host, Vonda LaFever.

SPEAKER_03 0:23

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

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Hey Lori, so we're both traveling. We have different backgrounds today. We're just all over the place. I'm an awesome teacher today. Oh, okay. I love that.

SPEAKER_03 0:44

Mm-hmm. My daughter-in-law is a school teacher, and so that is my coffee cup for the day.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

I love it. Love it.

SPEAKER_03 0:52

Well, you were at Great Lakes Oral Expo. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Yes, with Audrey Christophe for Flower Click. Representing Flower Click, and you had a nice presentation.

SPEAKER_03 1:04

Yeah. Yeah. I did a business session on customer service, creating your customer service stream team, which was really fun. My internet glitched, but you know, we pivoted. It was all good. My audience was very forgiving. And so we just talked through. It was really fun. It was fun. You and I both we have to have an interactive audience. Get that energy. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:35

And so I stated that up front. And so we immediately gave them permission to raise those hands or scream out hell for help or you know, whatever. So it went well. So yeah, I'm just tired. And my brain is still spiraling with ideas and all of this stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:55

That's what makes a big difference is when you go and it's successful, then your mind doesn't shut down. You're like, oh, we could have done this. Oh, I have to remember this. You know, all of those things going on. So today I'm going to interview you, Lori, about because I think so many times we think, oh, we can get everything we need from Zoom, whether it is, you know, the interactions that we have with our meetings, a lot of times it's like, oh, let's get online and learn how to do this and do that. And gosh, that's great. And we're lucky we had those opportunities. But when we look at it and you come away from a conference like this, you're like, ooh, why showing up really does matter and being face to face? So here are some of my questions. I'm going to start first about the face-to-face. What does an in-person connection give you that a Zoom call can never do? Well, a hug.

SPEAKER_03 2:51

There you go. That's right. I'm not even kidding because you know me. I was meeting during the trade show part. People would come up, and most mostly women, it's not like I'm randomly hugging men. They would come up and they would ask about Flower Click and we would start talking. And I would say if there was like a hidden camera watching me and we went back and re-watched everything, I don't know if this is good or bad, Vonda, but I'd say 90% end in a hug. And there was one group, two ladies, they are in a very, very small town. I don't even remember the name of it. And they were just there for one day. They could afford a one-day pass. You know, don't have a lot of money. They'd never been to one before. This was like a whole new thing. Delightful. Just treasures of women. And they came over and they had a little bag. They were so excited because they were getting like little treats, you know, at each thing. And I was giving them all the flower click stuff. And we were talking and talking a little bit about what we were. And but it wasn't really something that they it was a good fit for them because they were a very, very small, but I was giving them some encouraging words and talking about the industry and some things that might help them and some many freebies told them about our podcast. And anyway, it ended in a hug, like individual hug and group hug. Anyway, they came back later. They were walking back by to go to like the center stage thing. And I waved and they're like, hug, hug, and they came back home. Yes, yes. Anyway, connection, like just that physical of we're in this together. I don't know. I know that sounds so cheesy and silly, but it really, really is not only with strangers, but we say this all the time, like our flower family that you don't get to see that much. Oh, seeing everyone face to face, like, oh my gosh, you got your hair cut! Like, how many times I heard that? It's so funny, right? Just that kind of thing is so fun.

SPEAKER_01 5:17

So energizes me. Did you have conversations that in person that you would have not never had online? Oh, a hundred percent. Yeah, because you can see the interaction, right? Because of what you're seeing.

SPEAKER_03 5:32

Yeah. And so you have deeper conversations, which okay, it's deeper connection. You have funnier conversations, you just have deeper connection. And it just that that relationship, that friendship, that mentorship, whatever the ship is. If that's the thing, I don't know. I'm just making it. It is now, Lori, because you said it was. It grows to me. It grows, it expands, and that's what in person. Nothing, nothing will take the place of that.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Little thing that I have written here is what happens in the hallway in those conversations, we can never replace those. I mean, we can't underestimate what those little like you bump into people or something.

SPEAKER_00 6:21

Oh my gosh, you know.

SPEAKER_03 6:23

You know, the thing about Great Lakes Floral Expo, so the trade show is two days, off and on, off and on. The first day, Saturday was like all day long. And at first I was like, I don't quite, it's a little annoying, you know, because a lot of trade shows are like just from one to three, or they're concentrated, or anyway. So I wasn't sure how I was gonna like it because I like to go to the classes, you know. Right. And so the more I think about it, and Audrey and I were decompressing the whole drive back because we I drove back to Cleveland with her to see my son, which is why I'm here with this background. Instead of having like six or seven people at your booth at once asking, what's flower click, or can we talk about your bundles, or blah, blah, blah. It was more of a trickle. And maybe that was better. I don't know. I I'm I'm still trying to figure it out, but we had a lot of really good conversations. I'm not saying sales conversations, but really great meetings with florists.

SPEAKER_01 7:35

And that's how we learn too, right? It's not necessarily just to flower click or bring people into our membership. It's like, ooh, we learn those things. And there's no one better than you, Lori, to take those conversations and come back to us and go, you know, so and so was this, and I heard this message three times, and maybe that's something that we need to like just pain point. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:00

Because I was asking a lot of people, like, what is your biggest struggle right now? What are you struggling with? The other thing is because it was trickly, we got to talk to other vendors more. And like, what about this? I've never seen you here. What's what's your story? What do you do? And so we were like having to practice our spiel with each other, which is kind of fun. So yeah, right, perfect your elevators a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

Not our feet with our other vendors. Ours still sucks because I don't ever know what to say. The other thing I always key in on, and I know you do too, is the the volunteers that it takes to put on something like that. Just like, wow, how many volunteers actually does it take to do the flower room, the main stage, set up the vendors and put that all together and the power of people who volunteer to do those positions. So I want to say this.

SPEAKER_03 8:56

Oh, I want to give a big shout out to Glyffey, their committee, their volunteers. They there was always someone on that committee, and they were very nonchalant. It's not like they were just wearing, I'm the committee member, you know, but there was always someone checking. Are y'all okay? Do you need anything? Everything good? Like always, always making sure, even if you need a bathroom break, they were on the committee, but they were also a flower click member, literally sat in our booth while I did my lecture. We didn't ask them to do that. We didn't even know they were gonna do that. But they wanted to make sure someone was there when you were gone. And I'm like, incre just so sweet, so kind, and so unexpected. Unexpected, and just it's like wow, makes you so happy that you invested in this and and supported this event.

SPEAKER_01 10:06

So anyway, wow, it made me really happy. So tell me what you think volunteers gain personally from serving on a committee or something like that. Well, I mean it's a lot of work. Let me just say that. We all know, like Jackie, who is in the father room taking care of all of that. Yes, for all. And you had other people in key positions, Jen Lyman, another one of our members. Both of these are our members, which makes us really proud, of course. But they're out there giving their time, their energy.

SPEAKER_03 10:35

First, I will say from my own belief system, I believe we were all born on this earth to serve. I think everybody should serve in some capacity of something, because when we serve others, we are better. It just makes us better. It doesn't matter what it is. I mean, well, it does matter, but you know what I mean. I think being a part of a team, which I talked about in my presentation, when you're serving, whether it's a volunteer committee or whatever, being a part of a team that is creating something like this is amazing, you know. And at the end of the day, to sit back and go, wow, we did that as a team.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

I don't want to sit back and go, I did that. It's not self-serving, is what you're saying right there. It's not a self-serving.

SPEAKER_03 11:28

It's wow, look at what we did together. Look what we can do when we come together and do this. I don't know. And I think, again, you're the designer, but think about a designer that wants to learn more and they get to assist Kelsey Thompson or they get to assist Jacob McCall and they've never had that opportunity. Maybe they come from a very small town in Michigan and they don't get to connect, and then they're assigned to one of these main stage presenters. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 12:06

Right. Incredible. There's no better place to learn than in a flower room of a convention. Right.

SPEAKER_03 12:11

Do you remember when we were at Texas State and we were sitting in their gala and we were at a table with some girls, and one of them or two of them sat in on somebody's main stage. I can't remember who the guy was. Was it that would have been Chris Cullum? Yes. Yeah, him. And we were sitting at the gala and they were talking about how they had helped. Anyway, she was like, it was life-changing, life-changing to assist him, to like to see his ways. And she was already a pretty good designer, but I'm like, volunteering, it's reciprocal, right?

SPEAKER_01 12:53

You're helping them, but it also helps you. Doesn't matter what degree of design ability you have, when you go into that flower room, you're going to learn something. I still love assisting a designer in design. Really? I don't want to be absolutely, because I could work with Jacob, I could work with Chris, I could work with you any number, Kelsey, any number of designers. And I can sit and assist them and watch and observe and then find out ways they do things that might be different than what I do.

SPEAKER_03 13:26

So let me ask you this, and I know this isn't on your list, but I'm super curious. When you're, let's say you're assisting Kelsey, and like hers was on sympathy. Hers, and I got to do peaks. Again, I'm in trade show world on the business side, but I'm looking over and it's beautiful. But when you're helping create these designs and she assigns you, let's say you're gonna work on a cassette spray, does she tell you exact techniques you're to use, or does she just say, hey, here's a recipe, here's a picture, make it?

SPEAKER_01 14:01

She probably would do that. But as an experienced designer, I would say to Kelsey, Kelsey, tell me, are there any certain points that you want us to be able to make with this? Certain mechanics that you want me to do specifically, because as the designer, the person who's put through that whole program together, they have something in mind when they say, I want you to do this. They don't want you to do it. Well, some designers will just say it doesn't matter. Okay, this is what my final needs to be. This is what I want to be able to present. But a lot of times they're like, I want strong lines here, but I do want alternative mechanics. So that's what you need to do as that assistant. It's not your program, right? And I it's not for me to do what I would do. I'm going to listen to whoever it is giving those instructions. Although in my mind, I'm like, oh, I can do it just as well as she can do it. Right, right. That's not the whole idea. It's what is it that is in her mind that you're trying to pull out? And I think that's what a really good designer will do, whether they're assisting or whether, you know, they're just like, do the basics. Right. And it depends on the ability of the person. Because you do get interesting enough when you're in a position like Kelsey or Jacob or whoever it is, yeah, and you have another AIFD designer assisting you, sometimes you're really nervous. Yeah. I that's what I was thinking.

SPEAKER_03 15:24

I would be a little nervous to dictate how they have to do their techniques.

SPEAKER_01 15:29

What is what is it you want me to show? Because right.

SPEAKER_03 15:32

Because you already know everything. Right.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

And you don't. That's the key, is when you step in that position, you have to realize you don't know everything. Somebody else knows more than you, and you're gonna be in there in a situation to learn. So yeah, volunteering still, I still love to do that. Doesn't matter who you are.

SPEAKER_03 15:49

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wow. So when you again sidetrack, but when you did your sympathy show with Tim Farrell, and you guys were making stuff back in the design room together, assisting him. But did you learn anything from him? Do you guys still learn techniques from each other?

SPEAKER_01 16:07

Absolutely. I was watching because he was doing those big stems with uh tropical flowers. So I was watching his mechanics, was watching how he was doing it. It's great to design with somebody like that. You're just like looking over your shoulder, going, okay, what's Tim doing, you know? So and then I would ask questions. So yeah, it's a great learning experience for anybody who has the opportunity to step into the flower room and work, but also so many things you can do.

unknown 16:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

Yeah. So why would you encourage someone to volunteer instead of just attending? Obviously, we're talking about that. Reasons. I mean, even about you, though. So, like you, you wouldn't be in the design room. What would you do when you come into a conference if you're not at a booth?

SPEAKER_03 16:50

I would want to be part of the planning and the idea and the brainstorming and the executing all the all the fun stuff. The that what you're talking about isn't the fun stuff. Not for you, it's not no new. I'd want to be part of the promoting and the ideas and how we do all that kind of stuff. What is it? I told you before when I took a class, a leadership class one time, and you had to do all these tests, and it was like a whole weekend seminar. And then at the end, you have your one-on-one with the guy, and he kind of tells you the type of leader you're and he was like, Here's the thing: you are the person that says, Hey, you know what? We gotta build a rocket ship, we gotta do it. We have to build the rocket ship. I don't know how we build it, I don't know what you do, I don't know actually who goes in it, but we gotta build the rocket ship. I will tell everybody about the rocket ship and get them here, but I don't know how to do any of this middle stuff, but gotta do it, and I'll get everybody here. Yeah, you guys do this, go take it from here, right? And I was like, oh my god, that is exactly and that was probably 20 years ago, 25 years ago, and that's constantly in the back of my head because I'm like, I see that playing out in my flower click live. That is we gotta have another photo shoot. I don't know how to design, I don't know colors, I don't know anything, but we have to have new flowers, and I will get get new members. Go, you guys, you and Ellie, do it. Tell me when it's ready.

SPEAKER_01 18:30

That's why we all work well so so well together. We need your enthusiasm and your direction.

SPEAKER_03 18:35

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 18:36

Pass it off.

SPEAKER_00 18:37

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 18:38

But same with us, right? We all do that in a sense, then you pass it to us, and we're doing this, and we're going, Cam, go. Right, right, right, go. That's how we do it.

SPEAKER_03 18:46

But so, whatever serving capacity that type of brain is needed, that's what I would sign up to be.

unknown 18:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 18:54

That makes sense. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Okay, shifting gears. Okay. If someone says to you, I don't have time to leave my shop and go to a convention, what would you sell? I can watch it online. I can see it later.

SPEAKER_03 19:08

I would sit down first with them and their calendar, and I would really have some heart to hearts. It's like some of the people I met that said, we're just here for the day. The one day. We just did a day pass because we can't be gone anymore. Like you you made yourself mini shops like Beautiful Blooms by Jen, they've closed. They closed because she brought her whole staff. Well, I mean, she's head of the committee too, but like it's that important.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

Right.

SPEAKER_03 19:38

I mean, you think about that. They left Thursday, yeah, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. That's a lot. That's a big sacrifice. But the amount of education and learning and connection they're gonna get is incredible.

SPEAKER_01 19:57

Energy, Lori, just the energy to bring your staff there. You know, yes, Jen's in charge of the committee and she's doing all that, but to to sacrifice closing three days to be able to go there and bring your staff and the energy and education. Right. I mean, wow.

SPEAKER_03 20:14

Well, the other part of that too is I think how that speaks as a boss, how they realize, wow, my boss really cares. She wants her staff to be built into it. They came by our booth, you know, they're Flower Click members, and I love all of them, and they're just delightful, and they're working there too, and they're doing all of the things. And I mean, it is a sacrifice for any business to have to close for a day. And we understand that, but sometimes you have to make that sacrifice because you to go and get rejuvenated is worth it. It's like a spa day.

SPEAKER_01 20:56

Yeah. I totally agree. Yeah. And so then we know the investment's worth it. But the interesting what question that is here is what is the cost of not attending? Right.

SPEAKER_03 21:10

Um, I think uh one of the big costs, I'll I'll just be for myself because I don't own a flower shop. For me, and you know this, it's not like it's gonna be a surprise for you, is getting stuck in a rut, getting in this loop of just sitting behind my computer and speaking into a computer to other people behind a computer. Are those people real? Like, you know what I mean? Like not having the connection. And so if I know there's another opportunity on my calendar or another plane ticket in my app that I have going, that I have something to look forward to, of a connection point, that keeps. Me inspired and energized and going because I'm like, oh I'm gonna be given hugs and talking and learning and and growing and all of the things. I don't need it weekly. I'm okay. I've got friends and family to do those things, but like from a brain stimulation standpoint, from for work, yeah, I do. I was not built to work virtually, but yet I've been doing it since 2012 or 13 and pretty successfully. It's really only the last however many years we've been with Flower Click when you've started going, hey, you're gonna be traveling, that it's really kicked in. That you're like, oh my gosh, I don't want to stop doing this. This is a sun. Because I've been able to connect. So that's my answer.

SPEAKER_01 23:04

My long answer. You're someone who's very observant. So I'm gonna ask you, could you see any change in the people after they first came until they left in the difference in their confidence level? Like sometimes I remember going to conferences and people are kind of meek and look like they're don't belong for those first hours, you know, and then all of a sudden at the end, you're like, oh my gosh, you can't shut that person down. Were you ever to observe any of that this time?

SPEAKER_03 23:32

Well, what I can say is from my point of view, some of the people we met at the very beginning who were asking us about Flower Click were sort of interested. And we kind of got to know them and then we saw them throughout. By the end of the weekend, we were high-fiving them, joking with them, being goofy. They stopped when we actually had kind of inside jokes with them. Some one of them has already emailed me a funny joke, like that kind of thing, loosening up. I'm like, that's what's so funny. Like you make you love, right? That's your goal, Lori, is to get people that loosened. And I'm like, whether they become flower click members, is just bonus. That's just bonus. But now I'm like, I have another friend in this industry that I know I will see at AIFD now. He's hilarious, and I can't wait. And then the other one won the scholarship to do the SAF convention. What is their design contest called? The Sylvia Cup? Yes, he won that scholarship. He has never been to SAF. Nice, that's gonna be going. And he's actually a shop here in Cleveland. And Audrey and I visited his shop years ago, right uh kind of on the outskirts of COVID, and they were still kind of half shut. Anyway, we're so excited. I'm so excited. I'm like, I'm gonna make you a big sign and do it. Anyway, so I had just met him, and he won, and anyway, so we got to celebrate him, and it was just those kind of things. Like you meet somebody, they're not knowing what's going on, but the end, he's like, I'm going, I'm going. And we're just I don't know. So, yeah, confidence at the end, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 25:31

Yeah. So I think just wrapping it up, and then I want you to tell me if you have any last-minute thoughts, is really bringing it back to when you go to a convention like that, you really end up, you especially, and Audrey elevating each other and elevating everyone around you. You're showing up for the industry, hands down, you always show up. And it was just great that Audrey had that opportunity to be there with you and just take it all in and give back to our industry as well. And the responsibility of learning and giving back. I mean, sometimes we don't think about that, but the industry gives us so much, and you're one of the first to just jump back in and give it back. What you we've been given, we want to give in return. Right. And this one, the the ripple effect of each one of the conferences. It is touch ripple. Yes. So those are mine. I just wanted to see because I'm listening to you, I'm going like all of this stuff really, really does matter.

SPEAKER_03 26:29

Um, no, I mean, I think you wrapped it up beautifully. I would say, you know, Audrey doesn't go to a lot of these. I mean, she's been to SAF, she's going to AIFD this year with us. And man, she was just great. Audrey and I've known each other for over 20 years, so it was exciting in that way. But she drove and she and I just had the best time because we both love people and she loved connecting, just being able to be see our members face to face. And there were so many of them. That was probably, I would say, the highlight, and it always is. It truly is. I shout out to our flower clickers because I mean I get emotional. It is a highlight of every one of these when we get to meet them face to face.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

Because they're not why we go. Yeah, I'm looking forward to Illinois State in a few weeks. So we'll see if I have as much energy as you. But I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 27:29

You will, you will drink a Red Bull, you'll be fine. You'll feel as well. 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_02 27:54

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.