Welcome to The Business & Pleasure of Flowers!

#001 - Flower business owners and designers unite!  Vonda LaFever and Lori Wilson will share industry knowledge and expertise while reminding you why you love what you do.

We hope you enjoy our first episode as we introduce ourselves and share the who, what and why of our podcast. Join our podcast clique and hit subscribe!

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

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:03

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Vonda 0:04

Welcome to the business and pleasure of flowers. I'm Vonda LaFever

Lori 0:08

and I'm Lori Wilson .

Vonda 0:10

We often get wrapped up into the day to day operations of our business and forget the pleasure flowers bring to everyone.

Lori 0:17

Including us!

Vonda 0:18

Join us each week as we touch on important subjects that will help lead you to a more successful business and at the same time remind you that pleasure or just downright fun, needs to be part of your everyday life. So thanks for stopping in today. We're so glad you're here. Welcome to the very first episode of the business and pleasure of flowers. We're so excited you're here. I'm Vonda LaFever.

Lori 0:46

and I'm Lori Wilson, and Vonda LaFever, this is happening! This is happening!

Vonda 0:51

I know. Finally, right Lori ? I mean, I've been talking about this since 2016 and here it is 2020 yeah.

Lori 1:00

Which, which 2020 those numbers like I was writing them, it blows me away because it just seems like such a futuristic year, you know? And I think it's because half my brain is stuck in the 80s (laughs). It was the best time of my life. And so I, you know, 2020 is so old. I'll be so old then and yet I don't feel old.

Vonda 1:28

No, we're not old. And you know, 2020 has a lot of excitement. We're starting this podcast and we've launched a new company, Flower Clique Flowerclique.com if somebody wants to go check out all of these crazy things.

Lori 1:41

So since this was our first launch, I was doing a little bit of scrolling. I won't call it research because it was literally on my phone in front of a TV while football was on. But I was like, I want to know when podcasts started. You know me, I've always loved podcasts. I'm kind of a podcast junkie and then I've, I've introduced you to that and you now have the same addiction.

Vonda 2:04

Yes.

Lori 2:06

Here's my little bit of trivia. Did you know that podcasts started in the 80s in the 1980s and I'm like, how could that be?

Vonda 2:19

I had no idea. That's wow.

Lori 2:21

Yeah, but they called it video blogging from what I'm reading. So, and then it was, you know, very few and far between. Not many people did it. Um , and then in 2004 is when it really, really like came on the mark. So 2004 16 years later, Hey, we're in it, we're in it to win it. There we go. I guess it only took us 16 years to get here.

Vonda 2:46

Yeah, you are definitely the queen of podcasts. So I, you know, you did get me addicted to this and I just think that, you know, we have so much to share with our listeners and I'm so excited to do it.

Lori 2:58

We do. And, and you and I listened to very different podcasts, but there's a theme in both of them that you walk away being inspired. Right? Either one except in my true crime series that I just get scared in those. But for the most part we like ones that kind of reignite a flame in us about something a great, you know, during that time. And usually it's a, it's a creative outlet, whether it's building a new business or wallpapering a bathroom because wallpaper is now back in style. Whatever it is, it's something that inspires us. So we're like, Hey, we like to do that. Right?

Vonda 3:36

It makes us really think, I think it brings us to a different level too . A lot of times, like you said, the crime ons , it's like, Oh, you know, scared or non-thinking. But a lot of them really do inspire me to be a better person or to take myself to a different level and , and I think I have not found one on floral or our floral business.

Lori 4:00

I agree. And that's when you really started taking notes and I've , I noticed you started listening to podcasts almost to dissect them as format. Back in 2016 when you started thinking, right, Hey, if this is something I want to do, how, how can this meet the floral industry? You know, how, what can I take? And so I'm excited we're going to give it the old college try, right?

Vonda 4:24

We're going to do a great job and hopefully inspire everyone who's listening to us for sure.

Lori 4:31

Okay, so Vonda I'm going to kind of put you on the spot. I'm going to do a little mini interview. So I feel like doing this kind of off the cuff is better.

Vonda 4:41

Okay.

Lori 4:42

Because you are going to be super genuine and authentic. And those are two things kind of in our mission statement for Flower Clique. We want to always be truthful, authentic people. A nd so I'm g oing t o ask you a who, what and why.

Vonda 4:57

Okay.

Lori 4:59

Let's start with who and basically ask you, who are you, like what's your deal? Why are you doing a podcast in the floral industry?

Vonda 5:10

That's a good question. Right? And you know, it's like I could read a bio, but you know, mostly I'm a professional florist, you know, I'm American Institute of floral designers, professional floral communicators, international and a certified floral designer. So that kind of gives you my, okay, this is my credentials. But I worked in a flower shop since I was 14 years old, you know, from cleaning shelves to bucket washer, to learning, to design and in Dixon, Illinois owned a flower shop for almost 20 years.

Lori 5:43

Now when you were 14 and went to work in a flower shop, was it , uh , a family owned or you just needed a job? And just decided to work at a flower shop?

Vonda 5:52

A friend of the family had a flower shop and my dad said, you know, you are such a hard worker and you should go to work for Peggy. Peggy Harrison was her name in Ames, Iowa. And so I did, you know, cleaned all the pretty shelves, you know, the beautiful, gorgeous glassware and gifts and then moved into the buckets in the back room. And that was kind of a graduation I got to go into. It really was, instead of being in the front room beautifying that, I got to go into the back room, which was where ,

Lori 6:26

and you had no experience with f lowers?

Vonda 6:28

No, Nothing.

Lori 6:30

Like your mom wasn't super into gardening.

Vonda 6:32

Nothing.

Lori 6:34

Wow. No. And so would you watch the designers or what?

Vonda 6:39

Yes, I watched the designers very carefully and just, you know, with that I that, Oh, I want to do that someday. Kind of like, you know, as a child really, you know, it's so intriguing that they could take this bucket that had these flowers in it and make it into something beautiful. So yeah, it was , um , that, that was where it was and I loved it.

Lori 7:00

So 14 age 14, that is who you are. You knew at that age you were inspired. Right. Something triggered in your heart and in your mind of, I love this. This gives me energies, this gives me passion.

Vonda 7:14

Right? Yeah . And we'll have to talk about it sometime, Lori , but it's not just that, it's the mentorship and who I worked with and worked for, which these days it makes all the difference in the world.

Lori 7:25

It was who taught it was your teacher.

Vonda 7:28

For sure.

Lori 7:29

Yeah, exactly. Very cool. Okay, so that's your who, now your what. And let me sort of tell you what I mean by your, what, what are you doing now? Like what's your present state? What do you, what's your goal?

Vonda 7:46

Well, my present state is that I just opened a company with, of course, the help of some amazing women. Right? And it's Flower Clique, which is CLI Q, U E, which is because we are just to clique, you know, it's the floral industry as a whole, as a clique.

Lori 8:07

Right.

Vonda 8:08

I just want to continue to help shops or anybody who wants to be better at what they're doing, you know, so that's what, that's what I am. And can I roll right into why ?

Lori 8:21

Yes, absolutely. What is your, why? What is your, why? Why are you doing this? Because again, you've been in this industry since you were 14. You've worn many types of hats , business owner, consultant , um , just designer like all of these things. And I don't mean to be rude, but you're not 20 years old. So why, why do this now? You can do anything. Why, why do all of this now?

Vonda 8:52

You know what, it's, it's my passion, for obviously this industry, but I know that this job or this profession is not always easy. It's, we are driven by what we do. Um, and I think sometimes just knowing you're not alone and you and I've talked about this, Lori , it's like, you know, somebody who's always there, you can ask questions too . Um, and be able to get reliable , um, uh, authentic answers. And I've had the opportunity to, to travel and talk to so many, probably of our listeners out there, and gained so much information that I really want to be able to pay that forward. There's, there's so much to to talk about.

Lori 9:41

You know, and I'm just going to throw something out there about you that I don't know if you see or not, but what I've seen in the last eight years that I've known you and watched you work in in a lot of different ways. I mean, you know, whether it's helping a shop with profit help, whether it's helping with a wedding, whether it's your consulting skills, you really have helped so many shops at all different revenue levels.

Vonda 10:11

Mm .

Lori 10:12

You know, I mean, you don't, you give your all to the startup shop that's just not even open six months and they're coming to you because they're going to fail because maybe they don't know how to do their books. You give the same amount of energy to them as you do a shop that's been around for 20 years and they're , you know, super high end and they have $4 million annual revenue. So you're just passionate about the industry regardless of beginning, middle or end of the person's journey. Right.

Vonda 10:44

Thank you. Lori. Yeah, it's, it's about the person and it's about the success and bringing them to another level because I see the potential in every person. You and I both can do that. See the potential and the people we talked .

Lori 10:56

Yeah, right, right. It's what drives us. And we were always virtually high fiving, you know, when we see somebody else become successful, I'm like, I took , I think I maybe helped them, we get very excited. So anyway. Okay, so that's your who, what, and why.

Vonda 11:17

So, what about you Lori ? Um, what should our friends know about you to start with, let's say, because there's so much.

Lori 11:24

Oh my gosh, there is just so much. Well, first of all, I think I want to say because I don't have the 40 some years of experience in this industry like you do, but what I do have is a passion and a love for people and helping people reach their next level. How you have all of this experience and wisdom to share. I have some of that, but I have a really good listening ear and I want my, my heart's desire is to listen, figure out what the problem is and help find a solution. I am not one of those people that's going to know off the top of my head exactly what they should do. Maybe in some cases in this industry, but a lot of them like, Oh my gosh, and I'll write it down and my favorite part is tracking down another person in this industry that's had this same problem and figuring out how did you solve it and did it work and what would you do differently and then take that information back to the other person.

Vonda 12:29

And no one does that better than you. You listen, I can't even tell everyone out there how well Lori listens and really can decipher and come up with that solution.

Lori 12:44

It's taken a lot of time. You know, my, my college degree when I graduated back in 1990 was in communication and I did some internships with one of my professors who was a consultant. And so I learned very early on the importance of over half the battle is just sitting across from the person and listening because what happens so many times in letting them talk through it, they start figuring out, wait a minute, maybe I do know the answer and even repeating things back to them cause you know, they already know the answer. So I learned that early on and then I went back to school and got my teaching certification and I taught for a minute. You have to listen when you're teaching, especially high school and middle school because those kids, you got to listen between the lines. So that's, that's always been my first love. I'm teaching, training, coaching. I was a cheerleading coach the whole time I taught school too . And I know that sounds silly, but I loved it. I absolutely loved building into these girls and teaching them and um , encouraging them, you know? So that's what I'm here for.

Vonda 13:57

So what you were doing is helping them discover passion, which is what you do in everyone you talk with.

Lori 14:04

Yeah.

Vonda 14:04

So that's pretty awesome.

Lori 14:06

So the short end of it, when you said, I want to do a podcast, my reaction was like, Oh , that sounds fun. I'll do it. I told him thank you. Even asked me if I was just like, okay when? Let's do it.

Vonda 14:20

Let's do it!

Lori 14:21

Even if it just our sisters listened to it.

Vonda 14:28

Ah somebody will try it.

Lori 14:29

Anyway. Sombody will listen. My mother in law, she'll listen to it. (laughter) Okay. So let's talk about what's going to happen in this podcast before people start turning us off. Um , what are some things we're going to be doing in, in 2020.

Vonda 14:46

In 2020, some of the upcoming episodes really will be flower related and some not. Right? So talk a little bit about marketing that works and employee situations. That's always a big one.

Lori 15:00

Yeah, well both of those Vonda and, again, I don't have as many years in this industry as you do, but I can say in eight years consistently, those are the top two questions or concerns surrounding either new marketing ideas. How do I market my business? Um , you know, because again, we have people still doing things the ways they marketed in the 80s. You can't really do those anymore. I don't want to say, I don't want to offend anyone, but I'm saying some of the things don't work anymore. And then employee situations, not, not just like HR or you need legal, I'm talking about creating that culture, the drama free culture or figuring out who is that natural leader among your employees. Just those kinds of things. They're not, they're not really black and white. It's more of a gray area. And those are the areas that I love.

Vonda 15:59

Yes, you do. And you are so good at your leader and determining what kind of leader you are and what you can do with those skills that you have and, and hone them to be a better leader .

Lori 16:09

So marketing that works. And then , um , balancing your life. So you know, it's business and pleasure. We feel like you should have both. You don't have to have business or pleasure. And we want to , do you want to talk real quick how we came up on, you know we were talking about what's going to be the name of our podcast and we were saying how it seems like when you're getting, anytime you're filling out a form, whether it's about insurance, a hotel, a vacation, they are like , well is this business or pleasure? And I always struggle with that cause I'm like, well can't it be both?

Vonda 16:43

That's right. And we've had people tell us that and that's why we named it because Lori and I would do a lot of Facebook lives or webinars and when, when would be on there they're like, we'd love it because Vonda's the serious one, she talks about business and then Lori brings it to life and you really do bring it to life and bring that pleasure in that, that fun to it. So that's what we're hoping.

Lori 17:06

I'm really excited about some of the things we have planned for our podcasts about not just pleasure but you know, mind, body and soul. How to make those parts of us better each time. Yet how to, how to quiet your mind, how to increase wellness with inside you even, you know, we've talked about we're going to do some fun , um , nutrition, podcasts, even the busy parent who runs a business, what can you do to choose more healthy? Um , things. You talk about that a lot when you talk to owners about the holidays, like Valentine's day, the how you have to be super careful and don't just do my favorite . So alot of those kind of things. We're also wanting people to email us with ideas. Like, this is what I struggle with. Can you give us some feedback on this, don't you think?

Vonda 18:03

Absolutely. Yeah. No, that would be great. And then we're also going to have a special guest, you know, highly respected professionals in our industry and you've got some HR people to bring in. We have a lot of great information for people who are like, yes, get us on. We'd love to be able to.

Lori 18:19

Yes, well, they do all have to do with owning a business and I think, or you know, in this industry, but it may look like, why aren't they talking about menu items today or you know, whatever. But it's all connected. Um, one of my friends that we're going to try to get on here, she and her , uh , partner, you know, she had horrible tragedy happened in her life. Her son and father were murdered on the steps of a community center in a , anyway, they've just jumped into creating kindness and dealing with mental health and all of these kinds of things. We want her to come and talk about grief among the workplace because I feel like that is so important, especially for a flower shop. How many times do you have a family coming in that's grieving? Trying to , but this would be a podcast that the employees could listen to also, you know, and you have so many people in the industry that are going to come on and , and just speak into not just what's trending, but what's trending and actually doable and can sell. Because let's be honest, a lot of times things that are trending, I look at and go, wow, I don't, I don't know that that can sell to the day to day, the average person, but how to take that and make it more sellable. Does that make sense?

Vonda 19:41

Yeah, right, More marketable?

Lori 19:44

Yes. Marketable. Exactly . So Vonda we are a , we're going to always keep these, shall I say always, I'm knocking on wood. We're going to keep these under 30 minutes.

Vonda 19:56

Correct. That's the goal because we know everybody's busy and you can be out taking deliveries and listening to us or on your way back and forth to work. Or maybe you have a design you can just put in your earbuds and let's go, you know?

Lori 20:09

Yup. Well, and that's funny when I, because when we were visualizing what this would look like, we both kind of had that visual of the delivery driver going , well, it's gotta be something they can listen to in and out. I mean, you're in the car longer than that, but you know, 30 minutes, it's doable. So, all right . Vonda my, here's my last question for you. And this is going to be a theme in all of our podcasts. This is a question we will ask Vonda LaFever. Are you ready for the question?

Vonda 20:40

Bring it on, Lori. Bring it on

Lori 20:43

Okay, here we go. Vonda what is giving life right now?

Vonda 20:49

You mean besides not air, not breathing? Not my heart?

Lori 20:54

Not air, not your heartbeat. Like yes, but what are you loving right now? This today? Like what are you like, ah , I just love this and it can be serious. It can be silly, there are no wrong answers.

Vonda 21:08

So today, because this is the very first podcast, I am loving my new microphone on my podcast equipment. Now that's giving me life right now, Lori. So I know that sounds really silly.

Lori 21:24

No, I get it. A good quality. And we went through many different microphones.

Vonda 21:28

We did, so that's fine. So what is giving you life right now?

Lori 21:34

What is giving me life right now? I'm going to have to say I have some Reese's peanut butter cup miniatures that I have been snacking on, but they have mini Reese's pieces in the middle of them.

Vonda 21:56

That sounds like life and sugar and probably not the healthy lifestyle we were talking about.

Lori 22:02

No, but that's why I said it's all around with big picture. We got to still give ourselves treats , but I did have my spinach banana smoothie this morning.

Vonda 22:13

Okay, so that's the pleasure that we're talking about.

Lori 22:16

This is my pleasure. I have my business.

Vonda 22:21

Well, that's awesome. Lori I think we'll wrap it up today. I think we just want to say thanks so much for listening to episode one. I hope you enjoyed your time because we've enjoyed it with you and if you do, we're going to ask you to hit that subscribe button.

Lori 22:36

Please, please hit the subscribe button. Also, can I throw in, if you do have certain topics you want us to discuss, shoot us an email at lori@flowerclique.com C-L-I-Q-U-E.com Lori@flowerclique.com shoot me an email with any ideas that you would like us to , to research and talk about. I promise you I'll respond even if we can't do the topic. I'll do my best to help you.

Vonda 23:07

That sounds great. So we want you to join us to discover how a bit of knowledge and one small change in your mindset can take you to new levels in your life and business. So look for us in the next episode.

Speaker 1 23:30

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