As a florist designer, you will be able to achieve your dream of using your creative skills, art and love for flowers to bring joy to others. It is a career that opens up a world of love and beauty.
What You Need to Start
The first thing you need to become a florist designer is an undiminishing supply of passion for the job. This is because the job is not all a bed of roses. There will be times when you will be required to do a lot of mundane things.Get enough relevant training. This includes lessons in floral design. The course will help you understand how to care for flowers, and the best way of cutting and arranging them. As you do this, ensure the programs offered at the school have the American Institute of Floral Designers approval and possess a state license.
You can also take photography lessons if you wish, as this will help enhance your skills in visualizing shapes and patterns, a useful skill to have as a floral designer. As you get your formal training, you should find time to indulge in some practical work. Hands-on experience is important as it will help you develop a deeper understanding of what you learn in class. You can also become an apprentice at a florist. This will give you the hands-on experience you seek.
You should work on being original, authentic and unique in your floral designs. This is important as it is what will make you stand out from your competitors. Allow your innovativeness to take a front seat. As a florist, you should have some math skills as you need to be able to estimate how many flowers would be needed to decorate a certain venue. To ensure you run your business in a professional manner, it is advisable to take a basic business course, even if it is just up to certificate level. Lastly, you need determination and a vision to push on through the tough times, knowing that a bright future waits for you.
These are just some of the points that Victoria Howe from www.flowerdelivery.org.uk has to offer to any person with a desire to becoming a florist designer. Victoria is regarded as one of the leading florist designers in the UK.
Victoria goes further to advice potential florist designers that they need to sharpen their people skills as customer service is the cornerstone of the floral business. You need to be able to empathize with the customer if they are grieving, or rejoice with them when they are celebrating. That helps to seal the bond between you and your customers.
Pros of Running Your Floral Business
The biggest plus point is the idea of doing what you love every day. It has been proved that those whose work involves doing what they love have a greater productivity rate, are happier and are more satisfied. The business offers the designer a great outlet for their creativity. They are able to design unique floral arrangements, while also helping their customers choose the right flowers, plants and arrangements for their occasion. Being your own boss is great as you can decide where you want to take your business, setting your own boundaries. Should you venture into event venue floral decoration, you will enjoy the opportunity of taking your creativity to a higher level. You will also get to meet a lot of new people. The prospect of creating something that brings joy to others is very satisfying. This is true whether the flowers are for individuals or for decorating for an event. The need for fresh flowers will never go out of style, meaning that your floral business can keep running into the unforeseeable future.
Cons
Using your creativity throughout can be mentally exhausting, especially during Christmas, Valentine and other special seasons. The stress levels are compounded by the requirement to meet certain deadlines that come with the job. Being your own boss means that the buck stops with you so there is a lot of pressure to make sure that all orders go out goes flawlessly. There is also the challenge of multi-tasking. During a normal work day, you will have to deal with a number of customers at a time. You need to develop your prioritization skills to be successful. As the business owner, you have the responsibility of ensuring that all the relevant taxes are paid in full and on time. When all is said and done, being a florist designer is one of the most satisfying careers for any person gifted with a creative and artistic skill, coupled with a love for flowers.
