Floral Design Entrepreneur Program: Make a Career out of Smelling the Roses

Floral designers arrange flowers into decorative displays. They use a variety of live, dried and silk flowers as well as ribbon and other decorative features to make a beautiful arrangement. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the most common task for a floral designer:

• Buy flowers and other products from wholesalers and suppliers to ensure that an adequate supply meets customers’ needs
• Determine the type of arrangement desired, the occasion, and the date, time, and location for delivery
• Recommend plants or flowers and greenery for each arrangement in accordance with the customer’s budget
• Design floral displays that evoke a particular sentiment or style
• Answer telephones, take orders, and wrap arrangements

Floral design is much more than just making pretty arrangements. Floral designers must have extensive knowledge about flowers and greenery. They need to know which flowers can stay out of water for long periods of times, what types of flowers and blooms are in season at any given time and approximately how many flowers it will take to create a certain display so they are able to give an accurate quote to a customer. They work closely with customers to design for big events such as weddings and funerals as well as create small displays that remain in the shop to be sold to walk-in customers.

Many floral designers start out in a shop working with another company. Some choose to branch out and create their own business. If you choose to do so, you would also be involved in advertising, taxes, pricing, inventory and possibly hiring more staff after you have grown your business.

Truity lists some important qualities of a floral designer.

• Artistic Ability-designers need to know what colors go well together and how to organize and arrange flowers to be aesthetically pleasing.
• Creativity-they must be open to new designs as trends are always changing. They must understand what the customer wants even if it is not something they would choose themselves.
• Customer Service Skills-designers spend a large part of the day interacting with customers. Taking orders and doing consultations for small or large events.
• Organizational Skills- they need to be organized and make sure accounts stay in order and that orders get completed and delivered on time.

Use your eye for design and your love for flowers to start your career as a floral designer today!

Ed4Career offers a variety of creative career training programs including the Floral Design Entrepreneur Program. Upon successful completion this program, students will be prepared for an entry-level position in the field and to sit for the NCCB national certification exam to become a Certified Floral Design Associate (CFDA).