See you'all at the Ontario Florists Conference 2004

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Mikey the Flower Guy

Mikey the Flower Guy

It's a GREAT DAY to live, and love!
Nov 10, 2002
9,206
3,792
113
71
Dundas, Ontario, Canada
www.hamiltonflorists.com
State / Prov
Ontario
this is the largest turnout we have ever had, and THIS WILL BE the BEST OFC on record!!
Thanks to ALL the volunteers, student designers, suppliers, and ESPECIALLY to FTD for hosting this years OFC, ALL attendees will be welcomed, ALL participants will feel INCLUDED, and ALL PROFESSIONAL FLORISTS are welcome!!
This is the PREMIER FLORIST EVENT in Canada, for REAL FLORISTS, and for those of you not yet registered, or have had a change of heart and WANT TO attend, please register at www.a1florists.com/ofc ASAP!!
Niagara Falls is AWESOME this time of year, and the company you'll meet at OFC this year will be outstanding, and the friends you'll make may make attending worthwhile alone!!
This is probably one of the BEST NETWORKING EVENTS that can be held, since it was REAL FLORISTS that "invented" networking BEFORE most other business even KNEW how to spell it.....
See you all there...safe journey....
Mike and Sandie
 
Ontario???

Now if it was in Ontario, California, you bet I would attend since it is only 1/2 hour away!
 
Ofc

Mike enjoy !! I just spent a full day with Ryan as he is stoked with MAS info. Wish I could stay and have attended but previous plans were already in place. good luck and have a great conferance. Frank Stonelli and staff will take care of you I'm sure. Be well, Hal
 
All my best for a great event!

I know the OFC ROCKS!

Hal, we gonna make it next year?
 
BOSS said:
I know the OFC ROCKS!
Hal, we gonna make it next year?
Click to expand...

Let me know if you're going to go next year, Boss. I'll stow away in Mom's luggage. ;) Hope those that go have a good time.

Audra
 
Boy - Soenen sure knows how to shake a tailfeather!!

Ryan
 
Thanks OFC, for a great time, and the motivational speaker was THE BEST!!!! Better than any I have been too, at conventions/chamber of commerce events/ ect. well worth attending and meeting new people! Thanks, 3 Gen,... Annamarie, Virg-Ann Flower Shop, Warren,Pa it was worth the trip! :)
 
Infinite said:
Boy - Soenen sure knows how to shake a tailfeather!!
Ryan
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Ah man! Details - you guys need to give details for those of us that couldn't go.
Audra
 
congrats, mikey & company

i'm sorry that i couldn't attend this year's conference. i understand the attendance was great. raul (from equiflor) said it was the best floral event that he's seen in many years. congratulations on the hard work by the many behind-the-scene's workers.
hopefully, our product showed well enough to generate some interest in your market.
have a great day!
bill schodowski
 
Dear Bill.....

MANY,many people asked about you...where you were. and HOW you were!!
We'll see you NEXT YEAR...and Rio product quality was out of this world...you'd almost think it was real...(just kidding)
the colour and variety really gained a whole lot of interest, and the display was awesome......
We missed you...I had hidden a special bottle of ice wine for you....even I thought you were gonna be there!!
Kisses for Maggie....
Mike
 
Audra said:
Ah man! Details - you guys need to give details for those of us that couldn't go.
Audra
Click to expand...
Mike was a lot of fun (as I'm sure ALL his dance partners can attest to)!

I was surprised by how approachable and easy going he is. You'd never guess he was a CEO of a multi-million dollar company. This was my first time meeting him, so all opinions expressed here are based on first impressions and my 2 days of knowing him... but, Mike strikes me as a straight-forward and direct individual. He will run his business the best he can, and part of that job is developing strategies to assist florists in conducting their business.

While he will make no apologies for the existence of FTD.com or it's direct ship non-floral content, they are trying to bring to market programs and educational tools that assist florists in streamlining their own businesses and marketing themselves effectively.

Quick OFC summary:
Friday - Cocktails in the evening, good to see old friends & meet new people
Sat - Nothing on sched until 10AM (good idea, since some were out way late). FTD had a good presentation on Online Marketing that presented the options available with the pros and cons, and possible expenses. I missed the design show on "Affordable Elegance" because of MAS demos, but I heard mixed reviews. The later seminar on fraud was a "Must Attend" event for anyone in retail, especially those who operate via phone/internet. The day concluded with a wild costume banquet featuring hippies, gothic creatures, a few gangsters and one hairy man in a ballet outfit. The party spilled over to the hotel bar where many of us remained until after last call. I never guessed Mike S was such a fan of "Free Bird!"
Sun - 8AM Breakfast (whose brilliant idea was that ???), Strategy presentation by Mike Soenen, awards for Janet Lye & Harry Cholakis. More MAS demos at 10, then the motivational speaker from 11-1. Lunch was rushed since the speaker couldn't motivate himself to finish on time, but then it was on to the less than inspiring design show.

All together, a fantastic weekend meeting with old friends, making many new acquaintences and a very reassuring time with Frank & Mike from FTD. The only thing missing was the Shadow (We needed you on stage for the YMCA!!).
 
ryan

i think you have me mixed up with my evil twin brother..... he's been know to embarrass himself to disco tunes in the past. heck, i thought we bought up all of those negatives....
it sounds like you have had...one heck of an event...again. my boss, raul, guessed 300 people. true story???
we, at rio, are anxious to explore our new market in canada in the very near future. is the list of ofc attendees available?
by the way...is there a betting pool that i can get into that might guess the date when mikey's hangover will subside?
best wishes
bill schodowski...aka....the shadow
 
Hmm.... Mikey doesn't get hangovers. It's a secret chemical ingredient in the perogies!

Unless you mean Mike Soenen ... he closed the hotel bar, then was up bright and early to face over 300 florists for a Q&A at 8 the next morning. THAT, people, is recovery power!

Ryan
 
Thank You

Just wanted to thank everyone with the OFC Committee and the folks at FTD for a fantastic conference - it was well worth the drive. The seminars were all excellent, we're looking forward to next year.

Thank God it's closer!!
Gudrun, Shirley & Shel
 
Sandie overheard "Harrisburg" Pa??....

she seems to think there were (was) attendees from her ancestoral home city!Her ancient father bloodline was John Harris, that founded that city in Pennsylvania......
We(she) signed into the old Harris Mansion manifests as direct decendent(s) in 1972
 
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