Should this board be open to Home Based businesses?

[bloomz]

I admit to being a bit perplexed that there are quite a few here, having previously thought there was some kind of criteria of owning or working at a full service florist, or being somehow accredited.

I am feeling that the presence may curtail open sharing of successful operational tips.

So, being curious, I am wondering who else is perplexed.

Anonymous poll, no one will see who answers how, if I can figure out how to post one.

 

[lori042499]

I really do not have a problem with real designers that open up home based businesses being on here. I do mind having people of any sort home based or hobbiest(I just bought a flower shop what do I do now) people getting on here, asking basic questions of professionals and then getting mad and attitudy when we in turn would like to know some background on them. The other thing is the people who think a good debate is a fight and get all pouty and hurt because of someone's opinion that is usually the first sign that they have no idea what this business is about.

I take nothing said by anyone personal. I am confident in how I run my business and the path I took to get to where I am. I do turn to this board to let my opinion on things be heard and I in turn listen to others opinions for a different point of view. I have been in many a heated debate because I accept WS orders. That is my decision and I am OK with it. I do value the opinions of others that they think my thinking is down right wrong, but I do not get tweaked or pouty about what they say.

 

[WinkDesign]

Well I have to say yes in some way - I don't want to get the boot!

Like I've mentioned in another post somewhere.. I don't think that legit designers with legit businesses are people you really have to worry about here. (Mind you, after a certain pm, I'm less convinced you should be worrying about basement bettys, too.. LOL.)

I think it should be a matter of experience / professionalism / etc. There have been a few posts like mentioned above: "I'm about to/just bought a flower shop, now what?". That would still fall under B&M as a prerequisite for membership here.

I'm homebased (for now anyway, that may end up having to change in the next 6 months!), and *I* get annoyed at the really basic questions that get asked. I've always thought that we were here as peers.. not as free teachers for someone to get really, really basic learning.

I'd like to see FC as a group of peers - and recognize that sometimes B&M isn't the best solution for every peer's situation. I think there really needs to be a more solid distinction between "home based" and "basement betty".

 

[BOSS]

having previously thought there was some kind of criteria of owning or working at a full service florist, or being somehow accredited.

If that were the case... should we kick out the folks from John Henry, other suppliers, floral industry tech folks, wholesalers, the wire services (well maybe them)...??

Neener Neener

 

[RWK]

I have to admit - I voted for yes....everybody has to start......because of one thing that we all have in common...from hobbyists to garden clubbers, to small and large shop owners to circuit and show designers to rose parade float designers......is the fact that all of us are florists......in one way or the other.
Now, that could open us up to those 'people' who live to harass, harangue, and wreak havoc with boards and forums......but they are usually short lived as they quickly lose interest if they find out that the people already there don't stoop to their level and play their game.

 

[BOSS]

BOSS's Quote of the day!!

'people' who live to harass, harangue, and wreak havoc with boards and forums......but they are usually short lived as they quickly lose interest if they find out that the people already there don't stoop to their level and play their game.

No truer words...

 

[sfox]

by

By allowing home based, you lower the amount of information that people are willing to discuss. Brick and mortar people have a lot to lose, other just move on.

If this continues, it might lead to what happened over on floristboard, by that I mean a once geat forum reduced to a few low priority discussions.

 

[Connie]

Everyone who calls himself a florist is not one. There are some who are only flower arrangers, even stem stickers. In my mind there is a difference in a Basement Betty and a Free Lancer also. A Basement Betty is a person who likes to arrange flowers, and because he did the flowers for someone's wedding (or other event), and his friends told him he should go into business, he believed them. The Basement Bettys that I know are with little or no training (I picked up the pieces of a recent wedding that a BB had backed out on, and was aghast at the things she had told the bride.) I see his working out of his home, rather than opening a shop or similar location, as a lack of commitment to the profession, even to the extent of being a lack of professionalism.

I really do wish that we had some sort of state/national certification program. Some states do, and there is AIFD, of course, but not all of us want or can achieve that.

A free lancer, to me, is a highly trained and /or experienced person who offers his services to other florists and other areas of the industry. He probably owned a florist at one time, and he certainly worked in a florist for many years. His creditials are part of what make him a free lancer rather than a BB.

So, this is my explanation of my "perhaps" vote. If the person has the creditials, and simply calling himself a florist is not adequate, he should be allowed here. BTW, creditials would also include working in the industry such as for John Henry, Flowerbuyer, trade publilcations, wholesalers, and similar.

 

[Connie]

By allowing home based, you lower the amount of information that people are willing to discuss. Brick and mortar people have a lot to lose, other just move on.

If this continues, it might lead to what happened over on floristboard, by that I mean a once geat forum reduced to a few low priority discussions.

That's what I fear.

 

[Victoria]

Having followed the other threads on this issue, I would be saddened to see Wink go. She is talented, full of heart and ability and is willing to teach and be taught.

Some, well, succumb to bad behaviour (on both sides) when trying to discuss the pros and cons of their opinions... that's true in all aspects of life.

So, my personal opinion, if these folks (they are not pariah), have a valid business with coolers, business taxes and the like, have the education to promote themselves and their art, then I don't see the problem.

Some of us started out in our homes and moved on to brick and mortar, some of us live on the property where our business rest, I guess I don't see the issue.

All of this is submitted respectfully to all.

V

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

What's next then, can I make sure my competitor down the road doesn't get access, so they don't glean all the great info from here that I do? Or don't allow the 18 year old girl working in the grocery store, who really wants to pursue her floral career, because she doesn't work in a B&M florist?

I see the long range being a very narrow vision with such a targeted base of members. The cross section of the industries represented here is what makes all of the opinions so valid - it's not just my brother/sister shop owner, it's all of the industry.

Remember Edward? He asked a lot of questions, in determining if he should purchase a flower shop, and ultimately I think he did not because of the information he learned here. The difference between that and all of this BS is that Edward knew how to professionally ask a question. So maybe we don't need a professional qualification, but a freaking HUMAN one. BE NICE !
Is the recent unpleasantness annoying? Yep. Will they be long term posters? Probably not. Might they be around listening instead of posting? Possibly. Will Bloomz and 12bucks and Rich ever just STOP with their constant bickering? God I hope so.

There is a risk in sharing any information publicly here, as my husband tells me regularly. But my thought has always been that the rewards and satisfaction from open communication here far outweigh the risk.

tracy

 

[hcflorist]

By allowing home based, you lower the amount of information that people are willing to discuss. Brick and mortar people have a lot to lose, other just move on.

If this continues, it might lead to what happened over on floristboard, by that I mean a once geat forum reduced to a few low priority discussions.

Perhaps. But you do have to sign on to sign in here. If a person becomes a problem, they can be blocked.

Besides, the interlopers weren't the thing that killed the other board. It was the new format and it's problems more than anything else. Unless you want to count a gestapo like attitude from a few people who were misusing and abusing moderator power to carry on their own personal vendettas.

 

[Victoria]

Kudos and reps to you again Tracy.

V

 

[lori042499]

Having followed the other threads on this issue, I would be saddened to see Wink go. She is talented, full of heart and ability and is willing to teach and be taught.

Some, well, succumb to bad behaviour (on both sides) when trying to discuss the pros and cons of their opinions... that's true in all aspects of life.

So, my personal opinion, if these folks (they are not pariah), have a valid business with coolers, business taxes and the like, have the education to promote themselves and their art, then I don't see the problem.

Some of us started out in our homes and moved on to brick and mortar, some of us live on the property where our business rest, I guess I don't see the issue.

All of this is submitted respectfully to all.

V

I, too, think that I can learn alot from people like wink and a few others. i would hate to see them go. We do share an awful lot and would hate to see that go. I think that if we step back and see the big picture. The ones who don't belong will be seen for that and dissappear. The trouble makers will be ignored by who they really bother. We don't go into the basics of how we get to the main issues so unexperienced people will never understand how to get from the beginning to the end of our conversations without asking a bunch of foolish questions which will expose them as amatures...I see no harm in them being here other than they will not understand when we ask questions we are actually trying to figure out if they are worth listening to or casting off..really, this is what is done..I went through it..thats what rep points are all about...You get points for saying intelligent or meaningful things then as your rep builds your relationships build, therefore you become a trustworthy peer....

 

[steve]

I have been angry for a long time with wholesalers who sell basement Betty's particularly during th summer months so that they might do weddings and then the wholesaler wonders why the B&M Florist can't pay there bills during th slow months. The B&M Florist are the ones with true investment in this industry. The basement Betty's are doing damaged to the very industry they are trying to be a part of by undercutting real florist due to having lower over head and in effect just skimming the cream orders off the top.

I do not have a problem with someone that opens a shop and looks for answers since all of us here look for answers on this board all of the time. Fact is I can not design a lick and frankly never have tried to so if that is a requirement then you would not want me on this board. On other hand I own a top 300 sending florist with 3 locations I have 8 designers with experiece ranging from 3 years to 25 years.

When its all said in done I believe everyone here offers some value to this board so I am sitting a top of that picket fence on this issue

 

[lori042499]

What's next then, can I make sure my competitor down the road doesn't get access, so they don't glean all the great info from here that I do? Or don't allow the 18 year old girl working in the grocery store, who really wants to pursue her floral career, because she doesn't work in a B&M florist?

I see the long range being a very narrow vision with such a targeted base of members. The cross section of the industries represented here is what makes all of the opinions so valid - it's not just my brother/sister shop owner, it's all of the industry.

Remember Edward? He asked a lot of questions, in determining if he should purchase a flower shop, and ultimately I think he did not because of the information he learned here. The difference between that and all of this BS is that Edward knew how to professionally ask a question. So maybe we don't need a professional qualification, but a freaking HUMAN one. BE NICE !
Is the recent unpleasantness annoying? Yep. Will they be long term posters? Probably not. Might they be around listening instead of posting? Possibly. Will Bloomz and 12bucks and Rich ever just STOP with their constant bickering? God I hope so.

There is a risk in sharing any information publicly here, as my husband tells me regularly. But my thought has always been that the rewards and satisfaction from open communication here far outweigh the risk.

tracy

This is sooooo true....nobody understands what we go through day to day like our peers...we need each other very much..

 

[BamaE4U]

The majority of info shared on this board. . . .

is really worth paying for.

Let's face it. There IS a difference between B&M and Home Based Florist (HBF). Yes, they both may be dedicated to the profession, both want to learn, both want to earn, both have something to share, etc.

B&M are not better people, not above learning from all, but we have a different set of needs than HBF. The B&M who have paid the price, who have struggled to pay the bills (and still do), have responsibilities far beyond the HBF, who are committed to this "Real Florist" industry, definitely have a right to be concerned about HBF dipping from the floral biz pool.

In order to get serious about an online organization of "Real Florists" sharing freely and banding together for the good of the B&M industry, it may be time for a "Subscription Only" forum.

Those HBF who would like to subscribe to support "Real Florists" may do so(?). I believe this would cut out the hobbyists and those not serious about the industry. At the same time it might enable FC to advertise and promote the board to "Real Florists".

This seems pretty cut and dry to me. There was a time when I would not have been willing to pay, but that time is gone.

I have grown to love this board, and the friendships I have made.

I get weary reading intense debates about things that won't help me grow my business.

Bama's .02

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

In order to get serious about an online organization of "Real Florists" sharing freely and banding together for the good of the B&M industry, it may be time for a "Subscription Only" forum.

Those HBF who would like to subscribe to support "Real Florists" may do so(?). I believe this would cut out the hobbyists and those not serious about the industry. At the same time it might enable FC to advertise and promote the board to "Real Florists".

Dang! I like it.

tracy

 

[WinkDesign]

I'm cool with that - as long as the subscription only evens the field a bit. I'm pretty rotted about the "either leave or get into the real floral business" comment directed at me a few minutes ago. Didn't appreciate the implication that "professional insights" are a one way street... I'd be even more rotted if I was paying to take snark like that.

 

[Joe Mioux]

If this forum was originally set up as a flower and garden forum for hobbyists, then I could see no problem with amatuers, enthusiasts and pros coming together to share ideas.

However, this forum was formed for the advancement of "Real Florists". It took me a long time reading this board to truly appreciate the meaning of those two words.

So amatuers, hobbyists shouldn't be here. Affiliated industries should.

This forum is here for the advancement of Professional Florists.

Whether you operate your legitimate business out of a store, studio, warehouse or your basement, the most important element is being a competent floral designer/florist (non-designer mgr/owenr). Flower shop employees, other than, previously stated? Probably, that is how the can learn as well.

This board is here for the advancement of those operating a business or working in the floral industry full-time, not just when the urge to "get creative and have fun" suits your personal schedule or to make a bit of money on the side.

I don't favor excluding people, but I also don't appreciate seeing this forum open to just anyone who has an interest in flowers. We do discuss trade issues that isn't necessarily appropriate for the average consumer to read.


Joe