The Floral CEO

  Friends, this is Jen, and on this week's episode, I wanna talk about money and I. I actually kind of talk about money a lot because I feel that, I mean, we need money to do and live a life that is fulfilling, that is less stressful, that we can provide and take care of people who we love and we can provide and take care of ourself.

But there is a lot of shame around money and as a certified. Life and mindset coach, like I often run into like, shame, guilt, or feeling like you don't deserve it. Like, there's often just with how our society is, where making money has been, you know, somewhat evil in, in some, I mean, people were like, this person doesn't need all that money.

This person, you know, doesn't do good things with their money. We, we judge other people's money all the time. We judge people for not having enough of it. We judge people for having too much of it. And so the inner narrative that we have been taught our whole life is fundamentally fucked, and especially if we look at.

The foundation of women in general. Like the other day, my daughter goes, my mom did you know that women couldn't vote? Like they couldn't even vote mom. And I'm like just seeing how that like almost just sunk in with my daughter that we didn't have the same rights. Because of our gender and as women, we are often gender typed that we're taking care of the kids.

We're we're, you know, taking care of everybody and. Now we have those same stereotypes, but you're also supposed to work your ass off, make money so you can contribute because you know the, that's just how it's evolved. So no longer is it that, you know, we're just sitting at home making bond or eating bond bonds and taking care of children and cleaning and doing all those things.

Like there's just this whole different social construct now and. It often doesn't feel good, especially with all of this narrative around money. You, you always want more. Don't know how to get more, feel like you're living in this kind of mindset of lack around it. Like that feels horrible. I, I mean, I, I don't like feeling that.

You know, I couldn't provide for my kids. I couldn't do something. I don't like feeling that I couldn't go buy something when I needed to. Like that feeling is never a good feeling. And where I think a big shift happens is when you start to really believe that you're worth money, you are worth making more money, your value is priceless.

Like you deserve so much abundance. And that is a big shift from, you know, some people just thinking like, I'm trying to struggle and get by and I'm doing what I can. 'cause in the big open, you know, kind of over the top view as florist, we work really hard. We work our asses off. We're schlepping flowers, we're stripping them, we're carrying these huge things.

We're climbing up ladders, we're doing all these things. And, and honestly, there's a big emotional weight floors carry, like putting I've, I've shared like the story of putting a casket spray on and the feelings that I felt related to people I've lost the, you know, feeling that. When I gave a client her bridal bouquet and she is like crying 'cause she's so in love with it.

Like that is a lot of emotional weight and on top of it, it's an art form. And there's also, I feel like a big narrative about creatives and artists not really making money because they should be doing something that they love and this should be. I, I just love flowers. I do fundamentally love flowers, but this is also my livelihood.

This is how I make money. And just because I am an artist, I am a creative, doesn't undervalue my contribution. And for some reason, money feels really personal in creative businesses like. Talking about it is hard. Like when I do a coaching session, I often am asking like, what did you pay yourself? How much money do you want to make?

And I am utterly shocked on how I can see someone and their value so much more than they can in less than an hour of talking to somebody. We often do not give ourself credit where we deserve. Credit because we are working hard. I mean, I've, I've coached florists that have, you know, three quarter of a million dollar businesses and pay themself what I think is bare minimum.

I mean, they, I, I don't even call it bare minimum. I mean, and this is not just one person. I have coached so many florists who do not pay themself, and they have very, very big businesses. So. I think that we need to start surv stop like this pattern of we're surviving and turn that pattern into we are thriving because we need to talk about money.

It is so interesting to me 'cause, and I've talked about this on the podcast, 'cause I, I really feel like it's a shift that I'm, I'm hoping that I can bring into this space. I feel like Francesca, the hotel florist, she brings this into this space, is that making money is okay. Making money is not greedy.

You deserve to make money. So with that. That requires some big money mindset shifts, and I feel like, like the first one is wanting to make money does not need to feel greedy. It doesn't make you greedy, it makes you financially secure. And just because you are financially secure does not mean that that diminishes your love for flowers or what you're doing.

So if you have the belief that. You know, you care about money. I'm not doing this for the right reasons, like I'm doing this because I love flowers. Like we need to shift that because you deserve to make money and money does not make you greedy. And if it does trigger you feeling greedy, I would love to have you just kind of reflect and dive in.

To where that came from. So much of our money mindset came from our, our, how we grew up, from our parents, from people we were influenced, and we really need to get over that. We are not a bunch of martyrs that are just doing things to not get paid. And just because this is a passion-based business doesn't mean that gets to be exploited.

Your worth is your worth and you are allowed. To build wealth from beautiful work. And I remember this moment when I was a baby florist and I was at the wholesaler and I saw somebody with the, an Audi Q seven or something like that. It's a really nice SUV pull in and load their flowers up. And I was like, what the kind of bougie florist is rolling up in this really nice ass car and just on and on.

And it's just so funny 'cause that was my narrative, that like florist didn't deserve to make money and how dare they almost be driving this fancy car? 'cause they're ripping people off. Like, how ridiculous does that sound, you guys? It sounds so ridiculous now. But that was normalized for me back then because we're doing something we love means we can't make money.

But making money allows you to rest, grow, give and lead. It allows you to start living this dream life that you've been hopefully dreaming of since you were a little kid. I mean, I have dreamt about the life I have right now since growing up on that farm. When I, you know, we, we moved away when I was about 11, but I always felt like that was what I was meant to be doing, and.

You can't do those things without money. You like this farm definitely would not be possible 'cause it is a lot. It is a big expense to make this dream happen and. That requires money. So you deserve that money. And then the next money mindset shift I'd love to talk about is that revenue does not equal success.

I, back in the day, again, I've learned so many lessons over 1700 weddings and 30 years of doing this, and I used to believe if I had a six figure a year like I was doing a maze balls. But if you're not paying yourself from that, the business isn't actually successful. The difference between a busy and a profitable florist is margin, is profit margin.

And if you listen to my episodes on Profit first, I dive deep into formulas that you can basically put in install into your business to help you build profit. From dollar number one in your business. And I also in that process, like, you know, we have a lot of florists have that magical dream of a hundred thousand dollars.

I want you to know that, that if you want to pay yourself, 'cause a lot of times people are thinking they wanna pay themself. When I've backed into with average percentages of cost of goods cost of running your business, cost of. Labor and all of those things, like you realistically need a 225 to $30,000 business to actually pay yourself, and that's if you are running like a lean, mean money machine.

And that is to me, more of a goal of what you're paying yourself than the gross revenue. Sure. My business looks really great. With, you know being in like the three hundreds, but I have coached florist that are in the three hundreds, in the seven hundreds and pay themselves 25 to. $50,000 for a very, very big business for working a shitload of hours.

I do what I do on very part-time hours during wedding season? Yes. Do I look, do I work more? Yes. During the off season, like I'm snuggling my kids more. I'm going to pottery class, I'm going to CrossFit more, I'm being me more, and. I really wish we could just get over this whole normalization of not paying ourself and the danger that I, when I'm really trying to teach someone, I, I get so much hesitation even on, in reinvesting everything in themself.

It is so hard for Floris to invest in coaching. It's something that I have never. Struggled with, because I always knew if I learned one thing, if I had one shift, that made me more money, that that investment was worth it. And it is. It is not the mindset most florists have. I want to simplify learning.

I want to create this path to learning that. Is like shortcuts that I know somebody else has done, and I know that will work because I know that will make me more revenue. And that has been a really hard concept for many florists. Like even coming to one of my workshops, I actually went through this exercise.

You know, I have, I've actually talked, I think three times through this recently. You know, this person, these people really want to get higher end clients. To come their way. And I love that because I know that if you get higher end clients, you're inevitably going to be able to do less weddings and work less and then make more money because your average profit per wedding is going to increase and.

Going through that, I'm like, you know what? My workshops are so affordable, and you could go put a styled shoe together. You could go and buy a thousand dollars of flowers, and that's easy. On the easy end, you could spend a thousand dollars of flowers. If you're not going crazy, you could find a photographer you actually like, and that will deliver.

You can go find a bride, you can go find a wedding planner, you can go find a venue. You could do all these things and. You could invest 25 hours and then you could go invest that thousand dollars of flowers, and that's if you get every single thing donated. You guys putting these workshops together is expensive.

I, I get donations sometimes, but things add up to spend thousands of dollars very easily on, you know, all the different details of the workshop. Or instead of doing all that, you could come to my workshop for, I think right now, like under a thousand dollars. And you're getting education, you're getting to see how all these things work.

You're getting a kick ass portfolio. But that very concept of doing that, yes, you gotta buy a plane ticket. Yes. You have to, you know, get a hotel, uh. But what you gain from that versus like winging it. And then that's if you love, after you do all that work, you love those images. And maybe you won't love the images from the workshop, but if you go on my Instagram feed, I just did a reel with all of 'em.

They're the hotness. Like this is a portfolio that I think any florist could be proud to put out there. But I know that that investment. Will supersede any investment that you make in your business because a portfolio speaks to social proof, which helps you put that on your website, which helps you put that in all the places.

And I, I just would love for you to start positioning yourself as the go-to. You know, I premium or luxury florist that, you know, can curate things that are beautiful and you get all of that to put on your Instagram feed. And no, you don't wanna brain dump like the whole thing on your feed. You wanna sprinkle it in and just keep positioning yourself as an expert.

All right, next money mindset shift is underpricing isn't generosity. You are sabotaging yourself. I used to think I wanna be affordable. I wanna be kind. I wanna be helpful. I wanna be able to help everybody. Your pricing teaches people how to value you. Underpricing trains clients to disrespect your time.

The emotional toll of doing cheap garbagey work. Weighs on you. I did it. It sucks. It does not feel good. I almost lost my fricking mind. Over baby's breath and mason jars helping everyone often hurt you, you the most. And so fair pricing creates better clients, better boundaries, and better outcomes overall.

And you do not need to continue to keep self sabotaging yourself. It doesn't make you a better person when you're not making money. It actually makes you probably inevitably. A more resentful person, a more on edge person, a more triggered person because you're not feeling valued If, if this has ever happened to you that you know you're doing everything in a relationship or you're doing everything for your, your parents and just don't feel appreciated, money is the same relationship you guys.

All right. Money mindset number four. Your labor has value beyond the flowers. I used to think they're just buying flowers. They're just buying flowers. They are not just buying flowers. They are buying my experience, my decision making. I am a logistics queen. I can figure anything out. And they're also hiring like.

Your, your essence, your being. I flat out tell people that they can feel so confident that flowers are going to be delivered and be beautiful no matter what. Because I have done this 1700 times. Nothing can get in my way like that. Confidence is something that has value. The invisible labor florist provide.

Is so valuable. Emotional labor on wedding days is so valuable. The mental load of ordering, timing, mechanics, problem solving, your expertise matters, and your experience even at a venue

matters. And I want you to know. That, that doesn't make you a bad person. That makes you a person who values yourself. All right? Money mindset shift number five, your business should fund your life, not consume it. There, I used to have this belief that this is just how busy seasons are, but really I've shifted that you're, my business should support.

The life that I want to live all the time. As Floris, we normalize burnout. We get into this just a season of life trap. We design a business that funds, you know, chaos and, you know, uncertainty and, and basically feeling like you're strung out all the time. Instead of designing a business that funds rest, time off, instability.

And I know people are like, weddings are so unstable. Weddings are so, uh, not if you do it the right way. I, I love how people are always trying to think outta the box and create you know, really recurring revenue that's coming into your business that, you know, isn't reliant on situational things like a wedding.

I love that. I love that for you, if that's what you wanna do, but I'm also telling you that. If that isn't your jam, you can still make a very good living doing weddings, working a little bit harder for six months out of the year and getting more rest and recovery for the next six months. That is easy and very doable.

We need to stop normalizing and change the decisions we make from surviving into abundance. All right. Money mindset shift number six. You don't have to struggle to be worthy. If it's not hard, I don't deserve it is a lot, a very encrusted belief in us. Erase like that doesn't make you lazy. It means you want to build something more sustainable.

This is part of the reason why I actually changed the podcast name because I, I don't hustle. Like there are seasons that they're busier, but I'm not like sling in like hustling like I did when I was younger anymore. And we glorify hustle in. Life often as it's some type of badge of honor. And, you know, letting go of scarcity is, is often an, an identity like that.

We operate in scarcity mode and that just doesn't work for me anymore. So we need to ease into abundance and not weakness that we are allowed to run a business on our own terms. Then money mindset chip number seven, being paid well, lets you show up better. I used to think if I like worked harder, like I'll care more, I'll show up more.

My work will show up better. But when you're supported financially, you show up more creatively, more calmly and more confidently. When I have money to spend my designs show it. And when you're underpaid, you, you are resentful. I'm just telling you, it, it creeps in like crazy. Financial stability creates better clients experiences.

Money isn't your worst enemy. Stress is. So being paid well actually improves your artistry. So I want you to really reflect on like these three things. What would change in my business if I deserve, if I really believed I deserve to be paid? Well, if I went into every job going, I deserve to make money.

And one exercise that I would love for you to go through is go and figure out. What is the minimum per hour that it takes for you to show up and wanna do something? This is something all business owners I kind of talk to them about, like, mine is a hundred dollars an hour. I don't show up for something unless I'm making a hundred dollars an hour, and that's on the low end.

I normally have a $200 'cause that's what the, the pricing of a coaching session is because I know my value and my expertise well outweighs. That $200. So I'm also knowing that that hourly wage, I exceed that value of that. The lessons and things that I've learned that I can teach somebody, the certifications I have that can dig into like where something could be breaking down in a person.

My personal experience of now coaching, you know, over a hundred florists, like I know I have the experience to make things happen, and that $200 investment, I know I will deliver far more value. Okay, next reflection. I would love for you to go, where am I undercharging? Because I'm afraid are you undercharging and set up and deliveries?

Are you undercharging on your actual flower markup? Are you undercharging on your labor? And then what is one small money boundary I can set this month? Everybody thinks they just need to go balls out when they're changing things. Like one thing if you did one thing, like you went and read Profit first or listened to the audiobook, that one thing is like a little micro shift towards your future.

If you went and. You know, made some other little shift, like those shifts compound. So what's one small boundary you can put in place this month? And then I want you to really leave this podcast episode going. I am not selfish for wanting more. I am allowed to want profit, rest, stability, and abundance.

Your business is allowed to grow beyond survival mode. Money is not a goal. Freedom, sustainability, alignment, loving your life, all of that is a goal and you don't own the world. Your burnout. Like everybody, let's get our burnout badge of honors, and let's go fucking burn them because you deserve so much more than that.

You deserve a business that takes care of you. Two, if you are looking for extra guidance, these are things that we dive into in the floral CEO Mastermind in the Business branding and bouquets workshop. We are also going to dive into this in detail in April. Plus all the other amazing leaving with this amazing branding portfolio of images of you being part of a style shoot.

Like coming and seeing how my studio is set up, all the things. So go check out floral ceo.com/mastermind to learn more about the Mastermind. And then also I'll put a link to the workshops in because they are coming up and you need to be here. Minnesota, like I've been just worried with everything that's happening here that that was affecting people.

ICE is being pulled out, so I'm so excited for the future, but I know that where the workshops are happening, I feel that they're like, no matter what is happening, they're so off the beaten path that it's not going to be impacted by anything going on here in Minnesota, but. I feel good things are happening in Minnesota and that was a big weight off my chest in the last week.

So I invite you to make more money in your business in 2026. Thank you so much for listening, flower Friend, and you have an amazing flower filled day. I.