In the past five years, bolstered in cases by millions in venture capital funding, a new crop of online start-ups marketing curated designs and bouquets directly to consumers has entered the industry. Led by earnest, determined and often quite young leaders, these companies have florists, wholesalers and growers asking, “Will these newcomers last? And, if they do, will they affect my business?”
The challenges they face are significant. Experts say that 90 percent of U.S. start-ups fail, and as marketing guru Seth Godin likes to point out in his popular books, podcasts and newsletters, it takes years of hard work to become an “overnight success.”
Still, as some longtime floral industry members note, the level of funding behind these new companies is significant. If even a handful succeed, they could be generating hundreds of millions of sales in the near future.
For the September issue, Floral Management editors reached out to the founders of some of these new start-ups to find out more about their vision and evolving models, and how they see themselves fitting into, shaping and disrupting the industry.  Read more.
