Theresa Colucci, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, opened her flower shop, Meadowscent, in Gardiner, New York, when she was 23. She says her secret to success is seeking continuing education. Photo courtesy of Colucci.
The Society of American Florists’ membership includes all segments of the industry — and that community is the heart of SAF. This bi-weekly feature will spotlight SAF members sharing inspirational stories, professional insights, and the opportunity to form new industry connections.
Theresa Colucci, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, started working at a flower shop in high school and continued working part-time in Boston while she went to college. She earned a degree in restaurant and hospitality management, but her love for the floral industry grew and she decided to continue in floral design after college. After returning to her small hometown, she saw a need for a progressive flower shop in the area. She knew she could offer a larger variety of flowers and contemporary designs that showcased the newest floral trends, so she decided to open Meadowscent in Gardiner, New York. She was only 23 years old when she opened the store.
“It was a tough first year, but it continued to grow into a successful business,” she says.
Over the past 34 years Meadowscent has grown into a thriving business with two locations.
Toughest Decision. The COVID-19 pandemic brought on a new set of challenges for Meadowscent. The lack of available staff and trouble hiring new talent put a strain on current employees. The staff rallied together and closed the second location in July, all while managing to retain a good portion of their customers, Colucci says. While this decision was hard, Colucci and her team are thriving at their one location and know it was the best decision under the circumstances.
Biggest Inspiration. The beauty of flowers hasn’t worn off for Colucci. She still gets excited every time she opens a shipment and sees a beautiful variety of flowers. She especially loves tulips, and she says she is encouraged that consumers are getting more and more excited about flowers.
“We have dreamed about this day and it’s finally coming true,” Colucci says.
Best Advice. Colucci says that continually evolving and keeping relevant through education have contributed the most to her success. The best advice she’s ever received has been to treat her employees well so that they will enjoy working with her—and it has worked.
“Most of my employees have been with me for years,” Colucci says.
Why SAF? Colucci joined the Society of American Florists because she believes in everything SAF does to support the industry. She became a member of SAF’s PFCI Board of Trustees in 2017 and this year was a Sylvia Cup Design Competition Coordinator. Her favorite part of being a SAF member is learning new business advice from articles and the connections she’s made at events.
Colucci was recently featured on SAF’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Do you know a member who should have a chance in the spotlight? Email Stephanie Brady, communications and event coordinator for SAF.
Stephanie Brady is the communications and event coordinator for the Society of American Florists.
