The Society of American Florists’ 139th annual convention in Miami wasn’t just a gathering of the floral industry — it was a catalyst for ideas, relationships and sales.
For instance, a large florist in Louisiana who attended an education session about company culture left the event and immediately met with company leaders to evaluate benefits and brainstorm ways to boost morale.
A cross-segment group of floral professionals who didn’t know each other and sat together during an all-industry “Trends and Challenges” roundtable discussion swapped phone numbers to keep the conversation going year-round.
A grower/wholesaler immediately began getting more interest from customers for two of its roses soon after it was announced that the they won blue ribbons at SAF’s Outstanding Varieties Competition.
SAF Miami 2024, Aug. 6-9, which drew more than 500 people, featured 20 education sessions, keynotes on the state of the industry, the economy, workplace culture, and floral trends, the Sylvia Cup Design Competition, the Outstanding Varieties Competition, a sold-out Supplier Expo, an awards ceremony and dinner honoring the stars of the industry, and an option tour of Miami flower businesses.
(See photos of the event here.)
“Whether it was the engaging keynote speeches, the Outstanding Varieties Competition, or the informal conversations over coffee, every moment was an opportunity to learn, grow, and be inspired,” says attendee Dani Pritt, AzMF, of Cactus Flower Florists in Phoenix, Arizona.
The tour was a highlight for Pritt, who, upon getting back to the shop, implemented a new color-coordinated process to organize event flowers in the cooler, a tip she picked up after touring event company Petal Productions.
“It’s going to be super beneficial as we approach our busy wedding and event season,” she says.
Another retailer, Billy Heroman’s Flowerland in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was inspired by several education sessions to make improvements in his business that will benefit his 160 employees and, as a result, the company’s culture.
“I had several ‘ahas’ on where we needed to look deeper and work to improve,” says Ben Heroman, co-owner.
Those ideas included adding affordable benefits to attract and keep employees, finding ways to celebrate their employees, scheduling regular meetings with all employees to stay connected, and developing better interview questions.
All those new ideas were discussed and are on their way to being implemented, Heroman says.
“I have always found that you have to make a plan to act — ideally while still at convention — and then start working the plan almost immediately upon your return,” Heroman says.
Floral growers and suppliers also benefited from the convention.
Jet Fresh Flower Distributors took home two ribbons from the Outstanding Varieties Competition for its ‘Serenade’ and ‘Venturoso’ roses. The Miami-based company shared pictures of the winners on their social media channels and with customers and saw immediate interest.
“Almost immediately, several customers said, ‘Let me get a box or a box with both varieties,’” says Fernando Ortega, general manager. “It was magical.”
And the interactive “Trends and Challenges” session that addressed issues such as flower consumption among younger generations and how the industry can work better together, yielded dozens of ideas as well as new connections.
One table of retailers, wholesalers, suppliers and growers got so much out of their discussions that they wanted to do it again as a group in the future, says Erin Brotherton of Denver Wholesale Florists in Denver, Colorado, who was seated at the table. They exchanged contact info, and the group is organizing a virtual meeting in the coming months.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications or the Society of American Florists.
