To launch the new year with intention, the team at Details Flowers Software gathers for a creative ritual that’s equal parts reflection and goal-setting: a vision board workshop. Employees revisit last year’s boards to celebrate achievements, then craft new ones to chart personal and professional ambitions for the year ahead.
“It’s really nice when you come back the next year and say, ‘Oh wow, look, I did this,’” says Corrine Heck, PFCI, founder of Details Flowers Software. More than a morale booster, the workshop gives team members a deeper understanding of each other and their interests beyond the office. “It’s just a nice way to get a good clue into who they are,” she says.
Heck’s commitment to fostering meaningful company culture doesn’t stop with vision boards. She’ll share more of her culture-building strategies at the Society of American Florists’ 1-Day Profit Blast on Jan. 25 in Washington, D.C. In her session, “Out-Plan. Out-Last. Out-Deliver: Building a Culture That Blooms Under Pressure,” Heck will explain how strong internal culture helps floral businesses cut through chaos and reduce burnout — especially during peak seasons. She’ll also highlight the importance of resilient leadership and vendor collaboration.
Although it may sound complicated, Heck stresses that creating a strong workplace culture doesn’t have to be.
“You can create better culture by just having a more streamlined approach to everything you’re doing,” Heck says. “That also makes everybody on your team feel more comfortable.”
Build a Sustainable Sympathy Business
The event, which is sponsored by Potomac Floral Wholesale, Inc. and Smithers-Oasis, also includes a session on what can be one of the most sustainable areas of a florist’s business: sympathy work. During “Heartfelt Designs, Smart Business: Elevating Your Sympathy Work,” Carol Inskeep Proulx, AIFD, CFD, CEJ, will share ideas on how to design memorable floral arrangements with compassion while still keeping an eye on the bottom line.
Attendees will learn how to balance artistry and cost-efficiency, and most effectively communicate with grieving families. In addition, Inskeep Proulx will provide tips on how to partner with funeral directors for long-term success.
“It’s unique when funeral homes are selling and you have to sell to the funeral home rather than the consumer,” she says.
Elevate Wedding Designs — and Profits
The “Wow Factor Installations: Designs That Dazzle & Deliver Profit” session will give floral designers the tools to take wedding work to new heights — literally. Led by Laura DaLuga, AIFD, the program dives into the creative and operational side of statement-making installations, from suspended floral designs to arches and show-stopping chuppahs that instantly elevate an event space.
DaLuga will break down the techniques behind impactful ceiling installations and large-scale structures, while also addressing the realities of workflow, staffing, and setup. Attendees will learn how to plan and execute complex installs efficiently, coordinate teams with confidence, and apply pricing strategies that protect margins without sacrificing the “wow” factor.
Fix Financial Drains
Even the most creative, well-run floral businesses can unknowingly lose money if they aren’t closely tracking where costs creep in. In “Lost in Space: Where Are Your Profits?” Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI, of Crockett, Myers & Associates, will take attendees on a deep dive into the financial “black holes” that quietly drain profitability.
Myers will break down six core cost centers — including time management, cost of goods sold, labor, delivery, occupancy and marketing — and show florists how to identify trouble spots before they spiral out of control. Known for translating complex financial concepts into practical, florist-friendly tools, Myers will walk attendees through formulas, worksheets and time-tested cost-control techniques used by hundreds of profitable shops.
The goal, Myers says, isn’t just to cut expenses — it’s to give florists clarity and confidence in making smarter, more strategic decisions that directly impact the bottom line.
For more information about SAF’s 1-Day Profit Blast and to register, click here.
Kenya McCullum is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
