Speakers: Klair McDermott, AIFD, PFCI, Fresh Path Marketing, Kim Kashman, Fresh Path Marketing

How can you drive sales with trends? It starts with understanding your customer. Building on Talmage McLaurin’s 2026 Flower Forecast, this session explores how color influences customer motivation, perception and purchasing decisions — and how florists can use that insight to create floral arrangements and experiences that resonate. With curated color palettes, product pairings, flower shop scripts, and in-store activation ideas this highly visual session gives you everything you need to connect trend to transaction.

Panel: Monty Pereira, Watanabe Floral, Inc., Keith Rockcastle, Rockcastle Florist

Labor is one of the biggest line items in any retail florist’s budget — and it’s surprisingly easy to let it spiral out of control without the right oversight. This session uncovers hidden inefficiencies in your staffing strategy and how to forecast staffing needs with confidence and boost productivity through better planning and workflow. Learn how even small improvements in team efficiency can lead to major gains for your bottom line.

Speaker: Julie Keyes, CEPA, KeyeStrategies, LLC

Whether retirement is years away or just around the corner, the time to start thinking about your “next chapter” is now. Successfully transitioning your business requires more than just finding the right successor — it’s about securing your financial future and protecting your legacy. This session covers the essential legal and financial considerations of business succession, including valuation, tax planning, and ownership transfer. Learn how to navigate potential pitfalls and set your business up for a smooth, profitable transition.

Speaker: Charlie Hall, Ph.D., SAF Chief Economist, Ellison Chair in Floriculture, Texas A&M University

Is a recession on the horizon for 2026? Are consumers still ready to spend? What’s next for interest rates and business lending? In this highly anticipated keynote, Dr. Charlie Hall brings clarity to the uncertainty. With his signature mix of deep data and practical application, SAF’s Chief Economist breaks down the key economic indicators shaping the floral industry—and what they mean for your bottom line. Walk away with the knowledge and confidence to make smart, growth-focused business decisions in the year ahead.

Speaker: Angelique Witcher, Accent Decor

Can you — and everyone on your team — clearly and confidently articulate your company’s core mission? Do your daily operations reflect that mission? Is your brand still connecting with today’s customer, in today’s economy? An affirmative answer to these questions is more important now than ever: According to a 2024 retail outlook study by the global professional services firm Deloitte, in times of economic uncertainty, consumers are more selective about where they spend money, and they stick with the brands they believe in. In this session, you’ll explore how to build or evolve a brand that stays true to your values while growing with your business. You’ll define your unique value proposition, craft a story that resonates, and learn how to bring your brand to life consistently — from your shop floor to your social feed.

Speaker: Holly Haveman, PFCI, Kennedy Flowers and Gifts

Feeling burned out? Neglecting the important things in life? In a demanding industry built around beauty and emotion, it’s easy to put yourself last. But when your well-being thrives, so does your work. This session will guide you through practical, experience-based strategies for managing stress, setting meaningful goals, and achieving work-life balance. Through hands-on techniques and a toolbox of ideas to share with staff, attendees will leave with a renewed sense of energy and equipped to thrive in all aspects of life.

Moderator: Kevin McCarthy, Family Flowers   

After SAF Chief Economist Charlie Hall, Ph.D., lays out the big-picture economic trends, it’s your turn to dig in and turn insights into action. During this interactive session you’ll share your reactions, ask questions, and hear from fellow attendees to find smart, real-world strategies for navigating what’s ahead. Whether you’re still processing what it all means or already brimming with ideas, this is your time to connect, reflect and build actionable solutions that work for your business.

Speaker: Ben Heroman, Billy Heroman’s Flowerland

Every owner needs time to focus on growth, recharge or just take a day off — but that only happens when your team can run things without you. This session dives into the systems, structures and training strategies that turn your team into confident, capable leaders who can handle the day-to-day operations and uphold your standards. Learn how to delegate with confidence, create clear expectations, and build a business that thrives — even when you’re not there.

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Speakers: Vonda LaFever, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, Flower Clique, Tim Farrell, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, Teleflora

With consumers investing more in personalized, meaningful tributes than ever before, memorial and funeral work is a powerful opportunity to grow a consistent, profitable segment of your business. Explore how to connect with the customer, upsell with sensitivity, leverage celebration of life services to increase your impact — and your bottom line — with thoughtful, yet efficient, design choices. Whether you’re a designer, owner, or manager, this session delivers actionable tools to elevate your sales and your service during life’s most emotional moments.

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Speakers: Jennifer Barnard, FiftyFlowers, Joe Aldeguer, SAF,  Carma White, AAF, Four Seasons Flowers

Struggle to consistently train staff in sales and customer service? Especially in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment where time, confidence, and resources are limited? Enter AI, the most powerful training partner for your team. This session explores how floral businesses can use AI tools to level up sales and customer service skills through roleplaying, real-time feedback, and custom scripts. From simulating tough customer conversations to practicing upselling techniques, discover practical, accessible ways to use AI to create consistent, confident team communication.

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Speaker: Eileen Weber, AAF, PFCI, Lake Forest Flowers

Your entry-level designers don’t need years of experience to make a big impact — they need the right start. This session focuses on building practical training programs for new hires with little to no floral background, so they can contribute to production efficiently and confidently. Learn how to equip them with essential skills, reinforce consistency and strengthen your team from the ground up.

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Speaker: Tony Fiannaca, Sparks Florist

Discover how smart delivery management can transform your floral business. In this experience zone, learn how delivery—often seen as a cost center—can actually become your biggest competitive advantage. Learn to track the right metrics, improve driver accountability, and optimize routing and zone strategies. With actionable insights for both everyday operations and peak seasons, you’ll walk away with tools to improve profit margins, reduce errors, and elevate the customer experience.

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Speaker: Laura Walsh, PFCI, AAF, Smithers Oasis

Your business can’t afford passive teams. You need thinkers, doers and bold decision-makers at every level. This session is a wake-up call for owners and managers ready to ditch the status quo and build a culture where leadership, innovation, and initiative aren’t exceptions—they’re the norm. Get ready to fire up your team and fuel real momentum.

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Moderator: Denise LaFrenier, Family Flowers

Large corporations may win on salary — but we’ve got heart, beauty and creativity on our side. In this lively, idea-packed session, attendees swap their favorite non-paycheck perks that keep teams happy, loyal and thriving. Think flexible hours, unexpected treats, growth opportunities and more. No idea is too small or too quirky — bring your best, borrow a few, and leave with a perk playbook you can actually use.

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Speaker: Henry Hays, DisruptREADY

You’ve experimented with AI — now take it to the next level. Led by Henry Hays, CEO and co-founder of DisruptREADY, this session shows floral businesses how to move beyond basic prompts and harness AI strategically across operations, marketing, and decision‑making. Draw on your own data to unlock efficiency, clarity, and creativity.

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