I had the pleasure of interviewing Jenny Austin, co-owner of Always in Bloom LLC Florist in Knoxville Tennessee. In this interview we talk about everything from starting, struggles, competition and small business advice.
Q: Jenny, thank you for allowing me to interview you today. My first question is just in general what is your background and how did you get into this industry?
A: I got into this industry when I was a student at the University of Tennessee working as a florist inside a local Kroger grocery store. I worked there for 19 years and then moved to a different Kroger and met Leonard, who co-owns the shop with me. From there we decided we were a good team and we worked well together, so we took the leap to open up our own flower shop.
Q: Do you have to have any school or design background to be in this industry?
A: You can go to floral design school, but we wouldn’t recommend it, because it is very expensive and they just touch on the basics. You get more knowledge by being in the shop, working hands on with customers. At Kroger, we got very good training. There are so many people coming in and out of the store, so the hands on training is worth more than school.
Q: Did you always know you wanted to be in the floral industry?
A: YES! Once I finally got in to the floral shop at Kroger I just really liked it. I’ve always been crafty and creative, and liked working with people, so it was good fit for me. Also, once I got married and started my family, they were very flexible about my hours and all that good stuff.
Q: What made you guys have the desire to leave Kroger after so many years of working for them? Press play to the audio clip below to hear what Jenny has to say.
Q: What is a typical day like here? Is it very consistent or is every day different?
A: We have the same responsibilities that we need to do every day, but you never know what your day is going to be like, because when the phone rings, you never know. There could be a funeral, or someone could walk in and just want to talk about an arrangement or wedding, bridal meetings, corporate planning events. Every day is just different, you really just never know exactly what is going to happen.
Q: What immediate obstacles did you have to overcome when opening the business?
A: We both had free medical insurance through Kroger for our whole family. Luckily I was able to get it through my husband’s work, but Leonard was pretty much the bread winner of his family. So here you have a whole family left without insurance. So that was one of the biggest obstacles we faced really even before opening. He just had two new babies and so it was really hard to find something affordable. Also cash flow – was big. How to manage the money was hard at first. We have no loans, so if we’re short, we’re short. We don’t have anything to back us up as far as small business loans, equity lines taken out, things like that.
Q: Do you think you guys really just took a big leap of faith? See what Jenny says by playing the audio file below.
Q: How many people do you need in order to run the business?
A: On an every day level – 5. Leonard and I are involved in every aspect, so you need a few people extra. We pull in more help during the Christmas season or certain events. We have people we can call in to help when there is an influx during peak times. We have 3 Full Time (including her and Leonard) and 2 Part Time.
Q: I’ve pulled some research on my own about the floral industry. It says that 50% of floral sales can be attributed to grocery stores like Kroger or mass marketers like your 1-800 Flowers and etc. Do you find this to be true and how do you combat this competition?
A: Volume Yes. They definitely sell more volume. Now, they are a different type of florist, it’s quick and it’s an impulse item. We’re more of a personal service. If your dad was to pass away, you probably wouldn’t think of Kroger, you’d most likely want to call someone like us to talk through it and have that personal touch. We do some of the impromptu things, but we do more of the special events like weddings and that’s where we really make our money. Also, the grocery stores don’t deliver, so we have the upper hand on that.
Also, the places like 1-800-Flowers have really been the downfall of a lot of florists. There are so many fees and payments taken out through those companies that places like us are really only receiving about 12% of the total cost on the order. Many florists believe these places are a necessary evil because so many people are shopping on them. When really they are losing money. We do things like Search Engine Marketing, to combat with this type of business.
Q: In the past 3 or 4 years, as the economy has seen a real decline, have you guys seen a decline in business? Listen to what Jenny has to say about the economy and how it’s effected her industry.
Q: Now for the fun questions! What is your most popular flower?
A: Hydrangeas
Q: What is the current most popular wedding theme?
A: Vintage, Rustic, Burlap, Baby’s Breath and Mason Jars.
Q: What advice would you give a person who was looking to start their own business? Listen to Jenny’s advice.
