It was with a modicum of curiosity that I began to read the blurb in the August issue of Florist's Review.
There was an interesting time-line showing the history in the making. It highlights the events through the last century as they pertain to the changes that have come.
What I found most interesting, though, was on the page prior to that time-line.
I could not help but be saddened for those who founded FTD, florists with a forward looking approach to doing business, notably our own Smiths, 94 years. Kudos, Boss!:grovel:
Florists who must have put incredible effort into pitching an idea and getting it off the ground. Building it to one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
And with only a 62% vote in favor of selling and going public, how utterly betrayed they must feel.
But it got me into a different frame of mind than I have been in lately, where I seriously feared for the downfall of the whole industry.
Okay, there have been some major mistakes on our part as an industry, but look at how far we have come, too. We are able to get any type of flower our customers want. Tulips in August? No problem! Lilacs in December? Got it covered!
This article gave me a serious attitude adjustment. There was nothing really profound that touched me, just the fact that we as an industry are able to do a lot of things that might seem out of reach or simply un-heard of.
Somebody, I think my sister, recently told me of a book she read. I don't at all remember who the author is, but the idea is thought-provoking. The premise is to look at something not as a problem to solve, but an opportunity to think of doing something different.
I like to imagine that these forward thinking florists 100 years ago had this type of idea. We can do it again.
There was an interesting time-line showing the history in the making. It highlights the events through the last century as they pertain to the changes that have come.
What I found most interesting, though, was on the page prior to that time-line.
I could not help but be saddened for those who founded FTD, florists with a forward looking approach to doing business, notably our own Smiths, 94 years. Kudos, Boss!:grovel:
Florists who must have put incredible effort into pitching an idea and getting it off the ground. Building it to one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
And with only a 62% vote in favor of selling and going public, how utterly betrayed they must feel.
But it got me into a different frame of mind than I have been in lately, where I seriously feared for the downfall of the whole industry.
Okay, there have been some major mistakes on our part as an industry, but look at how far we have come, too. We are able to get any type of flower our customers want. Tulips in August? No problem! Lilacs in December? Got it covered!
This article gave me a serious attitude adjustment. There was nothing really profound that touched me, just the fact that we as an industry are able to do a lot of things that might seem out of reach or simply un-heard of.
Somebody, I think my sister, recently told me of a book she read. I don't at all remember who the author is, but the idea is thought-provoking. The premise is to look at something not as a problem to solve, but an opportunity to think of doing something different.
I like to imagine that these forward thinking florists 100 years ago had this type of idea. We can do it again.
