NCPat

[NCPat48]

Hi, I'm Pat and I own Blossom Basket Florist in Hendersonville, NC. Hendersonville is in the western mountains just south of Asheville and bordering South Carolina. The beauty of the view driving from this mountain plateau down to South Carolina still takes my breath away although I have lived here all my life.
Well, enough about that. Bought my first florist in 1991 when the rumor that DuPont where I worked in the office was going to sell our plant and they offered a very handsome retirement package. Took my buyout at 42, my husband took the retirement at 45 and I bought my first florist. How stupid!! I couldn't even tie a bow, but the owner promised to stay a year to train me. She was gone in 3 months, never intended to stay. Talk about baptism by fire! But I made it through learned a lot from my employees (a designer here, another there) and bought Blossom Basket in 1994.
As every one else here, I do what is necessary. Design some, bookkeep some, scrub commodes some.
Enjoy reading all the good info here, nice place to share ideas.

 

[fairfield]

That seems to be a fairly common scenario. Promises, promises.

Welcome to flowerchat.

 

[ivygreen]

My previous owner promised help to. Weeks later the credit card printer ran out of paper - no manuals, no extra paper, NO clue. Learned lots of lessons the hard way, but still going almost 6 yrs later.... Welcome!

 

[lori042499]

Didn't you all get this info in writing in your purchase and sale agreement.

I had it written in that she was to garauntee me 3 weeks of help when ever I needed it and a years worth of updates on customers, holidays etc. If she was not compliant I could sue her for breech of contract...

 

[NCPat48]

Didn't you all get this info in writing in your purchase and sale agreement.

I had it written in that she was to garauntee me 3 weeks of help when ever I needed it and a years worth of updates on customers, holidays etc. If she was not compliant I could sue her for breech of contract...

I learned the hard way not to be trusting. I did have it written in the contract that she was not allowed to open a shop for 5 years, and had to remind her of that. But as soon as the 5 years were up, she reopened, but has since closed. The shop was not a lot of money and I knew her (or thought I did) and thought that she would keep her word. I was only going to buy 50% in the beginning with an option on the rest after a year so she would be tied to it, but she asked me to go ahead and buy it all and she would stay for a year. So much for her word.

But as hard as buying the first one was, the second was a dream. the previous owner did everything she promised and more. I could not ask for a better working relationship. When she left we both knew that it was time.

Oh well, it's like we used to allow house accounts with just a name, address, and phone number, then added the back-up credit card....then we'll use the credit card on the first order and then set up an account. We learn the hard way I guess.

P.S. Thanks to all of you for the welcome. I've already had a lot of fun reading the many posts. If there are other similar sites could you let me know? Thanks again

 

[lori042499]

I learned the hard way not to be trusting. I did have it written in the contract that she was not allowed to open a shop for 5 years, and had to remind her of that. But as soon as the 5 years were up, she reopened, but has since closed. The shop was not a lot of money and I knew her (or thought I did) and thought that she would keep her word. I was only going to buy 50% in the beginning with an option on the rest after a year so she would be tied to it, but she asked me to go ahead and buy it all and she would stay for a year. So much for her word.

But as hard as buying the first one was, the second was a dream. the previous owner did everything she promised and more. I could not ask for a better working relationship. When she left we both knew that it was time.

Oh well, it's like we used to allow house accounts with just a name, address, and phone number, then added the back-up credit card....then we'll use the credit card on the first order and then set up an account. We learn the hard way I guess.

P.S. Thanks to all of you for the welcome. I've already had a lot of fun reading the many posts. If there are other similar sites could you let me know? Thanks again

That is too bad, sounds like you dealt with a jerk.... i am glad you had it better the second time around...

 

[ivygreen]

My previous owner was not a jerk by any means, just not helpful. No contract, just good intentions. I didn't want to beg and plead for help, well actually I did want to but I couldn't bring myself to be caught doing it out loud.