What were you in your past life?

Status
Not open for further replies.
wildflowerschicago

wildflowerschicago

New Member
Mar 30, 2008
1,964
1,031
0
Palos Heights
www.wildflowerschicago.com
State / Prov
Illinois
I was wondering what everyone did prior to becoming a floral artisan (new catchy title from another thread)? What were you before the glamour, prestige and six figure salaries seduced you into this career (yes, that's sarcasm)?

Some recent threads regarding our survival have prompted me to wonder if by looking into the past we can help ourselves move forward successfully?!?!

I came from retail mangement (for some big department stores) and from interior design/retail design. I don't know how many of my past life skills can help us, but I would gladly share the retail philosophies of Marshall Field as well as the tricks I learned on how to effectively lay out your retail space (traffic flow and merchandising).

I can't help wondering what we can learn from each other?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
I was a spanish prostitute in Colorado during the gold rush. OOPS! wrong past life.
Occupation wise. Only a florist. Mom told me I needed a job. Got one in a Flower shop. Kept thinking-how hard could it be. And Ta-dah!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
HILARIOUS!!!! THANKS for the laugh!


Well I've been a stay at home mom for about 9 years. In between I worked at a horse breeding farm, barnes & noble, I got into direct sales....before I was in the printing industry I liked it alot. I tried to get a job,as a teen, in a flower shop at the local cemetary. It was a no go. So here I am FINALLY doing what I love!!
 
I've now been in the floral industry as long as I was in my other life :)

My background was warehousing and distribution, transportation and logistics. I ran a 475,000 square foot warehouse. As Vice Prez and General Manager pretty much responsible for day to day operations, managing people and for working with freight companies on pricing and contracts, etc. In its heyday we were one of UPS's top 10 shippers in the state of Maine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
well, before the horticulture industry (production/ grower) I was a water well driller assistant. It helped pay my way thru college and put gas in the tank during high school.

Drove the tool truck and pump hoist and did lots of grunt work, change screens, pull pumps and got really dirty.
 
Graduated with degree in accounting from college hated the thought of actually practicing accounting and went on to retail management in one of the original discount department store chains. Company was bought out in 1979 I moved on to be General Mgr of a large Office Supply, Furniture and Office Equipment Company. During that life span I also was on the board of directors of a national marketing company for the Office Products Industry. But as I moved into the 90s I saw the hand writing on the wall and realized that all the large office supply companies would be gobbled up by the likes of Staple, Boise cascade Corporate Express etc. I partnered with a former employee who had degree in horticulture and 10 years experience in the floral industry in 1993 and bought a florist that had been in business since 1966. And I now handle that hated accounting as well as marketing and construction projects .
 
Another retail rebel here...I worked my way up to a retail Store Manager for two major national retailers (apparel and home furnishings). Along the way, I worked as a Selling Floor Manager, Customer Service Manager , Hardlines Manager, Softlines Manager, Operations Manager and Personnel Manager and worked as Merchandising Support for new store openings.

I changed careers in 2001, took a massive paycut and learned the basics by managing a floral shop, learning design and reading everything I could find about design, etc. (still learning every single day).

Boy, I miss the four weeks vacation more than the paycheck!

Mary
 
Not sure if you guys have heard of NVQs but i was an NVQ assessor for Business Administration and omg it was rubbish, i also have an office background. Loving the sarcasm about glamour job, pictured us all in our diamantes cleaning buckets lol. i went to do all my studying and get experience when kiddies where babies!!! (did lots of out of hours etc...)

I would love to get some advice from someone with retail background Amy as this is the area in which i know i lack any knowledge, i have kind of put my shop together myself but i am sure if you looked at it you could see a zillion things wrong with it!!

Any fundemental rules about retail or about gift displays that i should be applying i would love to know. :grovel:

good thread btw, mmmm i remember the days of nice nails
 
I was a lunch and sometimes dinner (prep) cook at our local country club. I learned to organize and be efficient! I came up with specials, made the soups..(I can make a killer clam chowder!) sometimes planned menus for brunches or special events etc and came up with new recipes.

Also while working there I made cheesecakes and pastries and sold them to the club and other businesses and individuals around town and a couple times to a few places in Tahoe. I did the cheesecake thing for about 3 years (until my oven gave out)
Funny how I went from one business with perishable product to another!
 
I was a fundraiser for an art museum and then a non-profit lawfirm. Quit that after 7 years and have been a product designer within the gift industry for the past 15 years. I still dabble in the gift industry when I have time because it helps to pay rent..:hammer:.
 
I was a manager for Lucky Brand Jeans and then the Guess store both in Cincinnati. I did payroll, scheduling, training, interviewing, but- I focused a lot on visual merchandising which is my true passion.

Before that I was a brand manager for Tommy Hilfiger and then Liz Claiborne fragrances.

Man.........I'd almost forgotten all of my past work experience. Anybody hiring? :tongue:
 
I graduated with a BA degree in Italian and Spanish, minor in Secondary education. I tried teaching for a few years and ABSOLUTELY HATED IT!! I was a horrible teacher and thank God had the intelligence to see that and leave the profession,so as not to further inflict myself on the youth of this area!
Then I went into retail and did that a few years after that I learned how to do stained glass. It became my passion for many years, I sold my work on consigment and did crafts shows and festivals. I still work at it on a limited basis. ( most of the designs I did were of floral patterns..hmmm) Them Motherhood occupied my time for a good 7 years. I stayed home with my daughter and when she went started school I went to the Pittsburgh Floral Academy for their basic course and also Master Wedding Design, and it's been down hill ever since! lol
 
I did the retail gig for a number of years (apparel, shoes, drug store). Then I became a Tupperware Dealer/Manager for about 8 years. I was at the top in sales for all the people in our distributorship. Yup, I pushed A WHOLE LOT of plastic. All along, doing freelance work with my Permanent Botanicals. Then I decided to make a change in my life. Got a job at a local florist shop. Two years later, my brother and I opened our own. The rest, as they say, is history.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Secretary at State Farm Insurance for 12 years. Then typographer/pasteup artist for 6 years. Then stay-at-home mom of triplets for 16 years. Took a 160 hour course at FDI. Worked in 2 flower shops for 2 years. Realized the money would never be what I need to put 3 kids through college at once (!!!), so now I'm driving a school bus. Missing flowers, but what are you gonna do?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
steve said:
Graduated with degree in accounting from college hated the thought of actually practicing accounting and went on to retail management in one of the original discount department store chains. Company was bought out in 1979 I moved on to be General Mgr of a large Office Supply, Furniture and Office Equipment Company. During that life span I also was on the board of directors of a national marketing company for the Office Products Industry. But as I moved into the 90s I saw the hand writing on the wall and realized that all the large office supply companies would be gobbled up by the likes of Staple, Boise cascade Corporate Express etc. I partnered with a former employee who had degree in horticulture and 10 years experience in the floral industry in 1993 and bought a florist that had been in business since 1966. And I now handle that hated accounting as well as marketing and construction projects .
Click to expand...

Similar to Steve....degree in Accounting, then went retail, then corporate as executive assistant to a president of a major manufacturer....saw that I could do what he does, quit that job, opened a greenhouse business with my husband, started the floral shop in 2005, the greenhouse business went flat last year, now full-time florist and do my own dreaded accounting.
 
I walked in to a flower shop asking for a job on Valentine's Day ( not really a very busy day!) when I was walking in another lady was walking out in tears? hmmm a sign? that was back in 1982, and I'm still in the business, I have never lost my love of flowers though.
 
until 10 weeks ago i was a hairdresser, 10 years in the beauty industry was more than enough, i love working as a florist so much more than hair :headbang:
 
Beth said:
Secretary at State Farm Insurance for 12 years. Then typographer/pasteup artist for 6 years. Then stay-at-home mom of triplets for 16 years. Took a 160 hour course at FDI. Worked in 2 flower shops for 2 years. Realized the money would never be what I need to put 3 kids through college at once (!!!), so now I'm driving a school bus. Missing flowers, but what are you gonna do?
Click to expand...

Did she say TRIPLETS?!&*% Give that girl a trophey!!! You have got to be Super Woman Girl!!! :ghug:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back