International travel, panels and severe delays
When I set off on my floral journey I never imagined I'd be travelling overseas to attend...well anything! I can't express how much thanks and gratitude I have for the BFA and Florint. This opportunity to be part of a wonderful team representing the UK and the European Young Florists Conference has been UH-MAZE-ING and I felt it would only be right to share my experience of it all.
International travel to speak on a panel for the European Young Florists Conference (EYFC), sounds pretty fancy right? I was SUPER excited to grab the opportunity with both hands, feet and any other part of my body that could grab things even through it didn't get off to the smooth start that I had hoped for. The first day began with a bit of a grey cloud... after a serious delay, missed connection and an unexpected train journey from Amsterdam to Brussels I was trying very hard not to let the unexpected set back affect my mood. However after at bit of beauty sleep, a good old motivational montage video and some encouragement from the Academy of Floral Art I was readily preparing myself for the start of the conference. The conference was held in St. Truiden and comprised of 10 panel members with 3 discussions given by Florint, Florismart and Smithers Oasis (super important big wigs of the floristry world). The point of the conference was to discuss the future of floristry. Discussing issues with the people who deal with it every day and having an honest and open conversation from all levels of the industry. We covered topics such as buying habits, trends, forecasting, inspiration, inspiring other florists, engaging with our clients, and how we grow and develop our own businesses. Needless to say you needed a few coffees throughout the day but the conversations being had were awe inspiring.
It was a day of discussing dreams, fears, commonalities and our differences. It was a real pleasure to speak and feel like you were listened to. It became our common community.
Representatives (and by this I mean all the common folk) of the industry including, florists, suppliers, associations and growers. Every element of the industry was there to have a voice, an opinion and an ear to listen. It was glorious.
I absolutely love, love, LOVED the day. It confirmed my own opinions and threw some great thought nuggets into the mix as well. I left the day feeling that the EYFC was a mighty force and when we all come together, we could achieve so much together. It wasn't all sunshine and lollipops however it did also highlight that we aren't always in alignment.
One thing that florists rock at is that they are adaptable. We have to be. It comes with the industry, seasonal change, flowers in and out of fashion, pricing changes, import tax, bad weather, it's impossible to survive without this trait. However the conference had me wondering if as an industry we are willing to be adaptable on a much larger scale? What I mean by this is accepting regulation of the industry, committing to developmental training not only at the start of our careers but also development and learning throughout our lives. It is these fundamentals that make us question, do we sink or swim without adaptability?
Now obviously the UK is part of the wider entity of Europe (without going all "Brexit" on you.) However it did raise some very interesting questions. It provokes us to ask ourselves about the industry within the UK. What is our relationship with the BFA (British Floral Association) and IoPF (Institute of Professional Florists) and are we doing enough to support them alongside their support for us? As you can imagine I was LOVING all this debate, questioning, suggestions, conversation that was happening, after all that was the whole point of the conference. I found myself gushing about all different types of subjects with a lot of experience and knowledge to share and talk about along the way. It definitely got my cogs a whirring and I left the conference feeling inspired, motivated and a little bit super hero-ey. One awesome addition to the conference was that the Eurofleurs Youth Competition was also on at the same time. We were lucky enough to be able to catch the final of the competition and we were blown away with the talent that was on show. Special mention to team GB represented by Louisa Cooper. Sunday proved to be a great day for reflection, (and by reflection I mean I was on yet another delayed flight.) After such an inspiring Saturday I felt that I was reinvigorated with a passion for driving the business forward. Not just my business may I add, the industry as a whole. The whole experience left me with a drive in my gut for bigger and better things. We are the masters of our own destiny and we should look to the future. I am ready to look further than my studio, further than the UK to be part of something bigger in shaping our industry for the years to come. Are you?
GUSH ALERT: A big part of who I am as a floral designer is down to the wonderful teaching, guidance and encouragement from the Academy of Floral Art. Without them I probably wouldn't have known about the BFA and the opportunities I've had through them and the wealth of knowledge they so readily give to fuel the passion for what is an incredible and ever growing industry. We are far more than mere flower sellers. We are artists, we are innovators and we are most definitely a force to be reckoned with!
