Hiring and Training Solutions for the Modern Florist

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"I need designers, I need salespeople, I need delivery drivers — where do I find people?" It's the question Vonda and Lori hear more than any other right now, and even the SAF team admitted they're facing the same challenge. Fresh off a webinar on the topic, the hosts sit down for a deeper conversation about how to find, hire, and — most importantly — train the right person for your shop.

Define the roles, then look for the souls

The biggest mistake is hiring from desperation: "I just need a warm body." Lori credits a WizBang seminar for the phrase that reframes everything — define the roles, then look for the souls. Before you post a single ad, figure out exactly what you need. List every task you'd hand off, ask your current team "what do you see that needs to be done around here?", and you might discover you need two people — or that one well-defined role covers it all.

Then look around at the staff you already have. Vonda points to the book Traction and its idea of the right person in the right seat: someone on your team may be quietly waiting to be asked to do more. Hold one-on-ones. Ask what they love about their job, tell them what you see them doing well — and ask if they have like-minded friends who'd want to work part-time. Great, grounded people usually know other great, grounded people.

Where to actually find candidates

The hosts run through the sources that are working for Flower Clique members right now:

• Your employees' networks. Word of mouth from your best people is source number one.
• Social media. Post on your business page, keep it short ("We're hiring — we'd love to meet you, PM for details"), and take the conversation private quickly. Show off your shop's culture — if your team dances to Britney Spears during Valentine's week, let that show. Fun attracts fun.
• Indeed.com. Free and paid versions; one member swears by the paid tier's keyword filters that screen applicants automatically. Do your own research, but it's the one paid recruiting site the hosts hear success stories about.
• LinkedIn. Better for certain roles than a part-time high schooler, but worth a look.
• Local colleges. Nearly every community college has a career resource center — a part-time flower shop job may never have crossed a student's mind until you put it in front of them.
• Garden clubs and design classes. You can watch for natural talent before you ever approach someone. One member recruited two retired women from her garden club for seasonal help — they only want holiday hours, and she calls it the best hiring move she ever made.
• Retired folks. Lori's tip: retired husbands who need to get out of the house make wonderful, joyful delivery drivers.
• SAF classifieds. At safnow.org you can place a classified ad — around $20 for 30 days — and it's showing up in search. Especially good for finding designers, who actually know what SAF is.

What to look for in the interview

For a salesperson, Lori looks first at natural energy level — being friendly all day is draining — plus desire, a genuine smile, and their story: "What made you answer this ad?" But the non-negotiable for every role, from sales to delivery, is openness to learn. Ask directly whether they believe in learning new things, then sit back and wait for the real answer. A know-it-all hire drains you and the team, and that negativity spreads: "if she's not doing it, I'm not doing it." For designers, add one more test: sit them at a design table with a finished piece to copy. If they get fairly close, there's God-given talent there — some people have it, some simply don't.

Onboarding is where owners fail

Lori is blunt: this is the point where most owners drop the ball. Without a written, day-by-day onboarding plan, you get distracted, the new employee stands around waiting, decides "this kind of sucks," and leaves — and that was the manager's fault, not theirs. The research the hosts cite is striking: with a real onboarding process, a new hire gets up to speed in about a month; without one, it can take eight to twelve.

So build a checklist of everything the person needs to learn, assign a name to each item, and map week one, week two, week three. Flower Clique's Prep School courses for sales and design can carry about 85% of the training load — but someone still has to manage the other 15%, scheduling the coursework and walking alongside the new hire. And if teaching isn't your gift? Delegate it to a staff member who loves to mentor, because a new employee can feel your reluctance immediately. As Vonda notes, this is the perfect time of year to hire and train someone — before the fall busy season hits.

Key takeaways

• Never hire in desperation — define the role and its tasks first, then go looking.
• Start with the people you have: one-on-ones may reveal an employee ready for more, or a referral you'd never have found.
• Fish where the fish are: social media with personality, Indeed, college career centers, garden clubs, retirees, and SAF classifieds.
• Hire for energy and openness to learn; test designers by having them copy a finished arrangement.
• A written onboarding plan is the difference between a productive hire in one month and a failed one in eight — and if training isn't your gift, hand it to someone who loves it.

Check out Prep School and our sponsor Flower Clique.