In our industry, time is money. Quite literally. We can see it in the industry-standard approach to pricing (wholesale x 3 + time). So it is a must for every florist to know and practise some time management skills.
And when we have staff, we see how quickly time converts into cash. This is particularly true in Australia where labour isn’t cheap. (Check out the relevant hourly wages here retailwages.com.au)
It’s so easy for us, as business owners, to feel like we’re always reacting to what’s happening around us.
The phone rings. A customer walks in. We get a DM on Instagram. Online orders ping in our inbox. React.
When we’re stuck in this mode, we often feel like we don’t have enough time and aren’t making progress in our business.
At the end of 2018, I remember looking back at my calendar and seeing how much time I wasted on wedding consultations. I spent hours and hours and hours with couples, talking about their dreams for the day and so many of those meetings went nowhere.
It was the definition of a waste of time. Literally. $0 for hours invested.
That one year taught me so much about showing up differently in my business.
I started being very protective of my time. Hyper aware of where and how I was spending my energy. I knew something had to change.
Working On Your Business, Not Just In Your Business
One of the biggest mistakes I see flower business owners make is they make no time to work on their business.
They’re constantly reacting to what’s most urgent in front of them and are stuck in that cycle of reactivity – gotta do the next wedding quote, gotta get back to that customer about that special order, gotta sort out the next market order, gotta remember to find someone to cover that shift next Saturday.
It’s exhausting.
I know first-hand what it’s like to be stuck in that mode. To feel like you’re barely treading water and not moving forward.
To feel like you don’t have enough hours in the day and you’re never going to shift this business into the powerhouse flower empire you’re dreaming of.
Friend, I’m here to tell you it is entirely possible. But it does require you to think differently. To prioritize your time differently.
You've Got To Speed It Up.
It sounds counterintuitive, doesn't it? The idea of slowing down when we all want to move at such a rapid pace.
But it works. The minute we step aside, give ourselves space away from the reactionary day-to-day of our flower business, the minute we take a deep breath.
Five minutes of reflection can literally change the trajectory of your business. I know it can.
Because it’s exactly what I did when things weren’t working for me.
I knew I had to change my approach. I was going to end up face down on a hospital bed really quickly if I kept doing what I was doing.
What did I do? I went for a walk and asked myself one of the most powerful questions we can ever consider: What would it look like if it was easy?
What would wedding consultations look like if it was easy? What would my market order look like if it was easy?
Hands down, this question provides me with so much clarity and really allows me to put my creativity to work.
It changed the game for me in 2019 and made me realise I could approach my business so differently. I approach time management so differently because of this one question.
What Are Some Good Time Management Skills?
This week on the Thrive Podcast #ForFlorists I’m digging into four of my favourite time management skills for florists.
What are some good time management skills? It might surprise you to hear I don’t use a fancy calendar system, I don’t have a “to do” list and I don’t colour code my diary….well, I sort of do but it’s only because bright colours make me happy.
When it comes to managing my time, I follow four super simple principles:
- You don’t manage time. You manage yourself in the time you have.
- Templates, systems and processes = time leverage
- Revenue first (i.e. paying clients, potential clients and then future focus)
- Time expands into the space provided (i.e. if you allocate one hour to do one email, it will take you an hour. If you allocate 3 minutes, it will take 3 minutes)
Check out this week’s podcast episode to hear more and get the inside scoop on good time management skills.
Want Help With Your Flower Business?
Do you struggle with managing your time?
Are you dreaming of making more money in your flower business but feel like you’re stuck in reactionary mode all the time?
I can help
I teach floral designers how to take charge of their business inside my Flower Boss Bootcamp. We dig into all things marketing and money and learn the ins and outs of running an empowering flower business.
The moral of the story: Flowers are fun. But so is making money.
My Flower Boss Bootcamp is the only program available to floral designers focused entirely on the business of flowers.
Yes, we talk about leveraging our time, I pass along all my favourite templates and tools and dig into the ins and outs of hiring a team.
Your time is your most valuable asset. Learn to focus your energy and efforts in the right areas to make more money. We talk about feeling confident with your pricing, learning to manage your costs, and growing your business.
This program will change the trajectory of your flower business. I promise.
