Jay Archer Floral Design – Motivational Business Talk

So today, on a Sunday – on a day I normally reserve for not traipsing across the country, racking up extra mileage in my little Smarty – a day I normally associate with crafting in my little office, food shopping and the general chores (the boring stuff!) to try and get ahead for the week…not this week – this week I had much more exciting plans.

I went whizzing down to Odiham, Hampshire – to listen to Jay Archer Floral Design’s Motivational Business Talk at her Flower School – and boy was it worth it. Yes – she is a florist, and so yes – different to my business model – but there were so many similarities. So many things she said resonated with me and made me think – yes, I want to be like that – yes, I want to try that – yes, I will put that on my ever growing to-do list – basically, yes – I want to be like you! (Yes, I presume I have some sort of creative led can-we-be-friends-girlie-crush!)

Girlie crushes aside – Jay is genuinely such a talented lady – her rustic, vintage, relaxed floral displays are stunning. You can see why she is being nominated for and winning awards put it that way! From the first moment I met her at WIBG (Women In Business Group) I felt she emanated being very relaxed (apart from a few nerves at the start of her talk then, and today – but nerves are good, they show you care!) very self-assured in a ‘I know my business is the best it can be’ way – but not in a cocky way – just a fresh, very open, and very brilliant business woman way. She has grown her business from almost nothing – nothing except an incredible amount of spirit, passion and ideas. With support from her equally lovely husband who I met briefly today – he wasn’t there at the workshop to hold her hand – he was there as someone who was also genuinely interested to listen to what Jay had to say! 🙂

She talked very openly about her struggles to get the business going, her strict make it or break it 18 month deadline – her visions, her dreams, but also importantly the reality of being a young, self-employed business woman – and how much work really goes into it. From the 4am flower market starts, the midnight wedding clear downs, to the working through the night for an 8.30am ceremony – however, as I am starting to learn – all those hours aren’t a true hardship when you simply love what you are doing! It is no longer work, it is purely what you simply ‘do’.

Jay Archer Floral Design recently opened her Flower School – and I won’t be personally attending the practical courses, simply as I don’t wish to become a florist! However, if you are – then I would say it is a must do for either start-ups or already existing florists who want to learn – something new, or simply refresh your ideas – it would be well worth a trip!

I think the best thing about this workshop was, and is with her other workshops – is just how open and honest Jay is with other florists – about costings, about how to make sure you set the right margins, the social media, the PR, the marketing, the everything really. Embracing the competition – not shunning them away.

“Peace and Love”!

Whether I have a new girlie crush, or whether I feel like we are kindred spirits – I feel that I have the same vision as Jay – but in The Crafty Lass. After today, I feel empowered, ready to take on the world and all it holds for the future. I have already started brainstorming ‘big plans’ for The Crafty Lass – some are perhaps pipe dreams, some perhaps not – but if the last 12 weeks with has taught me anything – sending one tweet to The Craft Channel and now in the buying team and presenting on it – is “Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do.”

Today, I will take away a few things – apart from the new found ideas, visions and dreams I have whizzing around my multiple-tabs-open brain, are just to be confident, have a strong vision of you and your own branding “You are your own business card”, and to always remember… “Fake it til you make it babe!”.

Thanks Jay. x

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