Florist Business Plan

Owner Jamie Muir brings more than 15 years of marketing and management experience to Red White & Bloom. Her background in the technology and applications software industry includes using the Internet and integrated marketing communications to attract customers and develop brand loyalty. Jamie graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia in 1988 with a degree in Journalism. She has also completed training at the Vermont Academy of Floral Design, and apprenticed at De tuin van Heden, a retail flower shop in Ghent, Belgium. She currently holds a full time job as the public relations manager for a profitable, publicly traded technology company in Atlanta.

6.1 Personnel Plan

Red White & Bloom will not employ any staff members directly. As an owner of the company, Jamie Muir will take quarterly payments in the form of an after-tax draw. Although actual draw may vary with realized sales and profits, we are projecting owner’s draw will steadily increase from the first year to the third year. Other employees, when necessary, will be employed via a local temporary agency. These labor expenses can all be found in the Profit and Loss table, below.

Owner

Jamie Muir will oversee financial management, merchandising and operations for Red White & Bloom. Responsibilities will include: selling to commercial accounts; ensuring a profitable sales picture; establishing pricing policies; keeping up-to-date on trends by monitoring trade journals, vendors, sales reps, buying trips, industry meetings and educational programs; preparing and executing marketing programs, including advertising, publicity and lead generation programs (via direct mail and e-mail); establishing partner relationships as needed and designing arrangements.

She will also oversee sales, design and delivery. Responsibilities will include selling to walk-in retail customers; designing arrangements; ordering flowers, plants and greens; purchasing supplies, vases and containers; pricing and selling merchandise and orders for profit; spot checking orders to ensure quality products; knowing social and religious customs of various holidays; and handling complaints.

Delivery Person

The delivery person’s primary tasks will include planning deliveries (right time, right day); loading and unloading products carefully, securing plants and flowers during transportation; repairing, returning and replacing any transit-damaged products; keeping track of deliveries; and performing on-site credit card transactions. This position will be secured through a local employment agency, and will work part-time. Based on projected sales for the first year, a delivery person will be required approximately two hours per day, four days per week in the first year; hours needed will increase proportionally with sales in years two and three.

Characteristics: courteous, knowledgeable, neat and clean. The person should know the Midtown and Downtown areas of Atlanta.

Temporary Help

Red White & Bloom will employ temporary employees via a local staffing agency to assist with sales and customer service prior to Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter/Passover, Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukkah.

Second Year: Contract Floral Designer As Needed for Holidays & Special Events

The contract floral designer will create arrangements using flowers, floral products and/or plants, working directly with customers regarding price and type of arrangement or following information from an order form. Other tasks include giving estimates on design work; working promptly and profitably, including tracking all materials used in every arrangement for accurate pricing; keeping the design area clean; keeping the cooler clean and rotating flower stock. The designer may assist walk-in customers, operate the cash register, and handle customer concerns and complaints. This position will be a part-time contractor.