5 tips for starting your floristry business

This is the biggest step in creating your dream floral business: know your why.

Create your business plan with your dream clients in mind. Do your market research, look at other industry professionals for inspiration, and consider how your business offers a different perspective on floristry.

Ask yourself:
Are you dreaming of creating beautiful wedding flowers?
Do you want to serve people in a bricks-and-mortar shop?
Are you drawn to teaching and sharing your love of florals through classes and workshops?

There are so many routes you can take in your floral career, but my strongest piece of advice is this: niche down from the start and grow slowly. Doing less, but with focus and intention, will help you build a business that feels authentic and sustainable.

As creative as floristry is, it’s also a business. One of the biggest traps I see florists fall into is not knowing their numbers.

I’ve witnessed it time and again with my mentoring clients: underpricing is rife in the industry. Ultimately, it devalues both your work and your time. No one likes working for free, and without a clear grasp of your costs and margins, it’s very difficult to build a sustainable career.

Here’s where to start:
- Calculate your costs — flowers, sundries, tools, delivery, utilities, and most importantly, your time.

- Add a proper markup — industry standard is around 3.5x to 4.5x the stem cost.

- Keep records — even a simple spreadsheet is better than nothing. I recommend investing in accountancy software (I love Xero, but there are many options available).

- Get help if you need it — a good accountant is worth their fee.
Finally, review your numbers often. When you know what’s profitable and what needs adjusting, you’ll feel far more confident in the direction your floristry business is heading.

Building your own website (or investing in someone to build one for you) is something I’d prioritise over social media — especially in the early days of your business.

Your website is the one space online that you truly own. You have full control over its content, design, and message, and it instantly adds credibility and gravitas to your floristry business. I’ve seen many new start-ups run their entire business solely through social media, and I highly advise against it. Platforms change, algorithms shift, and accounts can disappear overnight.

The good news? Creating a professional website doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated. I personally love Squarespace — it’s a fabulous drag-and-drop builder with beautiful templates that suit a creative business perfectly.

Your first website doesn’t need to be complex. Even a simple landing page with:
A sign-up form for your newsletter,
Your contact details, and
A few photographs of you and your floral work,
…is more than enough to begin.

Invest in a few professional headshots, perhaps a photoshoot of you holding flowers and showcasing your designs, and you’ll be ready to launch a site that not only showcases your creativity but also builds trust with future clients.

And don’t forget — reserve all your social media handles early so your business name is consistent across your website and every platform. Consistency is key to being recognisable and professional.

Even after many years in business, I’m still learning and discovering new ways to design with flowers. The more you invest in your craft, the more confident you’ll feel and the more your unique style will shine through.

Here are some ways to keep growing:

- Take classes and workshops to keep your creativity flowing.

- Practice regularly by making time to simply create and play with flowers. For me, this is key to keeping the passion alive.

- Photograph your work to track your progress and build a portfolio.

- Find a mentor. Having someone experienced to guide you can save you years of trial and error. A mentor can keep you accountable, inspired, and focused, offering an outside perspective on your business.

- Connect with other florists and creatives. Floristry can feel lonely if you’re working solo, but community gives you support, encouragement, and collaboration opportunities.

Whilst many florists do work alone, you don’t have to build your business in isolation. The floristry industry has a wonderfully generous spirit, and surrounding yourself with the right people will help you thrive.

When you’re excited about starting a floristry business, it’s tempting to want to do everything all at once; weddings, subscriptions, events, retail, workshops, the lot. 


Trying to juggle too much too soon is the quickest way to feel overwhelmed.

Instead, I'm here to give you permission to start small. Focus on one service or one type of client at first. That might mean working from your kitchen table while you experiment with your design style, or specialising in wedding flowers before expanding into everyday bouquets.

By narrowing your focus, you’ll be able to refine your skills, build your confidence, and learn what truly works for both you and your clients.

Then, once your foundations are strong, you can add in additional services to your business and grow at a pace that feels sustainable.