Present on the Main Stage at the Team Flower Conference

Here it is! Your once-in-a-lifetime invitation to be added to the growing list of inspiring leaders who have taken the Team Flower Conference main stage. Get a big gust of wind for your sails while simultaneously filling the sails of other floral business owners at the event participants have labeled as fun, informative, and feel-good!

In addition to an all expenses paid trip and a $500 honorarium, each member of this team receives the intangible benefits of being associated with a feel-good brand, mega-powerful event marketing energy, increased brand awareness and recognition, deeper peer-to-peer and customer relationships, and a ton of inspiration and energy for yourself and your business!

We’ve watched presenters pivot careers because they loved their experience so much. We’ve watched attendees carry on their learning with presenters. We’ve watched presenters connect with event partners and strike amazing career-changing deals! Connecting everyone who contributes at the event in a meaningful way is what we’re here for!

What is being a part of this team like?

The Presenter/Host Relationship is:

• Kind and Supportive

• Open to Feedback and Flexible

• Human (No Super-Human Expectations or Pressure to be Perfect)

• Prepared, Practiced, and Professional

Presenter/Host Shared Values:

• “We” over “Me”

• Sustainable Business Practices

• Mutual Respect and Partnership Mentality

• Honor for Art and Intrinsic Beauty

• Gratitude

• A Relationally Healthy Floral Design Community

• A True Heart for Helping Others—Especially Beginners

What do presenters on this team do?

There are three components: A rehearsed presentation on the main stage, a casual discussion-based small group breakout session, and a Q&A panel.

Main Stage Session

• Prep, rehearse, and present on a general floral design or business topic that applies to the majority of the audience.

• Each session slot is 60 minutes long. We recommend shooting for a 45 minute presentation that is a demonstration, lecture or hybrid of the two. The remaining time is filled by audience Q&A that is moderated by the host.

Breakout Session

• Lead a casual discussion style meeting on a topic you are particularly passionate about that is either general or niche.

• In this setting you are the moderator — you get the discussion going, field questions, and interject as needed. Breakout Sessions can take on other formats like lectures, demos, or workshops if the presenter wishes. It can be a no-prep session or a prepared session. Ask your TF coordinator for details.

• Breakout Sessions are 45-60 minutes long and run two times.

Q&A Panel

• There are five categories of panels — event theme, beginners, wedding florists, retail/everyday florists, and farmer-florists. We place you in the category that is a natural fit.

• It gives the attendees an opportunity to connect with speakers on business topics (and prevents a presentation Q&A from going off-topic and becoming irrelevant for the general audience).

• Q&A panels are typically 45-60 minutes and are moderated by the panel. No prep required.

Examples of Past Main Stage Session Topics

Demonstrations

• Bouquets

• Centerpieces

• Large Scale Designs (Partially completed in advance, audience joins in, must be totally sponsored by a wholesaler)

• Specialty or Trending Products like Wearables, Woodland Designs, Dried Flowers, Sympathy Work

Lectures

• Pricing

• SEO

• Business Growth

• Sourcing

• Trends Through the Decades

• Testimonials

• Marketing

• Growing Roses

• Growing Dahlias

• Online Presence

• Building Fair, Just and Equitable Brands

Demonstration/Lecture Hybrids

• Signature Style

• Cultivating Creativity

• Outcome-Neutral Arranging

• Floral Installations

• Full Table/Event Design

Examples of Past Breakout Session Topics

Business

• General

  • Your Branding Strategy

  • The Cost of Doing Business and Profitability

  • Customer Service and Client Experience

  • Your Brand Through Social Media

  • Budgeting

  • Time Management

  • Foam-Free Mechanics and Environmentally Friendly Business Practices

• Business Model Specific

  • Hotel Flowers

  • Studio Management

  • Modern Retail Shop

  • Freelancing

  • Managing Large-Scale Events

  • Balancing a Flower Shop and Full Service Flowers

  • Best Practices for Design Workshops

Design

• Choosing Elements for Bouquets (with Demo)

• Designing with Heart and Intentionality

Farming

• Growing Flowers

• Farmer-Florist Huddle

• Microfarming

Personal and Leadership Development

• Perseverance and Facing Fears

• Time To Breathe

• Starting a Business with a Young Family

Past Presenters

• Ngoc Minh Ngo

• Kelsea Olivia, East Olivia

• Lewis Miller, Lewis Miller Design

• Paulina Nieliwocki, Blue Jasmine

• Ace Berry AIFD, Fulshear Floral

• Kristen Caissie, Moon Canyon

• Amy Merrick

• Beth O'Reilly AIFD, TMF

• Leah and Lauren Palmer of The Wild Mother

• Danielle Hahn, Rose Story Farm

• Jenn Sanchez, Jenn Sanchez Design

• Rachael Lunghi, Siren Floral Co.

• Ashley Beyer, Tinge Floral

• Janelle Nicole Thomson, Lavenders Flowers and Tono & Co

• Cristina Barragan of Posh Peony and Fleursociety

• Francoise Weeks

• Felisa Funes, Of the Flowers

• Amy Balsters, The Floral Coach

• Amanda Luu, Studio Mondine

• Deanna Kitchen, Growing Kindness

• Sammy Go, Lambert Floral Studio

• Alicia and Adam Rico, Bows and Arrows Flowers

• Julio Freitas, The Flower Hat

• Lauren Wiebe, Stone House Creative

• Bonnie Bakhtiari, B is for Bonnie Design

• Natalie Gill, Native Poppy

• Lou and Andrea Gagnon, LynnVale Studios

• Katie Davis, Ponderosa and Thyme

• Gabriela Salazar, La Musa de las Flores

• Christy Hulsey of Colonial House of Flowers

• James Farmer of James Farmer Inc.

• Patrick Dahlson, CEO Mayesh Wholesale

• Lauren Anderson and Rachel Bridgford of Sweet Root Village

• Naomi deManana, Style Director and In-house Floral Expert, Martha Stewart Weddings

• Deborah Prinzing, Slow Flowers

The Planning Process

• Complete the Onboarding Checklist (general topic and format selections, portfolio images, printed information check, contract, payment setup).

• As soon as the full speaker team is assembled and the program schedule finalized you’ll receive your presentation times and we will initiate booking travel and accommodations. In the meantime, please pencil us in for May 10-14 and reach out if you have any scheduling needs or questions.

• If you are doing a demonstration we will connect you with suppliers for your demonstration about 60 days in advance. You’ll need to have a handle on your needs at this time.

• 30 days prior to the event our team will meet to review the flow of the entire program. We will collect your presentation outline, slides and handout (if applicable) at this time. Public-facing elements will be reviewed by a copy editor for clarity and by the tech team for formatting.

At the Event

• You’ll arrive the evening prior to your main stage session (to avoid any travel delays) and the panel or breakout session will take place the evening or morning prior to or following your main stage session. Speakers are typically in town for two nights.

• You’re welcome to stay for up to three nights/throughout the event if you’d like to connect with peers.

• You’re welcome to bring a family or team member — we will provide them with a pass.

• Main stage sessions are on an elevated platform in a large room. You’ll be provided with a lapel microphone, a slide remote, and a countdown clock timer. We’ll introduce you, keep track of time, and moderate questions to fill the allotted program time.

• Breakout sessions are in a room assigned based on group size. Some groups share a large room. Others have their own room. There will not be a screen or microphone in these sessions (unless you are leading a large group in the main session room).

• Panel discussions will take place in a room assigned based on group size. There may be an elevated stage. There may or may not be a microphone (depending on group size).

• When selecting wardrobe for sessions keep these things in mind:

  • The stage is elevated. If wearing a skirt, it should be midi-length or longer, and you should be able to sit comfortably at someone’s eye level.

  • Also consider your comfort and be sure the apparel will not require re-adjusting as you are working from stage.

  • Avoid jewelry that jingles, sequins that could catch and reflect concentrated light, and shoes that click. These things can take away from your message.

  • You’ll need a spot to clip your microphone pack and a lapel for the microphone.

Lastly, you’ll have a ton of fun! My favorite part is when the audience rushes the stage for photos of the demonstrations! The presentations are always well-received and appreciated by this vibrant community that is committed to Loving the World Through Flowers.