If you're planning on getting
florist training, you probably have lots of questions. What will my life as a florist look like? How long will it take to get my training? How much money am I going to earn? What do I do when a customer demands their money back?
Don't get ahead of yourself. Take a deep breath. The wonderful thing about life as a florist is that eventually you'll be your own boss. Take charge now and take one thing at a time.
There are lots of different ways to get your
florist training. I work with florists who went to community college, florists who got training at expensive private floral schools, and some florists who did it all on their own, testing for certification in floral design with little more than a prayer and a strong desire to design floral arrangements. Depending on the type of person you are, and your amount of experience in designing with flowers, you may pick any one of these three methods.
Once you get your florist training, it is time to look for your first job. Don't expect to march into your local florist and get a job right off the bat. You may have to spend some time working as an apprentice--a glorified "gopher" whose job description often includes things like sweeping up, making coffee, and making flower deliveries. Suck it up--sometimes you just have to pay your dues.
Once you get offered a full-time job at a flower shop, you'll have more responsibilities, including doing some floral design on your own, usually under supervision or according to the florist's criteria. This is the toughest part of becoming a florist . . . listening to someone else tell you how to do your job.
Once you're ready to make the big leap, you'll take out some loans and open your own flower shop. Don't think this is easy work. Owning any small business means long hours and big sacrifices.
