Flower Shop Business Plan Sample

While a florist needs to know flowers and be able to arrange them, a florist doesn’t necessarily need formal training.Louisiana previously had licensing requirements for florists, but the state has changed its laws.Owning a flower shop typically involves renting a space from which you will sell floral arrangements.

A flower shop business can be a small, one-person operation (that doesn’t offer delivery), or it can be a national chain with hundreds of locations.

Some of the largest national operations sell flowers online only and don’t have physical stores.

If a business will be delivering flowers, wages for an employee and a the price of a delivery van should be considered.

Florists can keep these startup costs lower by purchasing only one cooler and reducing how many flowers they stock at a time.

If delivery is offered, flowers also must be taken to customers.

Most people purchase flowers for special occasions, and many people give flowers to others even when there isn’t a particular event.Customers who have a significant amount of discretionary income, however, have more to spend on flowers than those who have less discretionary income.Therefore, flower shop businesses can usually sell higher-priced flowers and arrangements to more affluent customers.Try it for free Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC prevents you from being personally liable if your flower shop is sued.Consider using a registered agent service to help protect your privacy and stay compliant.They also can offer delivery but only deliver in the morning and evening, before and after business hours, so they can make deliveries without closing their floral shop or hiring an employee to cover for them.Purchasing a van can also be delayed until the business is earning a profit.Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business.