Business owners and managers in the floral industry are making a strategic investment in their future by sending their rising star employees to The Society of American Florists' (SAF) Next Gen LIVE!. Now in its fourth year, the three-day event will take place February 23-25, 2025, in Dallas.
Next Gen LIVE! is specifically designed to help young floral professionals grow their skills, build valuable connections, and find inspiration to become future leaders in the industry.
Building connections to last
For Monty Pereira of Watanabe Floral in Honolulu, sending his employee to Next Gen LIVE! has proven transformative. The event provided an opportunity to build invaluable connections with peers, fostering a network of ideas and inspiration.
"Getting out of his comfort zone and being able to network was a skill he developed being there. He's developed relationships so he can bounce ideas off people on the mainland," Pereira says.
Inspiring long-term careers
For another Watanabe Floral employee with a master's degree in psychology, the event revealed how her education could uniquely contribute to a career path in the floral industry.
"Thanks to the robust programming at the event, she gained a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the industry and was able to see how she fits into it long term," Pereira shares. "This was huge for us in terms of her long-term retention."
Understanding the industry
Lisa Hays Holmes of Tiger Lily Florist in Charleston, South Carolina, describes the event as a game-changer for her team, helping them see beyond the operations of the shop.
"I sent them because I felt like they needed a broader scope of just working day-to-day inside the shop," says Hays Holmes. "It gave them a bigger perspective of the floral industry, which blew them away."
The knowledge and excitement her team brought back also spread throughout the shop. Hays Holmes even scheduled a staff meeting for the attendees to share what they learned.
"When they get back, they're so excited," she says. "It's cute and it's catching."
Education beyond the sessions
Nick Fronduto of Jacobson Floral in Boston emphasizes the value of informal learning that happens during Next Gen LIVE!.
"Some of the best information and best practices sometimes come at the bar or having lunch — what they're able to discuss with their peers in terms of common issues and challenges they deal with on a day-to-day basis," Fronduto explains.
Fronduto also sees Next Gen LIVE! as a tool for cultivating future leaders by demonstrating that his company values its employees and their careers.
"I don't think it ever hurts to have our associates feel like the company values them and we will invest in sending them to an event like that," he says. "It is absolutely a very good retention tool."
Rewarding talent
For Toomie Farris, AAF, AIFD, of McNamara Florist in Indianapolis, the event is a way to reward top-performing employees while helping them grow.
"I've got a rock star of an employee that's been very involved in Next Gen since the launch," says Farris. "And she always comes home excited and motivated, so it just gives her a little chance to recharge her batteries, to gather ideas, and to broaden her horizons."
Next Gen LIVE! 2025 will feature top-notch education, hands-on workshops, an off-site visit to a progressive Dallas retailer, and networking opportunities designed to help young professionals thrive in the floral industry.
If you wish to register for the event, you can do so by clicking here.
For more information:
SAF
safnow.org