I skipped the big floral design show in Atlanta this year

Everyone in my shop said I had to go, that it was the best place to see new trends. I chose to spend that $800 on a local workshop about sustainable sourcing instead. It was just me and five other florists learning about native Ohio growers. Honestly, I got more usable ideas from that one day than I did at the whole show last year. Has anyone else found the big industry events are getting less useful?

4 comments

4 Comments

abby_murphy1mo ago

Wasn't there an article in Florists' Review about this exact thing? It said a lot of people are moving away from the huge, expensive shows. They feel the information is too broad and the real connections happen in smaller groups. Your choice makes total sense. Learning directly from local growers sounds way more practical for your actual work. The big events can feel like a circus, all flash and no substance. I bet you'll use what you learned in that workshop for years.

the_laura1mo agoMost Upvoted

Honestly, have you tried asking local growers for workshop ideas?

rosecarr1mo ago

Totally changed my view after reading that piece. I used to save up for the big shows thinking they were essential for growth. Now I see investing in local skills and relationships brings better results for my shop.

david_palmer17d ago

Wait, you dropped $800 on that show last year? And that was after getting there and paying for everything else too? I can't believe those tickets cost that much for what basically amounts to walking around a giant convention center.