Starting a Flower Business in Another Country
With the right resources, you can start a flower business just about anywhere!
Starting a business is like following the colorful route in Chutes and Ladders. The ups and downs board game for little people could also describe the ups and downs of being a business owner, not to mention navigating the ebb and flow of the market like a captain of a ship. Enough with the analogies? We all know how difficult it is to follow our dreams in the reality of the world.
I did follow my dream. I am an American and have been living in France for the past eight years. I speak the language as well as understand and read! I love living in a small village in the heart of the country. As an artist, inspiration surrounds me, and I’ve created a life with a new sense of priorities, views, and self-expression. And don’t get me started on Paris! I’ve walked kilometer upon kilometer (often with poorly chosen footwear) exploring this extraordinary city. For the most part, I have France figured out. One mystery remains…how do French women avoid getting their heels stuck between the paving stones?? Perhaps this will remain a mystery to the unsophisticated.
Nothing in my French classes prepared me to become a small business owner in another country and another language. But, voila! That is what I did in 2016. I did so by following a sort of treasure map. I would find the right agency; this would lead me to the next step; asking another question would give me the information for the next step. Low and behold, I am a small business owner! X marks the spot! Albeit, with a number of mistakes along the way, such as dare I say, certain tax filings? I missed that part of the long governmental form and instructions. That was the due date?
The above was my first attempt as a small “entrepreneur” in another industry. And I will admit that I gave up for a number of reasons, but nothing I learned would be wasted. I am beginning again! This time with a clearer focus and a better understanding of the language, the French system, and my vision. I am starting a small wedding flower business for other English speakers coming to France to say their vows. And I am beginning my small flower farm that, in the future, will supply me with most of my stock.
Just like in your home country, do your research and dig into the local community.
The French love flowers. I once asked a French woman why flowers are so important to the French people, and she did that French shrug they’re all so good at and said she didn’t know. I decided that it was probably the court of Louis XIV and the lack of personal hygiene that flowers became ubiquitous and the nosegay was the fashion. I have a very romantic view of history…
Some say that what you search for can be right in front of you. I have always been a gardener, landscaper, florist, and herbalist. I have been self-taught over these last 30 years. Thoughts of a business have come and gone, but I never considered doing so here in my new country.
So, I did my research. Just like in the US, or anywhere, one must know their market, if there is a need, what is the current state of this market, etc. And this is where the world of flower farms opened to me. I learned about the movement of locally grown flowers and how France had at one time 30,000 flower growers, which has dwindled to around 3500. 85% of the flowers sold here are imported, and what is worse, some of the flowers grown in France first go to the flower market in Holland before returning.
The slow-flower movement started in the US is also here in France. There is a collective of flower growers, all part of the larger collective started by Floret’s Erin Benzakein. The French ministry of agriculture began in 2015 giving a “Grown in France” label for flower growers. Like cheese and wine that can only be named from the region they are produced, flowers’ origins were becoming very important to the French consumer. And how can we not forget Covid, which has also thrown a curve ball into the market? People are thinking closer to home. Global warming is making an impact making the flower consumer more conscientious. 60% of French flower buyers want to know where their flowers come from.
My next step was to prepare my business plan. But in French? “Ah, non,” this was taking the complicated to a whole new level. Since my plan is just for me, it is in English. But, meeting with what is the equivalent of the Small Business Administration of my department where I reside, I am able to recite in French all my knowledge and planning at my meeting (with my charming accent). There is a strong system of support for independent professionals, artisans, and farmers here, and my own journey in entrepreneurship is well guided. This, and the fact that I am way more fluent in French and better prepared with respect to (insert cough here) French taxes.
I’ve been on a long journey of learning since coming to live here. There is never a class, book, or blog that can prepare you for the ins and outs of life in another country. But, the things that seem so different actually are quite similar. And the same flowers that bring joy to Americans are the same flowers that are given and cultivated here. No matter the country, flower farmers are all speaking the same language: sustainability, love of the land, love of flowers, and a need to make the world a beautiful place with our flowers. A business requires the same fortitude, whether in English or French. The details are just little petals.
Floral Design: Kelly Perry
