Must Have!!!!! Wonderful Read!!!
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This Book is a must have for anyone considering buying or strating up a business, its given me a huge insight!!!!
It has just the right mix of facts and story, so that you almost feel you know the Author, top marks to this man, and huge respect for telling his story. Its honest, unbiased and true! Respect must go to him and his late wife for all their hard work, and for also proving a husband and wife team can work brilliantly.
I urge anyone who is thinking of starting up or buying an existing florist to buy this book and read and take in every detail. It is well worth the money.
Thank you to Alan Peck
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Invaluable
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Loved this book! Read it in one sitting! Finished the book with a more realistic vision of running a florist shop and a greater appreciation of the lifestyle it provides as opposed to profit. It has given me much food for thought and the author deserves a massive thank you for putting a candid, helpful and inspiring book such as this on the market.
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Definitely the florists bible!
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Absolutely love this book - invaluable advice. I can't put it down! I am in the process of searching for premises for my new business and now I feel so much better prepared. The book is so simple to understand and makes light reading of confusing issues. 5 stars!
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Priceless Advice
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What a fantastic book! I couldnt put it down! I myself have recently purchased a floristy shop and thought i was well prepared, until i read this! ..... now i am 100% prepared, the information this book gave me really was priceless, and i would reccomend it to anyone buying an existing business. and alan if you read my review good luck with the novels!
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An excellent reality check for budding shopowners
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Having joined the flower industry from the world of finance (I set up my first shop in 2001), this would have been an invaluable book when I was starting out. I have learned many of the lessons that the author, Alan Peck, and his late wife learned, and I found myself frequently thinking 'I've done that!', when they referred to some of the pitfalls that they had found on their way to owning a large floristry business. In particular, Alan discusses the financial aspect of buying and owning a shop, and the importance of being on top of accounts and VAT. He also generously shares details of the balance sheet from a year's trading, and it will be interesting for many readers to note how the profits relate to takings. For those thinking of coming into the flower business, this will probably be a bit of a welcome 'eye opener' insofar as the profits, bearing in mind these represent total household earnings for a couple running the shop, are far from huge. Don't forget too, that this is a large shop with 6 - 8 staff and two drivers.
The author is also candid about how stressful the job can be, particularly at key trading times such as St Valentines Day and Christmas - with anecdotal evidence of some poor florists going into nervous meltdown! These are the times that customers never see - still there at 10 p.m. making bouquets, after a 6 a.m. start, with a raft or orders still to finish before going home for some precious sleep, and another busy 12 hour day.
In these days of less certain 'jobs for life', there are many people, particularly couples with redundancy money, coming into the industry. I can testify to the number who have thought it will be a 'nice little business - working with flowers all day' and subsequently realised that, not only are they out of their depth workwise (frequently having only done a beginner's course at a local college), but it's also far, far harder and more stressful work than they ever anticipated. If this book saves a few marriages (and redundancy settlements), then it will have done a public service!
Owning and running a Floristry business is a not a short cut to a fortune - the only 'rich' florists are the predominantly London based 'celebrity' florists, who can command celebrity prices for their work, write books and appear on TV. A flower shop is a 'lifestyle' business, where, if you love working with flowers and creating something special for your customers, you can find this very artistically rewarding, and it will hopefully provide you with a comfortable living.
This excellent book will give plenty of very sound guidance to those looking to open their first shop, or perhaps move on to something bigger from their initial venture.
Very well written by Mr Peck and a fine tribute to his late wife, who obvioulsy loved what she did, as did her customers.
Highly recommended.
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