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Flowers have always been a popular gift choice for special occasions: U.S. spending on Valentine’s Day flowers was around $2.5 billion in 2025. But they’re also popular to buy just because: Industry revenue is estimated at $8.9 billion in 2025, even as competition increases.
Pre-arranged flowers are the flower industry’s top product category, presenting an opportunity if you enjoy creating arrangements. There are a number of different ways to run a flower business, with some easier for newcomers to the industry.
This guide will fill you in on everything you need to start a flower business, including different business models and the nine essential steps to get started.
What is a flower business?
A flower business sells flowers. Flower shops usually specialize in cut flowers rather than growing them, like nursery owners or gardeners. Florists will get their products from these farms or wholesalers and sell cut flowers to consumers. Sometimes flower shops have other potted plants such as succulents and orchids.
A flower shop doesn’t always exclusively sell bouquets to buyers off the street. They very often provide a service for events such as weddings and galas or ongoing contracts with major brands and office buildings.
What are the different types of flower businesses?
If you’re looking to start a flower business, there are a few different approaches you can take. Below are the key types of flower businesses to start.
Event-focused
You can keep your flower business focused on providing a service rather than consumers coming in to buy your products. An event-focused flower business showcases floral design for special events like weddings, funerary services, or corporate dinners.
Your artistic style may naturally attract specific clients and events types. For example, an abstract floral artist is more likely to work with corporate clients. You’re likely to have a workshop or studio space for this business, where your products can be stored and managed.
Read about how FLRL by Esther grew their business
Brick-and-mortar
A physical store space such a brick-and-mortar flower shop is like other traditional businesses. Here, you can have a range of offerings, like event-focused services, as well as providing fresh-cut flowers for buyers to choose from. You can do custom arrangements, consult with customers, and engage with a specific community or neighborhood.
This approach comes with other business considerations such as renting a shop, interior design, and staffing.
Online store
An online flower shop is the ideal choice if you’re not ready to rent a space, but still want to provide a range of products and services to customers. You manage your orders through an online storefront by enabling customers to place orders online and select a delivery day and window. This is great for big events such as Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day, so you know exactly how much is going out and how to manage your time. Or set up a custom contact form to take large orders and event requests.
You’ll need a reliable delivery partner, website, and strong marketing, because you won’t have the same kind of foot traffic a brick-and-mortar enjoys. Many florists build their following with in-person pop-ups and social media to start.
9 steps to start a flower business
If you’re thinking about starting a flower business, knowing your market and business model will shape the rest of your decisions. Consider the following steps to get you there, and remember it’s OK to start small.
1. Conduct market research
First you’ll need to survey the flower business landscape. To better understand your niche and target market, you’ll have to see what your customers’ needs are and what your competitors are already doing.
Focus your research on where you intend to sell. A small local shop will have a smaller area of focus than an event florist. If you intend to ship beyond your local area, you’ll need to broaden your scope even more.
Look for trends in the flower business, as well as details like popular flowers. For example, ranunculus flowers are popular for events and bouquets because they can last a little bit longer than other flower types. Hellebores also last a long time, but aren’t as popular.
Look for gaps your competitors aren’t filling that you can address, or consider what you can introduce to customers based on what they’re asking for.
2. Choose your business model
Select a business model from the options above: event-based, brick-and-mortar, or online. Each has their own pro and con list, but it’s important that you choose the best option for you. You can always start with one and expand as you get established.
In the event that you’re not ready to start a full business on your own, you can also decide to join an existing studio or shop or become a freelance floral designer working with other business owners. A great way to cut your teeth in the floral business is to work as a freelancer helping other businesses during busy event seasons or for special projects. You can experience a variety of customers, projects, and design options, and you can commit as much as you’re able to.
3. Make a business plan
Next, you’ll need to make a business plan. This is a basic document to help you stay organized and on track. A basic business plan should include the following elements.
Goals: What do you want to achieve with your business? Make sure your goals are measurable. For example, you may want to begin online and have an average monthly profit of $2,500 before renting a studio space. These goals can change over time, but ask yourself what your initial goals will be.
Market differentiation: Everything you learned from your competitor research will be important to include in your business plan. Clarify your intended audience, niche, and how you’ll differentiate from your competitors.
Financial forecasting: Create detailed plans around your operating budget and predicted revenue for the business. Don’t forget essential operating tools, like a fridge to keep your flowers fresh and buckets to store flowers in. It’s common for a new business to take some time to turn a profit, so make sure that’s factored into your budget.
Sourcing: How are you going to source your flowers? Do you want to be a sustainably minded flower business owner, sourcing from farms following those practices? Would you rather go wholesale because of cost?
Partners: There are a number of other partners you’ll need to consider. A couple to keep in mind are delivery partners and your point of sale (POS) hardware. You’ll also want to source materials for your arrangements, like floral wire, vases, and floral foam.
Read our full guide to making a business plan
4. Register your business, and other legal considerations
You’ll need to register your business and consider other legal and administrative tasks. For example, if you’re working from home, you may need a business license.
Consider if you should register as an LLC, which can help protect you from personal liability in business disputes. You may also need insurance for your business and obtain a license if you’d like to sell exotic or non-native flowers. Reach out to a local small business group or a legal professional if you’re not sure where to start.
5. Set your prices
You will need to set prices for your flowers. Pricing will include the cost of the flowers, design materials, and any labor. Don’t forget to factor in recurring costs, like rent and insurance, then add a percentage for your profit margin.
If you’re focused on bouquets, create a tiered pricing system for small to extra large bouquets. Prices may increase if you’re including a vase in the order. Event pricing will need to factor in arrangement sizes, number of arrangements, travel and delivery, event insurance, and any extra staffing.
You can also consider pricing for floral subscriptions to bring in recurring customers. Many florists offer a slight discount. For example, one large bouquet with a vase every two weeks could cost 10-15% less than a one-time purchase of a bouquet.
6. Develop a portfolio and create a website
A website is especially important for a flower shop. It’s an important way for new customers to discover you, it legitimizes your business, and it can help you keep orders organized.
Include all of the common elements you’d find on any business website:
Contact and about us: Make it easy for potential customers to see where you’re based, what your story is, and how to contact you with any questions or special orders.
Product pages: If you’re selling specific bouquets (e.g. a large seasonal bouquet or a memorial bouquet) you’ll need product pages that explain the size and types of flowers in each one. To avoid surprises, note that the flowers available in the photo are subject to change and may be up to the floral designer.
Shipping and delivery: Make any of their shipping and delivery information clear and easy to find. For example, you may charge a flat delivery fee for every order over a certain amount. If you’re offering same-day delivery or pick-up, include an order cut-off time to ensure their blooms make it by the end of the day.
Event information: Offering event-based floral design? Make a special page or section dedicated to that, with information about how to submit a request, turnaround time, testimonials, and more.
Additional information: Thinking of offering subscriptions, workshops, or pop-ups? Include all of this prominently on your website.
Portfolio: In addition to your social media, your website is an opportunity to showcase some of your best designs. A portfolio communicates your design vision and style and the quality of your work to customers with larger budgets, like event planners and brands.
7. Promote your business
You’ll need to market your business once it’s up and running. Social media is one the easiest ways to connect with potential customers. Your market research will likely let you know which social platforms and channels make sense for you. Consider enabling social commerce on platforms like Instagram, so users can buy straight from the app they’re on.
There are other traditional marketing tactics you can deploy as well: Try in-person pop-ups or collaborations with other businesses or be a vendor at flower and farmer’s markets. Word-of-mouth is still a proven method to drive more customers to you, so encourage customers to share your designs.
8. Continue to develop skills and style
Floristry is a visual art. It’s important to keep up with styles, new trends, and deepen your skillset. Stay up-to-date by getting involved with the floral design community. Take classes from people you admire and make note of designs that speak to you.
In some cases, your customer is going to dictate the style of bouquet they want. However, as you experiment, you may discover a style that helps you stand out and attract clients that love your aesthetic. For example, if you have an eye for motion in your bouquets, or a fluidity that mimics how flowers look in the wild, lean into that by pulling together slender floral selections into different vase shapes.
9. Explore growth opportunities
Your flower business can develop beyond its starting point. Once you’re comfortable with how your business is running, consider some other options to help it grow.
For example, you can become a vendor at a local weekend farmer’s or flower market, selling your products to customers seasonally. You could also offer other services like subscription bouquets, where customers get a bouquet every week or month, or teach workshops, imparting your knowledge on those new to the floristry industry. You can partner with other businesses, too. For example, you might sell bouquets at your local coffee shop.
Don’t be afraid to experiment at a small scale before kicking off something new. Re-evaluate your goals regularly so you know when you’re ready to take advantage of new opportunities.