New Normal, Newer Normal, Newest Normal ?

Today marks 2 years since Nima and I started our floral adventure. We jumped in a week before Mother's Day 2020, right after the initial lockdown in Chicago and during the first surges of the pandemic. We recognize(d) that we were very privileged to even have this opportunity, especially during a time of unprecedented uncertainty for the world.

As such, we never made any pronouncements, no grand re-opening or even really notifying anyone beyond our immediate family and friends. This is not a complaint - everything that was occurring at that time has continued unabated with innumerable lives lost, families forever altered and long term physical and mental health impacts for survivors. Add to that, businesses closing, jobs lost and ongoing uncertainty with supply chains, transportation, labor and resources. All parallel to political and social unrest. We were just grateful to jump in and grind.

During the social unrest in the summer of 2020, we decided to hand out water, roses and daisies during a social justice protest in our neighborhood. We wanted everyone involved to be able to carry something that would convey hope - maybe if they held flowers up high as they marched they wouldn't be labeled just as angry activists. We watched as they proceeded to the local police station and laid them at the feet of the officers in an act of peaceful defiance while holding a moment in silence.

Two months later we woke up to a Google alert announcing that there were shops damaged downtown after unexpected early morning unrest spurred by rumors of another police shooting. We called the staff, told them to stay home and rushed to the shop. We were affected but it could have been worse. It was scary of course and seemed overwhelming. At the time we got some media attention after I posted on Instagram that we still made a delivery that same day to an event that, unbeknownst to us, our Governor and Mayor attended. Neil Cavuto even had me on to see if I would say mean things about the Mayor lol. Instead I tried to focus on the legitimate social justice issues - this was all happening for a reason, it was long, long overdue and did not justify any further militarization and escalation by the authorities. The same reason that we benefited from having a business in a prosperous downtown area was the same reason that it is a symbol for decades and decades of unequal distribution of opportunity and wealth. We've watched as the same issues traumatize already victimized communities while the country becomes more polarized, continuing to ignore the problems and avoid any real systemic changes. Which means this could all happen again - something that we also have to live with and be ready for.

We had insurance and we could recover. The old owner even came to help clean up. He cut himself on some glass while cleaning a large Bird of Paradise plant but proclaimed: "You are going to re-open in 2 days!" We did but some neighboring businesses decided to move on.

Our first winter as business owners, we got Covid, and had to shutdown for weeks because of it. Once we recovered and passed our quarantine time, Nima and I headed to the shop alone to try and fulfill whatever orders we could and water the remaining unsold poinsettias.

But unlike many, we were fortunate enough to be able to re-open. We continued to mask, temperature check, sanitize, etc - but we all have learned that no amount of procedures are foolproof - you just try be as safe as possible, taking each day as it comes remaining vigilant but accountable to staff and customers.

This has all been concurrent to the rising costs across the board. We realized we had to start making pricing changes within the first year - which we thought we could change back by the following year. Instead we find we have had to keep increasing them, checking invoices daily, weekly, monthly and balancing revenue needs for sustainable margins against pricing ourselves out of reach. Sure, most people understand inflation and the fact that everything in our lives costs more but why should they pay a premium for a perishable gift? Why should a customer spend more with us when they can just use 1-800 Flowers or go to Trader Joes? We could easily explain the issues with many of those options but we don't begrudge anyone for taking advantage of them.

What this means is that we have to ensure that we stand apart starkly from competition - perceived value is paramount (for better or worse, expectations wise), which involves a lot of customer education. Flowers also hold a special meaning - many meanings - in every culture. They are tied to celebration, loss, sympathy, joy and wonder. We take seriously the fact that we are being entrusted to convey these emotions through our creations. There can always be enough business to go around but if you do good work, it speaks for itself. When customers walk through our doors, whether it was during the more intense months of the pandemic or now, they are gifting you with their attention and time so they must be met with a sense reciprocal love. More than ever, people need to feel compassion and empathy which does not feel artificial or transactional.

We created a new website and all new designs. Focused on our social media and Google. We stopped working with 'wire services' (like FTD, Teleflora, 1-800-Flowers) who take a huge cut, charge multiple fees and only offer traditional designs. Many florists, understandably, still depend on these companies for orders and business, especially outside major cities. We also deconstructed as much as we could - being outsiders to the industry meant we had to learn everything from scratch. Some of this took a lot of time and we still gain insights every single day. But this allowed us to question why and how things were done. A lot of times the answer was simply 'That's how we always did it'. Which is fine if it worked before when times were 'normal'.

We also benefited immensely by retaining very experienced staff who had been here for years and by hiring others with years of experience - they are City Scents - they are the ones creating the designs that define us and helping customers find the perfect gift - we owe so much to them. To honor that we strive to maintain a work environment that prioritizes mental health above all - we like to say that customer service is the main thing that we sell, but we won't compromise the well being of our employees for extra sales. A while ago, I hung up a notice around the shop that asked the following questions:

- Do I feel healthy and safe ?

- Do I have everything I need to be successful ?

- Am I proud of the work that I do ??

To some, this may sound like super cheesy virtue signaling. To me, the answers to these questions should be the compass for both employers and employees. Does this apply to everyone who is simply trying to survive, paycheck to paycheck ? Or business owners who are trying to figure out how to stay open ? Of course not - if you can answer yes to all of these then you are very privileged and it's ok to acknowledge that. Again - all we can do is try and be compassionate and human to each other. If your employees don't feel disposable, if they feel empowered and respected - they will be committed and focused on your same goals and ideals. Because of their resolve and great work, we were featured on a Shop Small mural at the Sears Tower by Google and Amex ! That's us on the right.

During the prep interviews, we talked about the organic growth of our reviews on Google and how we used Google Ads, which led to another opportunity to be featured in a video for Google!

We inherited a very strong foundation - the prior owners ran the business for 30+ years and built a healthy business. But we still had to innovate with every area we could - vases, greenery, labor charges, delivery, varieties of florals, different designs, store layouts and products, etc. We have utilized technology wherever we could - there were many parallels to the workflows and efficiencies that I used to sell during my years in healthcare informatics. Nima continues to be creative every day with buying, sourcing, pricing and scoping event proposals. This includes knowing when to say No. We looked at areas of growth - like plants and becoming a community 'plant hospital'. We took on more event work and continue to grow our corporate customer base. We carry more products from Women, Black and minority owned businesses. We strive to ensure that everyone feels welcome and entitled to beauty and living therapy that flowers and plants provide. Who knows what will become a staple service or product ? You have to be ready and open. As we ride the waves between the major floral holidays and events we keep asking ourselves:

New Normal ? Newer Normal ? Newest Normal ? What even is Normal now ?