EDITORS’ NOTE Paul Goodman, MBA, AAF, PFCI, and Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI, love a good financial management challenge, however big or small. Send your questions to fmeditor@safnow.org, and we’ll challenge the experts to tackle them in an upcoming article.


Lessons from a Life in Flowers


Paul Goodman, MBA, AAF, PFCI, reflects on five key ideas that can help florists grow strong, sustainable businesses — and full lives.


Editor’s note: For nearly 20 years, Paul Goodman, MBA, AAF, PFCI, has been Floral Management’s trusted voice on finance, bringing clarity, candor, and invaluable expertise to the pages of this magazine. Now, as he wraps up a distinguished career spanning more than five decades of helping floral businesses thrive, he’s retiring. For his final column, we asked Paul to share the insights he believes matter most — the les- sons that lead to lasting success.


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nursery in Eugene, Oregon, an experience that showed me what I didn’t know about running a profitable business. That’s why I began researching best business practices and started the Floral Finance newsletter to share my findings. Throughout my career, I have been to hundreds of floral shows and meetings, and


F


I had the privilege to meet and work with many wonderful people. Here’s what I’ve learned throughout the decades about what helps a business be financially successful.


FLORAL MANAGEMENT | July/Aug 2025 | WWW.SAFNOW.ORG


ifty-one years ago on July 10, 1974, I started my first job in the floral industry overseeing a national sales team for a wire service that has since shut down. Two days later I was at the Texas State Florists’ Association’s convention and witnessed my first wedding show. It was spectacular. I remember thinking, “What a wonderful industry to work in.” Later, I bought a large retail florist and


BY PAUL GOODMAN, MBA, AAF, PFCI


SHUTTERSTOCK/INSPIRING.TEAM


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