> ROOM TO GROW?
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Want to go deeper on planning for growth, space and long-term financial stability? The Floral Education Hub has a new course, “Building Wealth Through Real Estate” by Keller Williams real estate agent and former floral designer Diana Culver, to help floral professionals think strategically about workspace decisions, real es- tate and building long-term wealth.
Learn how to recognize when it’s time to expand or relocate, weigh renting versus owning, and create a three-, five- and 10-year plan that supports both business growth and retirement goals. Free for SAF members.
PRIME POSITIONWildFlower leases space in high-traffic retail corridors, prioritizing visibility and customer access to drive sales.
That’s when “it’s time to get cre-
ative,” Holmes says. Three years ago at a cocktail party, Holmes and several women realized that they might find success sharing space for their different business ventures. Holmes hopes to use some of her newly leased space to sublet to one or two complementary businesses. This synergy leasing reduces overhead and shares marketing costs. Diana Culver, a real estate agent with
Keller Williams, agrees this can be a suc- cessful option. A former floral designer herself, Culver suggests smaller florists jumpstart growth by partnering with restaurants or coffee shops. “Partnering with others can add
a layer of stability,” Culver says. “Collaborate.”
Building Equity Florists can be real estate owners with- out tying their entire business to a single deed. In fact, Kobylinski argues it’s often
24 FLORAL MANAGEMENT | Mar/Apr 2026 |
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better if the floral business doesn’t own its building. Instead, he suggests business owners buy property either pri- vately or as a separate business entity. “This way it’s easier when it comes
time to sell either business,” he explains, because the floral business can still lease the building. This strategy of decoupling worked
for the original Tiger Lily owners, but it’s not the only way to build an outside portfolio. Culver recently advised a free- lance florist to buy a residential home as a cornerstone of her financial strategy, she says. “If you are renting for your business,
then you need something outside the industry so you can be building wealth,” Culver says. “That can be as simple as owning a residential space if you don’t own a commercial space.” That’s the path Christine Guenther,
AAF, PFCI, owner of WildFlower in Maryland, took in 2025. Commercial
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