Talent BY JULIE MARTENS FORNEY EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Liz Misemer


The toughest challenge I’m facing: “I’m still learning the florist business, and the trickiest part is how fast everything moves. Floral work is very time-sensi- tive and has so many moving pieces, including fresh product, customer expectations, staffing and weather. I’m also learning all the different flowers and greenery and how to process them. I’ve made binders and study at home. I want to be sure to properly take care of each flower and plant that comes into our shop. Local trust is one of our biggest strengths, and that starts with quality, long-lasting flowers.”


My go-to apps: “Canva makes it easy to create social media graphics, email visuals, flyers, signage and branded materials quickly. I also use Square and website tools reg- ularly to help me think through product, categories, descriptions and the customer ordering experience. My goal is to create a website that’s easy, clear and inspiring.”


Daily Operations & Marketing Bouquet Boutique Broomfield, Colorado


> Liz Misemer is living her Hallmark dream. Two years ago, she moved to Colorado to become part of the fam- ily florist shop. Her grandmother, Jan Inglee, started Bouquet Boutique in 1972, and her aunt and uncle, Sue and Dennis Sutton, took over the store in 1984. Now Misemer is on deck prepping for the day she becomes third generation owner. After years of working in operations,


marketing, events and nonprofit lead- ership, stepping into floristry wasn’t an easy decision. “It’s required a lot of change and learning the industry from the ground up,” she says. “I wanted to do it the right way, by being hands-on and understanding the daily realities of the business, from mopping floors and cleaning flower buckets to bridal consul- tations and networking events.” Misemer basks in the opportunity to respect the shop’s legacy while helping


it grow. Drawing from her marketing background, one area she focuses on is email marketing. “I aim to be consistent, not just seasonal. Flowers are perfect for everyday moments, not just the big holidays,” she says. “I love to talk about what’s happening in the shop, using real photos when possible and sharing the stories behind our flowers or designs, or highlighting long-term customers.” She wraps her emails with a clear reason to act. “Keeping it simple makes the next step easy,” she says, preferring direct tag lines like “Order early,” or “Stop in this weekend.”


My favorite part of the job: “Connecting with the customers. Flowers are emotional, and I love helping someone choose something meaningful. You get to be part of their special days and some of their hardest ones. Whether it’s a bridal bouquet, baby shower or sympathy work, I love that feeling of see- ing someone moved by the flowers. It’s so special.”


14 FLORAL MANAGEMENT | September/October 2026 | WWW.SAFNOW.ORG


Why I love events: “In my past life, I organized city-wide events that help people feel connected to their community. In the same way, shop events connect people to the shop. Creating experiences, not just transactions, reminds customers that our shop is a place they can visit, not just a website they order from. Because our product is so visual and emotional, events are a natural fit — and they don’t have to be large. A stem bar, holiday open house, design demo, sip-and-shop or workshop brings foot traffic, and in turn, creates original, real content for social media and email marketing.”


Advice to live by: “Be patient. You don’t have to know everything before you begin. Be willing to learn, ask questions and keep going. Don’t ever cut corners. Things tend to fall into place when the timing is right, even though we don’t always see that.”


Julie Martens Forney is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.


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