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52 April | 2021 C hange can be intimidating, but it's rarely fatal. Business models are made for change. If you've been waiting for revenue to knock a little louder in your business, you may be seeking a new door (or two) this year. If a flower subscription service has been on your radar (or even if it hasn't), join us for a walk with some experienced designers who have already blazed this trail, and see if it's a path worth testing. Flower subscription services may sound like a silver bullet to cash-hungry businesses. After all, they can create a recurring revenue stream based on what you're already doing—providing beautiful blooms—but with consistent cash. But hang on, there's a lot to it. Want to know if this service is a glittering cash oasis for your business? Here's a decision tree from the trenches on how to navigate all the possibilities. Seasonality : A year-round offer or a seasonal blitz? e Stemmery, in Seattle, Wash., has been refining its flower subscription program for more than five years. e company offers join-anytime year-round flower subscriptions, a model on which owner Sarah Abare built her business. "I brainstormed how I could work with the flowers I loved in a sustainable business that fit my lifestyle," she reflects. "is approach fit." While she sources as much locally grown product as possible, she experiences most of her subscription business growth in the off-season. "Most of our subscription requests come mostly in January and February when it's gray outside and people want to brighten their homes," Abare shares. "It tends to fall off in the summer months when people are traveling and/or growing their own gardens." While e Stemmery offers year-round subscriptions, the flower variety changes dramatically. Farmer-florist Emily Copus, of Carolina Flowers in Marshall, N.C., takes a different approach. "We offer three tracks: tulips, Ranunculus and a seasonal product," she notes. "Our customers have a collector's mentality and want to experience the seasons with exclusives on premium flowers." As a flower grower, Copus wants to "If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." —Milton Berle House of Lilac

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