Why Collaboration and Systems Took Florists Beyond Just Having a Website
The late 1990s were an exciting but uncertain time for florists stepping into the online world. The internet was still new territory, and most flower shops believed a simple website was enough to check the box of being “online.” What many did not realize was that a website without strategy, marketing, and systems was little more than a digital brochure. I learned quickly that real success wasn’t about just putting flowers on a screen. It was about creating an infrastructure that shared ideas across shops, solved the daily challenges of running a retail florist, and built something that could scale so every florist, no matter their size, could benefit from the power of the web.
In 1996, Sarasota Online helped me launch my very first digital presence. At that point, even having a website was considered forward-thinking. By 1997, I began working with Vince at Coastal Web, who didn’t just build a basic site - he pushed the limits. He even created a Chinese version of our site that ran overseas, something unheard of at the time for a local flower shop. Those early experiments proved to me that technology was not just a local tool; it could open doors and reach customers far beyond what most florists ever imagined. For the first time, I saw the possibility that florists could compete on a much larger stage if they embraced innovation.
The Breakthrough Partnership & Shared Vision
In 1999 I met Scott Heaps and his partner Ray Villares. Their development and marketing skills were unmatched, but Sarasota was not ready to invest in such advanced work. At the same time, Kerry Durban of Adrian Durban Florist suggested a bold idea: What if we split the costs, shared the bugs, and built something together? That single idea changed everything.
I brought the retail knowledge, while Scott and Ray built the technology. Together we shaped what florists truly needed to compete, and their team delivered award-winning ideas and advanced tools that raised the bar. Our first big test came on Valentine’s Day, when a surge of orders crashed the servers — proof that the opportunity was far bigger than we imagined. To scale, we would need more servers, more florists, and stronger support.
The Rise of Ongoing Support
Many shops did not want us to leave after installation. They needed continued help. That was when I created a team called Advanced Marketing Solutions to focus on management and marketing while the developers handled the technical side.
We built tools that tracked phone orders, measured web clicks, and tied everything back to the POS system. For the first time, florists could see exactly how online and phone sales connected.
The Legacy
By the time I retired in 2016 after 30 years in the business, the foundation was set. The work carried forward with conferences in Sarasota where florists gathered to learn, share, and plan for the future. More than a decade later, the dedication remains as strong as ever.
The Lesson for Florists
The lesson is simple: we succeeded because we worked together.
Collaboration lowered costs and raised standards
Ongoing support made the difference between just a website and real profitability
Innovation was not optional - it was survival
If you want your flower shop to thrive, do not just look for the cheapest option. Invest in systems that help you grow tomorrow, not just today.