BLOSSOMING BONDS: NAVIGATING FAMILY DYNAMICS IN A FLOWER SHOP EMPIRE

Balancing Tradition, Conflict, and Growth in a Family-Owned Business

by Iryna Stryha

*Names changed for privacy purposes

Flora* is a large flower shop chain located in a politically contentious country. The business is deeply rooted in family ties, and is owned and distributed among one big family. Multiple generations of this family have contributed to its growth, nurturing it from a tiny market stall to a flower shop empire. I got a chance to talk to Jane*, the daughter of the founder, and better understand what it’s like to be a part of the business that is run by her whole family. Through her lens, we wander through the garden of Flora’s* intergenerational legacy, where the seeds of the past find new life in the ever-evolving garden of the present. Here is what she shared:

My family has a florist business. We have six flower shops and a greenhouse. The history of our company started with my mother. When she was young, she began selling flowers on the market herself. I think what inspired her was simply her love for flowers. Then, there was an opportunity; my grandfather started buying flowers in another country where they were cheaper, and brought them for my mother. So it was very small at first, just on the local market. But then it began to grow, and my mother’s sisters and my aunts joined her and started buying shops to make them flower shops. And then it got bigger and bigger. But initially, it was just my mother’s initiative. And because their competition was really low at that time, the business got pretty successful. Then, all of the family members got involved, and everyone got their own stores. But all of the flowers were distributed equally. The values behind the business have been family and being together.

One of the lovely moments I remember about being a part of this family business was when we gathered every evening in one of the stores to discuss stuff and share money. It was really nice, I was a kid then, and we were running around with my other young relatives, looking at different souvenirs in the store while our parents were talking and sharing how their days passed.

Our family stores are now run by family members from different generations. Everyone is trying to keep up with the times and trends, but I noticed that for the owners from the older generation, customer preferences and market trade are more difficult than for the younger generation. So, everyone is adapting at different speeds. My cousins, for example, adapt quicker. My mom and aunts — slower.

I would say the most challenging aspect of a family business is to keep communicating clearly. A difficult moment for us was when the company was going to divide money and responsibilities. There was a certain political situation that had a huge effect on the company. Before it – everything in our business was common, and nobody ever divided anything. But after, there was a division, and every store started to belong to someone specific in the family. Challenging moment. It was when a great fear was placed on the company, everyone quarreled, and a big division went down after that.

I think family businesses are unique because in a family, we know each other more, and we value our relationships more. So we don’t want to argue to fall apart; that’s why we have this huge motivation to run this business. On the other hand, there’s another effect of having a family business — when something doesn’t work out or you are unsatisfied, it can damage your family relationships. And I know cases in my family; for some of the family members, it just fell apart, and they are not talking anymore.

In the end, from my perspective, family businesses always have advantages and disadvantages. But you always have to create a contract in the beginning, even if you think it will go okay without it, that nothing will happen because you are a family. I believe you always need a contract because you never know what can happen. You need to know all the risks and make communication very clear.