From $3400-$40k: How this Floral Designer 12x her Price.

“Work less but make more.”

It’s a goal I hear often, especially in the event industry. When I first met Mary Love Richardson (owner of Rosemary & Finch Floral Design) back in 2015 and learned she was taking on over 50 events per year, I knew, and she knew, that workload wasn’t sustainable for the long-term. We had to turn an intangible goal “work less but make more” into practical reality.

For Mary Love, making more without working more started by understanding the basics of her business finances. How to make more from each job (profit), understanding the cost of her events including flowers, her team, and hard goods, and how to price properly.

She took the finance education she learned through my signature program, The Blueprint Model, and has now created a floral design studio with an average client paying $40k plus for her gorgeous designs.

In this exclusive case study style interview, learn how Mary Love went from 50 weddings to 25, and 12xd her average booking price from $3400 to $40k average event size. Plus hear how Mary Love grew her team in a way that aligned with the life and business he wanted to build. All the juicy goodness in today’s student case study interview with Mary Love Richardson.

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📚 Bookworm? Scroll down for full case study!

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Meet Mary Love

Mary Love is the owner and lead designer at Rosemary & Finch based in Nashville Tennessee. In her now decade in business, Mary Love and the Rosemary & Finch team have designed gorgeous florals for over 300 weddings and events becoming known for their organic, large-scale floral installations.

How were you feeling BEFORE working with Shanna?

When I signed up for the Blueprint Model in 2016, I had done 40 some-odd weddings the year before with small teams, small budgets, and burn out on the horizon. I didn’t have a plan for what my sales goal should be or how to raise my minimum, I was just taking whatever came my way!

Where are you now after working with Shanna?

My business today is in such a sweet place where I can simultaneously expand and grow but still protect my energy! I hired my first full time employee this year (though I’ve relied on a large list of freelancers for many years and still do, and I’ve had part time employees for several years), my average wedding size is literally 4x what it was in 2017 (and will be 5x next year!), I only take from 20 to 25 events per year, I’m currently shopping for a larger studio space (to buy, not rent), I’m able to attend conferences and industry events and pay for them without anxiety. Last year I doubled my sales but it honestly didn’t feel like more work because I had solid systems in place and was prepared for growth!

By the Numbers:

Before Working with Shanna (2016 numbers):

• Average event size: $3400
• Number of events per year: 40-50
• Doing everything herself

After Working with Shanna (2021 numbers):

• Average event size: $40,000
• Number of events per year: 20-25
• Team Size: 1 Employee, Countless Freelancers

What steps did you take?

I’ve continued to invest in education but I also take it with a grain of salt and always remind myself to stay in my lane – I’ve defined what is enough and know how I want to grow AKA I want quality over quantity. I’ve slowly but consistently raised my minimum and I’ve focused on nurturing strong vendor relationships in the community.

The big aha moment!

I think about core motivators all the time, thanks to Shanna and The Blueprint Model program! My primary core motivator fluctuates often, but it’s always in the back of my head as I’m making business decisions. I also remember the first time I listened to you explain a sales goal, profit, etc and it finally felt like I understood what people were talking about!

My biggest takeaway? My business is here to serve me, not the other way around. I get to define what I want my life to look like and then I can design my business to support that! I love working and I love my industry but I work so that I can enjoy my life!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

The Blueprint Model Business Finance program by Shanna Skidmore

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Mary Love Richardson

In 2011, Mary Love was fresh off a job as an au pair in Switzerland and looking for a career path that would draw on her studies of literature and fine art. Inspiration appeared in the form of her twin sister’s wedding and she quickly asked the floral designer for an internship. About a year later, Rosemary & Finch was born and Mary Love’s organic design style and knack for creative mechanics soon produced a specialty in floating floral installations and memorable color palettes. Mary Love lives for puzzling out challenging logistics and thrives on leading a joyful, connected team.

Native to Nashville, Mary Love is mildly obsessed with her high rise view of the Batman building. She and her husband, Ben, travel widely and often. They’ve hiked all over the world from New Zealand to Tanzania to Patagonia, encountered a great white nose-to-nose from a shark cage, ridden camels through the Sahara, snorkeled among sea turtles in the Galapagos, and wandered the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, just to name a few.

Connect with Mary Love:

Website | Instagram

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