Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Jones
Hi Scott, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ll tell you my story BEFORE American Floral…and then tell you that story in a minute.
I have lived all over the east coast…Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Greenville NC, Virginia Beach and Outside of Washington DC…My father worked for NCR and got promoted …a LOT…so we moved, a LOT. High School and two years of college in Maryland…then started looking at Carolina for the MIBs program (Masters in International Business) …My father saw wanted to get out of DC…saw Columbia was available, saw Lake Murray on the map and said “We are gonna live THERE !” So the family ended up together HERE.
I graduated from USC (The real ORIGINAL one, not the one in Southern California ! Ha !) with 3 degrees (Finance, Real Estate and Management) and realized I didn’t want to continue for the masters.
I was interviewing to get practice interviewing until I found what and where I wanted to go. I got all kinds of offers; Grocery store manager, Insurance, Financial planning, all kinds of jobs. But I went on an interview that a headhunter set up that changed my life ! I didn’t want to go, wasn’t interested in the job…but she convinced me to go. Nailed the interview, the follow ups and inevitably they offered me the job. Selling Yellow Pages ! I was about to say “thanks, but no thanks” when she said, “the only problem is” (I have always wanted to help people if I can, so it perked my interest)…”You leave for training for 3 weeks on Sunday…in San Diego !” Well, for a guy that lived all over the South East coast, a chance to go to Cali, and be paid to go. ??!!…..”What time is the flight Sunday ?”
Long story short; I hated it, but then got better at it and then got good at it…then I became second in the Company ! Only when they closed these markets that I left. I learned SO much about marketing and business…It still helps me today ! Funny how what you think may be the wrong decision turns out to be the right one, huh ?
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No business is smooth ALL the time…if it is, you aren’t trying hard enough. I had no floral experience going into this. I had to figure it out…WE still have to figure things out… because things change…life changes. The economy, trends, staffing and even politics all have an impact on us. Back in the day…Every flower , every poinsettia, every Easter Lily, every house plant…came from a florist. Now, Lowes, Walmart, Grocery stores sell all of that…We had to adapt and change WHAT we do and HOW we do it. We haven’t bought an Easter Lily in 20 years. Those stores I mentioned can sell them for what I can buy them for. It’s a “Lost leader” for a grocery store…it get’s you in the door…THEN you buy the steaks and seafood and another $200 worth of food since you are there. We had to change what WE do…specialize (Who wants a grocery store to do your wedding or party, Right ?). We have been through the downturns from 9/11 2001, 2007-2008 recession, COVID and the recession that we are in now (that no one wants to admit). We do things differently, we work even harder, tighten our belts, cancel the vacation and cut back on the Christmas gifts. In good times I average 50-60 hours a week….in slow times, 70-80.
In my “Down time” (Ha ha !)…I am a founding member and current Chairman of the District 5 Foundation, A Board member of the PRISMA Health Midlands Foundation, Columbia Bridal Associates past Chair and still Membership Chair, Past Chair of the Irmo Chamber of Commerce, Vice Chair of the Irmo Hospitality Committee and many more committees and boards in the past. Giving back and making our community better, is a life goal…..and a passion for me.
Away from the shop…I love to ride a motorcycle, snow ski, do anything that involves being in or near water, watch a fire (Natures TV), do projects/build stuff, do anything that involves family, read, Hang with friends, Pull for The Gamecocks, root for the Braves and play ! Just how many hours are IN a day ???
God has guided us through the troubled waters and always blessed with enough. I have always believed “A good, hard working man will always have a full days work”.
Tough times have made us better and taught us many great lessons. Getting through tough times are what shows and builds character…anyone can cruise through easy times.
We’ve been impressed with American Floral, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started American Floral at my house 31 years ago…with a two door cooler and delivering flowers in a 1980 Lincoln Continental that my father gave me. Every week I would wrap up 50-100 dozen roses, put them in a cooler, and go anywhere there were guys ! Barber shops, car dealerships, tint shops, repair shops, transmission repair, anywhere guys worked or hung out…Selling the roses for $10 a dozen. Eventually we/I, started selling wholesale roses to other florists…and then moved into doing design. I hired a girl that worked for another shop part time, she taught me basic design and I found out I had a knack for it ! I delivered my first wedding in that Lincoln…candelabra, altar pieces, unity candle, kneeling benches , bouquets, bouts and all !!
About 20 years ago we bought an old closed skating rink, split it down the middle…put a local well know bridal dress shop in one side and the florist in the other !
In the middle of all this…I met and married my wife…smartest thing I have ever done ! Second smartest thing, we had two great kids !
We have had many, many awards…Small business of the year from the Irmo Chamber, Best of Wedding Florist By readers of WeddingWire, Best of Weddings Hall of fame by readers of The Knot (like 15 years in a row for both), Best in the State, Ambassador of the Year, but the best…is the continued support from the Community !!
We do daily deliveries, sympathy work, hospitals, anniversaries, lots of parties and corporate events and a LOT of weddings…4500 plus by my best estimate So far !!
Making people happy is a joy and delivering beauty never gets old ! Walking into a wedding and showing the bride HER bouquet…that smile, that excitement…something she has dreamt about her whole life…and we made it better than she ever dreamed !! It’s an amazing feeling.
Even making beautiful tributes for someone’s funeral….showing the family and friends “She was loved !” and softening that blow of loss, even ever so slightly…it’s a blessing and a gift.
Making people happy and helping them ….It feeds the soul.
We are truly a family business: My wife is my right hand, an amazing lady that is the heart of our lives and manages the day-to-day of the shop. My daughter helps with the office work and my son helps set up weddings and events (both around their school schedules). I am SO proud of both of my kids…they are kind, smart, big hearted and have a great work ethic…They will be successful in whatever they choose to do ! I hope they want to be in the Flower Biz !
It really is a family business. The rest of our team may not be blood related, but we are family ! THEY are what make American Floral GREAT ! Team-work really does make the dream Work !!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think, as far as the private sector floral industry , the very small “Corner store” flower shop will go away. They can’t compete. Buying in quantity helps us get better pricing that we pass on to our customers…a small shop can’t do that. Depending on the size of the city, 4 or 5 large shops will immerge. The Flower Growers are now trying to buy the distributors, then they will come after the Wholesale Florist and then eventually the Flower Shops themselves (It’s called a Roll up…happening in a LOT of industries. Small business is becoming Big business) Once that happens, Investment groups will buy those…it’s inevitable (They can get 15% return on their money versus getting 6%). Sadly, I think once that happens, the “Art” of floral design will go away….and it will turn into production line style designs with stem counts and recipes. In the next 20 years a LOT will change in a LOT of industries.
We LOVE what we do, and who we do it for ! The Columbia area is home…and as long as people continue to support small business and spread the love by expressing their feelings by sharing flowers…we will be Right Here !!
Thank you for the First 31 years Y’all !! A LOT More to come !!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://AmericanFloralSC.com
- Instagram: @AmericanFloral
- Facebook: @AmericanFloral
Image Credits
Clark Berry Photography
