Stop by the SAF Registration Desk to check in and pick up your basge and registration materials. 

Panel: John Burk, DV Flora, Ryan Marrero, Equiflor/Rio Roses, Danean Allen, Armellini Express Lines

Moderator: Sahid Nahim, New Bloom Solutions

Every day, floral professionals across the supply chain see the impact of major industry shifts: growers adopting automation to address labor shortages, importers and wholesalers navigating new freight realities, and retailers adapting to rising costs and changing customer expectations. This opening session brings veteran leaders and next-gen innovators together to reflect on how the industry has evolved — from farm practices to distribution to design and sales — and how those changes influence the way you plan, produce, source, design, and serve customers today.   

You’ll gain clearer insight into how to work more efficiently, make stronger decisions and prepare for what’s coming in the future. Whether you grow, import, distribute, design, or sell flowers, you’ll leave inspired by how far we’ve come — and be equipped with practical ideas for the future of floral.  

You’ll Learn How To:  

• Plan with more confidence by recognizing how shifts in growing, shipping and distribution affect what’s available, when it arrives, and how it performs.  
• Use emerging tools and technologies to streamline your workflow, reduce manual steps, and improve accuracy across operations.  
• Strengthen your day-to-day workflow through clearer communication and collaboration across segments — improving forecasting, product flow, and overall consistency. 

Speaker: Christine Guenther, AAF, PFCI, Wildflowers Stem & Sundry 

Your ideas have power — but only if you share them. Whether you’re ready to step into management, take on new responsibility, or simply be heard, learning to advocate for yourself is key to becoming an indispensable asset to your company. This breakout session gives you practical tools to communicate your value, pitch your ideas, and navigate tough conversations with clarity and confidence. You’ll also explore how to push past self-doubt, handle feedback without losing your footing, and show up as a leader — no matter your title.   

You’ll Learn How To: 

• Speak up for your ideas, ask for opportunities, and communicate your strengths with confidence. 
• Handle disagreement or pushback while staying professional, calm, and persuasive.  
• Build credibility, assert yourself in meetings, and position your voice for future leadership growth. 

Spreaker: Darcie Garcia, AIFD

You don’t need premium flowers to create extraordinary designs — just creativity and strategy. In this dynamic design program, discover how long-lasting, classic blooms like carnations, alstroemeria, chrysanthemums, lilies, dianthus, and gladiolus can transform your everyday offerings and boost your bottom line.    

This practical, design-focused program demonstrates how timeless flowers can deliver modern style, customer delight, and outstanding profitability using on-trend color stories and clever substitutions that mimic high-demand blooms.  

You’ll Learn:  

• How to design with everyday flowers to create high-impact, high-profit arrangements customers will love.   
• Insights into new and improved varieties — including modern colors, forms, and textures — that elevate traditional stems.   
• How to extend vase life, control costs, and strategically price your designs for maximum return.   

Browse through dozens of new products and services and get to know vendors who can answer your questions and point you towards profitable opportunities for your business.

Enjoy dinner, networking, and an exciting team design competition!

Speaker: Talmage McLaurin, AIFD, Esmeralda Farms 

Trends don’t just live on mood boards — they should also thrive on your sales floor. In this hands-on, idea-driven session, trend spotter Talmage McLaurin, AIFD, shows how to make the top five floral trends from the 2026 Flower Trend Forecast work in your market. Working in small groups, you’ll translate these trends into real-world applications — from wedding palettes and everyday designs to retail displays. You’ll leave with fresh concepts, practical insights, and creative strategies you can immediately adapt to your shop, brand, and customers. 

You’ll Learn How To:  

• Interpret national and global floral trends to inform your planning, buying and product catalog in a way that fits your customer base.   
• Turn trend insights into design ideas, merchandising displays, and product offerings.   
• Keep your work — and your business — fresh, relevant and profitable. 

Speaker: Corrine Heck, PFCI, Details Flowers Software 

Every floral event brings its own set of survival challenges — supply hiccups, last-minute client curveballs, staffing gaps, impossible timelines, and high-pressure installs. So how do you navigate all of that in real time and protect your team from burnout? In this “Survivor”-inspired session, uncover how a strong culture of preparation, communication, and resilience becomes your ultimate “immunity idol.” Learn how to equip your crew with the mindset, systems, and trust they need to stay calm under pressure, solve problems quickly, and walk away from even the toughest events feeling more confident, more united, and ready for the next challenge.   

You’ll Learn How To:     

• Strengthen your culture so it shields your team from burnout, confusion, and chaos.   
• Make preparation a non-negotiable habit — reducing stress, errors, and last-minute scrambling.   
• Build collaboration, trust, and communication so your team can adapt, improvise, and thrive in any event environment. 

MC: TBA

AI and technology are reshaping every corner of the floral industry — from customer service and marketing to forecasting, pricing, and daily operations. But with rapid innovation comes real questions: What are the industry’s top challenges and opportunities and how can AI and other technology help address them?  

In this open and interactive lunch discussion, we’ll explore the major tech trends influencing the industry today, hear what peers are experimenting with, and break down the practical opportunities (and pitfalls) of adopting new tech tools. Whether you’re curious, cautious, or already using AI, this session will help you make sense of what’s emerging — and what matters most for floral businesses right now.   

You’ll Gain: 

• A clear understanding of the biggest tech trends — including AI — that are shaping marketing, operations, staffing and customer expectations in the floral industry.   
• Practical examples of technology that can streamline processes and strengthen customer experience.   
• Actionable guidance on how to evaluate which AI or digital solutions are worth exploring in your own business — and how to avoid common pitfalls as the tech landscape evolves. 

Speakers: TBA

Have you ever wondered why certain business decisions are made — or wished your team better understood the “why” behind yours? This session bridges the gap between owners and employees by revealing how every role connects to the bigger picture. In this eye-opening session, you’ll step into an owner’s mindset to see how decisions about pricing, staffing, sourcing, and design affect the entire business — from profitability and operations to customer experience. Through real-world case studies drawn from across the floral supply chain, you’ll learn how small choices — a substitution, a delay, a missed upsell — can ripple through the entire operation. Whether you’re new to the industry, growing into management, or leading a team, you’ll leave with fresh insight into how to think strategically, communicate more effectively, and build a culture where everyone takes ownership.   

You’ll Learn:  

• How every role impacts profit, efficiency and customer satisfaction.   
• What business owners and managers weigh when making key decisions about pricing, staffing and investment — and how to align your work with those goals.   
• How to build a shared culture of accountability and ownership, where every team member understands their impact on the bottom line. 

Speaker: Eileen Weber, AAF, PFCI, Lake Forest Flowers

When tensions rise — holiday chaos, missed deliveries, last-minute client changes — how you communicate in the moment can make or break the outcome. In this interactive breakout, you’ll practice handling high-stakes conversations with customers, co-workers and suppliers using communication techniques designed for real-time pressure.   

Through relatable floral scenarios, role-play coaching and practical frameworks, you’ll learn how to deliver difficult messages clearly, reset customer expectations without defensiveness and de-escalate frustration before it spirals. You’ll walk away with usable phrases, communication structures and confidence-building strategies you can apply immediately — even during peak chaos.   

You’ll Learn:  

• How to deliver difficult news clearly and professionally — without escalating tension or damaging the relationship.   
• A structure for handling tough customer or team conversations under pressure.   
• Specific phrases, scripts, and techniques for de-escalating frustration and resetting expectations in real time.   
• How to adjust your delivery based on tone, timing, and body language so your message lands the way you intend. 

Speaker: Melinda Knuth, Ph.D., North Carolina State University 

What truly motivates people to buy flowers — and how can that knowledge help you sell more effectively? This session connects the latest research on floral buyer psychology with real-world strategies for marketing, messaging and merchandising. You’ll see how understanding customer motivations can transform how you develop and present products, communicate value, and build lasting loyalty.   

You’ll Learn:   

• The key emotional and situational drivers that inspire customers to purchase flowers — and how to connect with them authentically.   
• How to turn buyer insights into more effective marketing messages, in-store experiences, and merchandising strategies that drive sales.   
• Practical ways to use data to anticipate customer needs, personalize engagement, and encourage repeat purchases.  

Speaker: Jackie Bruce, Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Research shows that leaders with high emotional intelligence (EQ) consistently outperform their peers — and young professionals with strong EQ advance faster and build stronger, more resilient careers. In a people-driven industry like floral, those skills aren’t optional; they’re essential.  Through real-world floral examples, guided reflection, and interactive scenarios, you’ll explore the internal skills that shape emotionally intelligent leadership. Learn to recognize your own emotional patterns and understand how your reactions influence others. You’ll leave with practical tools to strengthen your self-awareness and lead with both confidence and compassion.  

You’ll Learn How To:  

• Identify your emotional triggers, strengths and blind spots — and use that self-awareness to strengthen your impact as a leader.   
• Regulate your reactions to stay grounded and make better decisions in challenging moments.   
• Apply emotional insight to everyday leadership situations to improve communication and connection.