Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Back To Archives Back To Home Page

Spotlight

From Traditional to Progressive

There is a quote within the Self-Help community that goes something like this - "Before Enlightenment: chop wood / carry water. After Enlightenment: chop wood / carry water."

It basically means that whatever you are doing Your Perspective on the world makes all the Difference in the world.

It certainly is true for retail floristry today. With all the changes in the industry designers, store managers, and owners are coming up with creative new formats that allow them to survive today's economy and thrive in the future.

Doug Vogel has a traditional background in retail floristry. Early in his career he went to design school, worked behind the design bench for various flower shops, wrote design curriculum for the University of Maryland, and ran his own traditional flower shop.

Later he attained AIFD status, participated and sat on the Boards of various local and national floral organizations. In recent years Doug has made his living as a freelance designer for a large event production company and for local flower shops on an as needed basis (freelancing is a trend that has benefited small and large shops). But an accident, which took out both his ankles temporarily, gave him time to consider yet another change.

Last year Doug presented for the Norfolk Botanical Gardens and since he has always enjoyed teaching and presenting through industry networking opportunities he has moved full swing toward his Speaking, Presenting, and Teaching services. This fall he has been commissioned to present floral design and decor ideas for the District 2 Federated Garden Club and other organized events. Doug will also be presenting shows and teaching at Studio 3 in Southern Maryland, and he will offer classes and courses at the Flowerhandlers studio in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Doug still freelances between presentations, demonstrations, and classes but his new outlook allows him to focus on his preferred method of livelihood, use his acquired skills to their fullest advantage (helping his favorite floral retailers by entertaining their clients and educating consumers), and gives him first right of refusal to standing behind a design bench for hours on end!

Doug is the quintessential example of traditional floristry gone progressive. Maybe within the floral community we should align with the quote "Before Progressive: style / design / arrange flowers. After Progressive: style / design / arrange flowers." After all, how we handle the expansion of an industry is all in our perspective. Check Doug out at www.DougVogel.com.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Back To Archives Back To Home Page

Flowerhandlers   -   We Promote the Whole Floral Industry - One Story at a Time   -   Return to Flowerhandlers.com