The Florist's Table

In this episode of The Florist's Table: Beautiful People, Val McNichols sits down with Yanique Shaw, founder and CEO of Boston Flower Co., a floral and workshop studio that's become a creative hub for weddings, events, floral education, and community. Yanique shares how she went from a marketing career to launching a flower business at the very start of the pandemic, and how a studio search turned...

Abby Chick sits down with Bart Hassam, 2019 Interflora World Cup champion and owner of three flower shops in Brisbane, Australia, for a conversation about where floral design trends come from and where they're headed. Bart shares his path from his grandmother's garden in Queensland to ten years as a design assistant in Japan to the World Cup stage. He explains why copying the masters is one of the...

In this episode of The Florist's Table: Beautiful People, Val McNichols sits down with Tammy Porto, founder and creative director of Wild Nomad Flower Co., a northern New Jersey studio known for its editorial-inspired designs, immersive brand activations, and artful approach to weddings and events. Tammy shares her wildly non-linear path into floristry — from screenwriting and film casting to bran...

Abby Chick sits down with Alex Vaughan, owner of FLWR Shop in Nashville, Tennessee, for a conversation that gets right to the heart of what Thorns & All is about: the real, unfiltered side of running a flower business. Alex shares why she walked away from big-budget weddings and events to go all-in on retail — and how that pivot gave her back her weekends, her creative energy, and a customer base...

Thinking about going freelance in the floral industry? You're not alone - many florists are choosing this path to build careers that reflect their creativity and values. But how do you actually make it work? In this episode, Clarissa Marchia and Kate Truhlar share with host, Yvonne Ashton, the strategies that helped them build thriving freelance careers. From leveraging social media to find your f...

In this episode of The Florist's Table: Beautiful People, Val McNichols sits down with Roberta Staggs, founder and lead designer of Hiawathia Floral Design Co. in Indianapolis — known for her modern, editorial-style floral work and fearless use of color. Roberta shares the story of her grandmother, whose weekly sunflower deliveries first showed her how healing flowers can be, and how a single flor...

For the very first episode of Thorns & All, Abby Chick sits down with two people who changed the trajectory of her own business: Natalie Gill and Meg Blancato, co-owners of Native Poppy in San Diego. What started as one storefront (and a cold-call email that read "I don't have a lot of experience, but I'm a joy to be around") has grown into a floral powerhouse — retail shops, large-scale weddings,...

After 30 years designing weddings and events, Susan Davis knows the reality: florists need to show clients their vision before they build it, communicate clearly with their team, and execute flawlessly, all while maintaining creative control. That's why she created BloomVision, a tool built specifically for the way florists actually work. With professional templates, a curated flower library, and...

  In this episode of Beautiful People at the Florist's Table, Val McNichols sits down with Pennylyn Woosley, founder of Blossom and Bee Floral in New Jersey. Pennylyn shares how growing up in her family's garden center shaped her path — even as she tried to escape it — and how a degree in business and finance ultimately became one of her greatest assets as a floral designer. She opens up about the...

Join Yvonne Ashton as she discusses with three seasoned florists their biggest failures and how these moments became pivotal for their growth. Discover how confidence, preparation, and resilience can turn errors into valuable lessons. Ellie Siegel discusses overcoming self-doubt, Patty Nix recounts recovering from a wind-toppled arbor, and Sara Lunn reveals how candle wax disasters fueled her grow...

In this episode of  The Florist's Table: Beautiful People , Val McNichols sits down with floral artist and content creator Trey Brown, founder of Trey J Creates. Trey shares how he approaches floral design as storytelling—creating pieces that draw people in, spark emotion, and invite a second look. From his standout Wicked-inspired installation to his signature use of texture and movement, his wor...

What does it mean to feel both content where you are and called to something more? In this episode, host Val McNichols sits down with Jen Cavender of Nectar & Bloom for a thoughtful conversation about creativity, intuition, and building a life in floral design that feels aligned. Jen's journey began on her family's produce farm, where she grew and sold flowers alongside her sister. Though she late...

Ever feel like Instagram is working against you instead of for you? You're not alone. In this episode, Yvonne Ashton, Ali Zimmerman, and Ana Romero from the Mayesh marketing team get brutally honest about Instagram's biggest frustrations—from the 90-second song limit and shadow-banning to the verification process that feels impossible, the collaboration caps that hurt our industry, and the schedul...

What does it mean to build a creative business on your own terms? In this episode, host Val McNichols sits down with Glory Barbaris of Wildflower Hill Co. for an honest conversation about intuition, identity, and staying aligned with your values. Glory's path to floral design wasn't traditional. From tech to nonprofit work to wedding styling, she taught herself the craft and let emotion guide her...

Pull up a chair and join us for the very first episode of The Florist's Table. Host Yvonne Ashton welcomes three past Mayesh Design Stars to discuss Pantone's controversial 2026 Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer. When the announcement dropped, reactions ranged from disappointment to outright mockery (one designer called it "plain toast and deconstructed water"). But is white really that boring, or a...

Join host Yvonne Ashton for a special Holland edition of Mornings with Mayesh! In this episode, we sit down with Natasha Barnhill, Charlotte Branch Manager, and Jenna Duncan, Raleigh Buyer, who recently returned from an unforgettable trip to the Netherlands. Natasha and Jenna take us behind the scenes of their floral adventure, from gliding through canals on a boat to visit stunning lilac farms, t...

What does it take to build a floral business rooted in whimsy, authenticity, and community? In this episode of Mornings with Mayesh, we sit down with Camille Craig, owner of New Leaf Floral Design in Seattle, Washington, to find out. Camille's journey into floral design started in her mother's garden, where she'd gather fistfuls of blooms and present them with pure childhood excitement. Twenty yea...

Join Yvonne Ashton and David Dahlson for an exciting episode of Mornings with Mayesh as they unveil two game-changing updates for the floral industry. First, David introduces Mayesh's newest farm partner, Designer Cut Flowers from Guatemala, and their stunning collection of cymbidium orchids. These blooms fill the seasonal gap between New Zealand and Holland's availability, offering florists gorge...

Tired of working six days a week, chasing one-off weddings, and feeling trapped in the seasonal ups and downs of the event floral world? This episode is your roadmap to freedom.  Host Yvonne Ashton sits down with Franceska McCaughan, international floral strategist and founder of The Hotel Florist®, who has revolutionized how florists think about sustainable income. From her beginnings in foster c...

What are the top 6 flowers you absolutely need to know about right now? Join host Yvonne Ashton as she welcomes back resident flower guru David Dahlson for another exciting flower show and tell on Mornings with Mayesh! In this episode, we reveal the top 6 stunning flower varieties that every florist, designer, and flower enthusiast needs to know about. David shares his expert insights on timing, a...

Missed last week's live stream? Catch the replay! Host Yvonne Ashton sits down with David Dahlson to explore the incredible wave of new varieties from Rosaprima and Floraprima – over 35 introductions in just six months! Discover stunning new roses like Superstition, Champagnier, and Popcorn, plus beautiful ranunculus varieties including Cloni Nuance and Cloni Nebbia. Get the insider perspective fr...

What if flowers could be more than beautiful arrangements? What if they could be community art, television content, and catalysts for human connection in the most unexpected places? In this episode of Mornings with Mayesh, we sit down with Katie Lila, the visionary Flower Director behind Flowers For People and creator-host of the PBS series "FOLLOW THE BLOOMS." Broadcasting from Spokane, Katie sha...

Join us for an exclusive look at the 2025 AIFD Symposium "Reflection" happening July 12-15 in Palm Springs! We sit down with symposium chair Lori Novak, a 45-year floral industry veteran, and Susan McLeary, who will be presenting at the 2026 symposium. Together, they share insider details about AIFD's 60th anniversary celebration, standout programming, what first-time attendees can expect, and adv...

Join host Yvonne for an inspiring conversation with Charity Reel, Vice President of Sales at Mayesh Wholesale Floral Distributors. In this episode, Charity shares her journey from selling freight services to leading national sales operations across Mayesh's 20+ locations in 13 states. With nearly three decades at Mayesh, Charity offers insights into effective sales leadership in the floral industr...

In this illuminating episode of Mornings with Mayesh, we dive deep into the transformative power of continuing education in the floral industry with Kristen Pulcheon, Executive Director of Fiori Florals Design Studio in Central Ohio. Since launching in January 2020, Kristen has built Fiori into a powerhouse that executes nearly $2 million in events annually. Drawing from her 20-year journey throug...