Semia Dunne: The Floral Reserve’s Newest Chapter
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Semia Dunne on The Floral Reserve and Progress
Semia Dunn first joined us on the BB podcast back in Episode 35, sharing how she bought a flower shop at 22 and later launched Flowers by Semia (which was later rebranded as SEMIA) and then The Floral Reserve, a wholesale flower company (built by a florist, for florists). In this catch-up episode, Semia returns to reflect on what’s changed and what hasn’t. She talks candidly about growing her team, breaking into destination weddings, building a new e-commerce system for the wholesale business, and holding onto the values that got her here. It’s a grounded, honest look at what scaling a floral business actually takes, and what stays the same no matter how big things get.
Join us as we chat with Semia about:
- Growing The Floral Reserve from 1,200 to 3,200 square feet
- How the pandemic accelerated shipping and shaped her wholesale business
- Partnering with New York Flower Group to launch a new e-commerce web shop
- Retaining employees long-term, including a 20+ year team member
- Breaking into destination weddings
- The logistics of traveling for weddings
- Growing planner relationships and what percentage of business now comes from planners
- Wholesale pricing, and educating florists on the true cost of flowers
- Confidence and mindset shifts gained through experience
- Current color palette and design trends in the industry
- Revisiting her original definition of success from our interview years ago
Connect with Semia at:
TODAY’S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Madrid Blooms
Design Talks. Workshops. Installations.
The European floral congress shaping the future of botanical design. MADRID BLOOMS brings together acclaimed designers, professionals, and students to learn and explore new visual languages and push the boundaries of floral artistry.
Co-Hosts: Amy McGee (BB + Bloom Trust Co.) & Natalie Gill (Native Poppy)
BB Podcast Sound Engineer: Joel McGee
Music Written & Performed by: Landon McGee
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy our original conversation with Semia Dunne. Click here to listen.
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