Are you dreaming of a career change that trades the corporate grind for creative blooms?

In our first podcast of 2026, Deirdre welcomes Carolyn Duggan, the award-winning owner of The Florist on the Hill and the 2025 "Florist of the Year". Carolyn shares her inspiring journey of how flowers "found her" during the COVID-19 lockdown, leading her to transition from a 15-year career as a high-level visual manager into a thriving, quirky, and "disruptive" floral business.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

The Career Pivot: How Carolyn used her background in visual merchandising to create a unique brand identity in the floral industry.

Floristry Training: Why seeking professional counsel and training is vital to avoid "expensive mistakes" when starting out.

Growing a Brand: How she opened two shops in one year and built a "waiting list" for weddings years in advance.

Signature Style: The secrets behind her famous "bouquet reveals" and why being "not everyone's cup of tea" is her superpower.

Business Realities: A behind-the-scenes look at managing a retail shop solo while maintaining a cutting garden.

Whether you are an aspiring florist looking for professional floristry training or someone considering a creative career change, Carolyn’s advice on authenticity and resilience is gold.

Connect with Carolyn Duggan at The Florist on the hill -

Website: https://thefloristonthehill.ie/

Instagram: @thefloristonthehill - https://www.instagram.com/thefloristonthehill/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083415457021

Visit the Shop: 169 Rathmines Road, Dublin

Ready to start your own floral journey? Check out our training programs at [Your School Link] to gain the fundamentals of commercial floristry and retail management.

✨ FREE Online Flower Taster Course – perfect for trying your hand at flower arranging!

Sign up here - https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/youtubefreetastercourse

🌿 FREE Flower Conditioning Program – learn how to keep your cut flowers fresh and fabulous for longer!

Check it out - https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/youtubeflowerconditioningcourse

💐 Beginners Floristry Program – start your journey to becoming a professional floral designer today!

Explore the course - https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/online-floristry-programme

💰 Funding Options Available – see if you’re eligible for support towards your training in Ireland.

Find out more - https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/funding-to-train-at-kays-flower-school

🌎 Overseas Students Welcome – learn with us from anywhere in the world!

How it works - https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/overseas-flower-students

💬 Hear from our Students – discover how Kays Flower School transformed their floral journey.

Read their stories - https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/testimonials

📩 Have Questions? Get in touch with us today!

Contact us - https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/contact-us

Subscribe to Kay's Flower School channel for our latest clips

Subscribe - https://www.youtube.com/@KaysFlowerSchool?sub_confirmation=1

#Floristry #FlowerArranging #FloralDesign #FlowerDesign #FlowerArrangement #FloralArt #FloristLife #CreativeFlorist #FloralInspiration #FlowerLovers

Deirdre chats with Tim Huckabee about his real life selling techniques that drive profits for florists. Tim will be visiting Ireland soon and if your onw of the lucky ones you may be able to grab him into your shop to help you as a florist drive your profits.

Contact via email: tim@theprofitableflorist.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprofitableflorist/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timhuckabee/

Tim Huckabee| Training Guru | TheProfitableFlorist.com

646.678.8100 office | 917.257.9927 direct

Tim Huckabee’s journey in the floral industry began in 1993 when he took a job at Surroundings Flowers in New York City. What started as just a job quickly became a passion, as he learned the ins and outs of running a successful flower shop. Seeing firsthand what worked—and what didn’t—he realized that sales and service skills were the missing ingredients in most shops. Determined to change that, he took the best practices he had learned and developed a structured process to teach florists how to sell with confidence, maximize every sale, and provide top-tier customer service.

Since 1997, Tim has personally visited over 7,000 flower shops around the world, training teams in real-life selling techniques that drive results. He continues to teach and coach florists both on-site and through live webinars, helping them transform their businesses into highly profitable, customer-focused operations.

With The Profitable Florist, Tim has worked with shop owners and teams across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and North America, conducting hands-on training and coaching programs that empower staff to be more organized, confident, efficient, and professional.

Florists may also recognize Tim as the author of Flower Shop Sale or Fail, the must-read monthly column in SAF’s Floral Management magazine, where he breaks down real customer interactions and reveals how shops can dramatically improve their sales and service.

With a degree in Marketing from the University of Connecticut, decades of hands-on experience, and a passion for helping florists sell with confidence, Tim remains the industry’s go-to expert for turning everyday staff into high-performing sales professionals—and turning struggling shops into highly profitable businesses.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Want to take your flower skills to the next level but not sure how to do it ?? Check out our FREE Online Flower Taster Course Here - ideal for the total beginner or those who dabble to want to go a bit further -

Sign up Here

https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freebeginnersflowerarrangingcourse

We also have a Free Flower Conditioning Program that teaches you how to maintain and keep your cut flowers looking their best for longer -

Check it out there - Free Online Flower Conditioning Program — https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerconditioningcourse

Beginners Floristry Program to start you on your flowery journey to a career as a floral designer - Online Professional Floristry Courses for beginners https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/online-floristry-programme

Depending on the country you live in you may be eligible for funding towards training here at Kays Flower School - Funding Available for Training as a Florist https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/funding-and-opportunities

If you live outside Ireland you can still train with Kays Flower School, see how it works here - Overseas Floristry Student Information https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/overseas-flower-students

See what our past students have to say about training as a florist at Kays Flower School https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/testimonials

Get in touch with us today Get in Touch https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/contact-us

Welcome to the final part of our "Behind the Curtains" Podcast about how our school started and progressed to be recognised as one of the most commercial professional and supportive online floristry training school for this looking to advance their skills or start out in the industry.

Make sure you check out our FREE Taster Course here - https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freebeginnersflowerarrangingcourse

If you are interested in training with us or have any questions about training with us, send us an email to info@kaysflowerschool.com or What's app - 00353872507615

A huge shout-out to Carolyn Duggan from The Florist on the Hill, our Florist of the Year 2025 winner, who has sponsored our podcast for the next four months! You can find her beautiful work at www.thefloristonthehill.ie.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Want to take your flower skills to the next level but not sure how to do it ?? Check out our FREE Online Flower Taster Course Here - ideal for the total beginner or those who dabble to want to go a bit further -

Sign up Here

https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freebeginnersflowerarrangingcourse

We also have a Free Flower Conditioning Program that teaches you how to maintain and keep your cut flowers looking their best for longer -

Check it out there - Free Online Flower Conditioning Program — https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerconditioningcourse

Beginners Floristry Program to start you on your flowery journey to a career as a floral designer - Online Professional Floristry Courses for beginners https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/online-floristry-programme

Depending on the country you live in you may be eligible for funding towards training here at Kays Flower School - Funding Available for Training as a Florist https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/funding-and-opportunities

If you live outside Ireland you can still train with Kays Flower School, see how it works here - Overseas Floristry Student Information https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/overseas-flower-students

See what our past students have to say about training as a florist at Kays Flower School https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/testimonials

Get in touch with us today Get in Touch https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/contact-us

Join us for part two of our podcast as we go behind the curtains of Kay's Flower School! In this episode,

We delve into the world of online floral training and the unique approach of Kay's Flower School. We'll explore:

The benefits of online learning and how it can be just as effective as traditional face-to-face training.

The mindset of florists and how they've had to adapt and change with the industry.

The importance of collaboration and community within the floristry world.

The success stories of our students who have gone on to build amazing careers and businesses.

Whether you're an aspiring florist or a seasoned professional, this episode is packed with valuable insights and inspiring stories.

Janette and Deirdre continue to tell you all about Kays Flower School, our ethics and community and our passion for teaching and training florists in our own Podcast - Behind the Curtains - Part 2

You'll also hear inspiring stories from our past students who have gone on to launch successful floral businesses. This is the first of many episodes where we'll share insights and expert tips, so be sure to subscribe and turn on notifications!

A huge shout-out to Carolyn Duggan from The Florist on the Hill, our Florist of the Year 2025 winner, who has sponsored our podcast for the next four months! You can find her beautiful work at www.thefloristonthehill.ie.

#KaysFlowerSchool #TheFloristOnTheHill #Podcast #Floristry #OnlineLearning #FloralDesign #BehindTheCurtains #SuccessStories #Collaboration #FloralTraining #NewCareer #FlowerArrangements #Business #YouTube #Part2

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Want to take your flower skills to the next level but not sure how to do it ?? Check out our FREE Online Flower Taster Course Here - ideal for the total beginner or those who dabble to want to go a bit further -

Sign up Here

https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freebeginnersflowerarrangingcourse

We also have a Free Flower Conditioning Program that teaches you how to maintain and keep your cut flowers looking their best for longer -

Check it out there - Free Online Flower Conditioning Program — https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerconditioningcourse

Beginners Floristry Program to start you on your flowery journey to a career as a floral designer - Online Professional Floristry Courses for beginners https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/online-floristry-programme

Depending on the country you live in you may be eligible for funding towards training here at Kays Flower School - Funding Available for Training as a Florist https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/funding-and-opportunities

If you live outside Ireland you can still train with Kays Flower School, see how it works here - Overseas Floristry Student Information https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/overseas-flower-students

See what our past students have to say about training as a florist at Kays Flower School https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/testimonials

Get in touch with us today Get in Touch https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/contact-us

The Real Story of Our Flower School: How It All Started - Kays Flower School Podcast Part 1

Ever wondered what it's really like to run a flower school? Get ready for the whole story!

Our friend Linda Monohan, The Habit Boss, joined us to dig into the history of Kays Flower School. As you can imagine, we had a lot to say, so we broke it into a three-part podcast series to make sure you get all the details without getting bored!

In this first episode, we're sharing the incredible journey of our school—from our humble beginnings to becoming a global hub for florists. We'll talk about the moments that shaped our unique florist training style, our passionate commitment to 100% student support, and the amazing worldwide floristry community we've built.

You'll also hear inspiring stories from our past students who have gone on to launch successful floral businesses. This is the first of many episodes where we'll share insights and expert tips, so be sure to subscribe and turn on notifications!

A huge shout-out to Carolyn Duggan from The Florist on the Hill, our Florist of the Year 2025 winner, who has sponsored our podcast for the next four months! You can find her beautiful work at www.thefloristonthehill.ie.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Want to take your flower skills to the next level but not sure how to do it ?? Check out our FREE Online Flower Taster Course Here - ideal for the total beginner or those who dabble to want to go a bit further -

Sign up Here

https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freebeginnersflowerarrangingcourse

We also have a Free Flower Conditioning Program that teaches you how to maintain and keep your cut flowers looking their best for longer -

Check it out there - Free Online Flower Conditioning Program — https://kaysflowerschool.myflodesk.com/freeflowerconditioningcourse

Beginners Floristry Program to start you on your flowery journey to a career as a floral designer - Online Professional Floristry Courses for beginners https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/online-floristry-programme

Depending on the country you live in you may be eligible for funding towards training here at Kays Flower School - Funding Available for Training as a Florist https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/funding-and-opportunities

If you live outside Ireland you can still train with Kays Flower School, see how it works here - Overseas Floristry Student Information https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/overseas-flower-students

See what our past students have to say about training as a florist at Kays Flower School https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/testimonials

Get in touch with us today Get in Touch https://www.kaysflowerschool.com/contact-us