My biggest business regret (SFFF58)
If I could go back and change one thing about how I built my flower farm, it wouldn’t be about planting the wrong crops or messing up pricing. It wouldn’t even be about those expensive lessons I learned from marketing flops or underwhelming sales. My biggest regret? Not building a team sooner.
When I first started farming, I was the definition of a one-woman show. I was out in the field harvesting at sunrise, handling every single email, packing CSA bouquets, managing invoices, designing market displays, posting to Instagram—and then doing it all over again the next day. That kind of hustle feels smart in the beginning. It’s scrappy, it’s lean, and it makes sense when there’s no budget for help. But let me tell you, it’s also the fast track to burnout and bottlenecking your business.
The Hidden Cost of Doing Everything Yourself on the Farm
here comes a point when your business outgrows your solo capacity. Even if you’re hyper-organized and deeply passionate, you can’t do everything yourself and still expect to scale. I used to believe I couldn’t afford help. The truth? I couldn’t afford not to get help. Trying to wear every hat—farmer, marketer, bookkeeper, customer service rep—is not only exhausting, it's unsustainable.
You don’t need to hire a full-time team overnight. My first hire was a few hours of help each week in the field. That alone freed me up to focus on higher-level tasks like sales and strategy. Over time, I realized it wasn’t just about hiring help, it was about hiring smart—filling roles that either directly or indirectly generate revenue.
What Flower Farmers Should Hire for First
When you're thinking about building a team, it's helpful to think in terms of departments:
Operations: bookkeeping, scheduling, team management
Fulfillment: harvesting, bouquet making, deliveries
Marketing & Sales: social media, email marketing, website updates, customer outreach
If you're constantly turning down opportunities or stuck doing repetitive tasks, it's time to evaluate what you could delegate. Start small. Maybe you just need someone to weed, pack orders, or post to social media using your templates and captions. Even five extra hours a week can move the needle.
Focus on Roles that Generate Revenue for the Farm
Not every task on your farm makes money—but every role should support the ones that do. When I hired a crew lead to manage CSA and farmers market fulfillment, that one role ended up generating over $100,000 a year for my farm. That was a game-changer.
You don’t need to wait until you’ve “made it” to hire. In fact, hiring strategically is how you make it. If a task isn’t your zone of genius and it’s keeping you from doing the work that actually grows your business, it might be time to let it go.
Don’t Let Fear Stop You from Hiring
Hiring can be scary. Will they do it as well as you? Will it be worth the cost? What if it doesn’t work out? I’ve had all those thoughts too. And yes, I’ve had some hires that weren’t the right fit—but most of the people I’ve brought on have been amazing.
The key is setting clear expectations, training well, and remembering that you're building a team, not outsourcing your vision. You’re still the conductor of the orchestra—you’re just finally handing out the instruments.
If you’re still trying to do it all and wondering why you’re feeling stuck or stretched thin, it might be time to hire. I talk all about this—how to know when you’re ready, who to hire first, and what to watch out for—in Episode 58 of the Six Figure Flower Farming Podcast. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts, and let’s get you the support you need to grow the business you’ve been dreaming of.
