6 lessons I learned growing a multiple 6-figure flower farm (SFFF67)
Growing a profitable flower farm has been one of the most rewarding, challenging, and surprising journeys of my life. When I started, I didn’t have a perfect business plan, acres of land, or a big budget. I had determination, a small plot, and a lot of mistakes to learn from. Over the years, those mistakes turned into lessons that helped me grow my farm to multiple six figures.
Whether you’re brand new to flower farming or deep in the trenches of trying to scale, these lessons might save you from some of the struggles I went through. They’ve shaped not just my business, but also the way I think about farming, relationships, and profitability.
Lesson 1: You Can’t Do It Alone
For a long time, I believed I could run my farm as a one-woman show. I thought I could handle all the planting, harvesting, marketing, and sales without help. It wasn’t until much later that I realized how much that mindset held me back. Once I started welcoming support (even just a few hours a week!) I saw my business grow faster than I could have imagined.
Delegating doesn’t have to mean hiring a full-time employee right away. It can be a neighbor helping with harvest, a seasonal worker, or outsourcing bookkeeping. The key is realizing that multiplying yourself through a team, even in a small way, makes your business stronger and more sustainable.
Lesson 2: Your Business Will Evolve
When I first started, I agonized over every detail—sales outlets, crop choices, even the farm layout. I thought once I made a decision, it was permanent. But farming (and business) doesn’t work like that. Everything changes! Crops fail, markets shift, and your own interests may evolve.
Instead of clinging to one perfect plan, embrace flexibility. The farmers who survive long-term are the ones who can pivot when things don’t go as expected. Each season brings new challenges and new information, and with that comes the chance to refine your systems and get closer to the farm you really want.
Lesson 3: Relationships Matter More Than Followers
It’s easy to get caught up in social media numbers. But at the end of the day, real relationships are what grow your farm. Customers who feel valued will come back season after season, and community partnerships can open doors you never expected.
This doesn’t mean you need to be an extrovert. I’m an introvert myself, but I’ve learned that even small, genuine connections make all the difference. Say thank you, follow up with customers, and treat people with kindness. Relationships will carry your farm further than any algorithm!
Lesson 4: Fancy Branding Isn’t the Key to Profitability
I used to worry that I couldn’t succeed without the perfect logo or expensive brand package. Years later, I can tell you that my scrappy $75 Etsy logo worked just fine. What mattered more was consistency, clarity in my messaging, and creating an incredible customer experience.
Professional branding has its place, but don’t let it hold you back from starting or scaling. The flowers you grow, the way you serve your customers, and the trust you build in your community are far more powerful than any color palette or font choice.
Lesson 5: Skills Pay the Bills
Beautiful flowers are only part of the equation. To build a profitable farm, you need to develop skills in marketing, sales, and financial management. For years, I avoided numbers because math wasn’t my strength. But once I learned to read my sales reports and track expenses, my whole business shifted.
Think of business skills as tools—just like a sharp pair of pruners. They make the work easier, more efficient, and more profitable. The farmers who learn how to market and sell what they grow are the ones who thrive, even when the growing season doesn’t go as planned.
Lesson 6: Profit Matters More Than Revenue
When I hit my first $100,000 in revenue, I thought I’d made it. But I quickly realized that if most of that money went right back into expenses, I wasn’t actually earning much. Chasing big sales numbers can be tempting, but what really matters is what you keep.
Profitability means asking: How much am I paying myself? What is my work-life balance like? Does this sales outlet actually support my lifestyle? These are the questions that turn a flower farm from a stressful hustle into a sustainable business.
Keep Learning and Growing
These six lessons—teamwork, flexibility, relationships, simple branding, business skills, and focusing on profit—are the foundation of a farm that can support your life instead of running it. None of them came easy, but each one has shaped the farm I have today.
If you’d like to dive deeper into these lessons and hear more about the behind-the-scenes of my journey, tune into Episode 67 of the Six Figure Flower Farming Podcast. Grab your headphones, take a walk through your fields, and listen in—I’d love to hear which lesson resonates most with you.
