Categorically Improving the Industry with CEO Michael Jacobson of French Florist

Michael Jacobson, CEO of French Florist, shares his vision for the floral industry by prioritizing both florists and customer experience. He explains how traditional flower delivery services take hefty commissions: "FTD and 1-800-Flowers and Teleflora... take a 30 to 40% commission, which is insane." After dropping these services, Jacobson's shop saw dramatic growth, going "from doing $100,000 in revenue to $10 million in revenue" by reinvesting margins into customer experience. He emphasizes the importance of meaningful details, noting that even their staff uniforms have hidden touches: "on the inside of our collar of our jackets here, there's a little embroidery that says you are loved." Jacobson's approach mirrors luxury brands like Tiffany's, explaining "we position our brand as a premium luxury brand... somebody who doesn't wanna spend their whole entire paycheck on flowers for their partner, they can come into our store, they can buy a $35 wrapped bouquet, and they're still getting a French Florist brand and the French Florist experience."