Welcome to
with Derek Woodruff, AIFD, FSC
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We've been working with retail florists for nearly 25 years and when it comes to designer productivity, some issues never change: HOW to get your team to work quicker, KEEPING down waste, USING the older flowers first, NOT stuffing orders, AVOIDING mistakes by paying attention to the details, INNOVATING instead of producing the same designs forever and MAINTAINING a filled cooler! Sound familiar? We have the solution: DesignStrategies workshops taught in your store by Derek Woodruff AIFD, FSC Already the buzz of the industry because of his work with SAF, Syndicate Sales, multiple design competition wins and most recently, teaching at a prestigious floral school in England, we're thrilled to have Derek join the FloralStrategies team, the global source for floral business education and training. We encourage you to click on the videos below and then reach our office to discuss creating a tailored program with Derek in your shop over the coming months! |
Meet Derek...
Derek joined the floral industry at the age of 16 where he began learning floral design in vocational school and working for a local florist. Since then, he has continued to study the trade through institutes such as Michigan State University, the Michigan Floral Association (MFA), and the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD). In 2008 he launched his own business, Floral Underground, a novel twist on DIY flowers. Derek is a captivating speaker who finds particular joy in helping audiences find inventive ways to use new and existing products. As an industry educator, Derek has a "big picture" perspective on industry trends, and how florists can make the best practical and artistic use of materials. He enjoys presenting on stage, in hands-on workshops, on-site at shops and also online to audiences of floral designers and consumers alike. In addition to being an educator, Derek considers himself a "competition designer" spending many years polishing the practice of live floral design competition. This love of competition has won him numerous awards both in and out of the industry, including the MFA's Chuck Bannow Award, MFA's Designer of the Year (twice), AIFD's Bobbi Cup (Thrice), Chicago’s Best in Blooms Competition, second runner-up on a national television floral design competition reality show called: "The Arrangement", was the winner of the 2016 Sylvia Cup Design Competition and was the runner-up in the 2018 America’s Cup Competition.
Derek joined the floral industry at the age of 16 where he began learning floral design in vocational school and working for a local florist. Since then, he has continued to study the trade through institutes such as Michigan State University, the Michigan Floral Association (MFA), and the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD). In 2008 he launched his own business, Floral Underground, a novel twist on DIY flowers. Derek is a captivating speaker who finds particular joy in helping audiences find inventive ways to use new and existing products. As an industry educator, Derek has a "big picture" perspective on industry trends, and how florists can make the best practical and artistic use of materials. He enjoys presenting on stage, in hands-on workshops, on-site at shops and also online to audiences of floral designers and consumers alike. In addition to being an educator, Derek considers himself a "competition designer" spending many years polishing the practice of live floral design competition. This love of competition has won him numerous awards both in and out of the industry, including the MFA's Chuck Bannow Award, MFA's Designer of the Year (twice), AIFD's Bobbi Cup (Thrice), Chicago’s Best in Blooms Competition, second runner-up on a national television floral design competition reality show called: "The Arrangement", was the winner of the 2016 Sylvia Cup Design Competition and was the runner-up in the 2018 America’s Cup Competition.
