Check out my interview below.

 As I sit here on the eve of the premiere party for "The Arrangement" TV show in which I have been fortunate to participate, I find myself reflecting on the past 20 months of my life.  What a ride it has been!

Phillips Flowers

Living my entire life surrounded by the floral industry has made it grow into a major part of  who I am. My family founded All American Phillip’s Flowers in Chicago in 1923 so I grew up learning every aspect of the flower world. My father was a second generation owner so I did what came naturally – follow in dad’s footsteps. I worked part-time in the flower shops throughout high school and college, basically whenever I was home from school or had free time.  In 1986 began my full time career with the Phillip’s Flowers.

After 20+ years of working with the family business and running things as they had done for decades before me, I wanted to expand the flower company in sync with the trends of our culture. In 2008, I organized my ideas for an online bridal flower planning website that, I thought, would allow the family to take Phillip’s Flowers to new heights. I brought the concept of this online community to certain members of our family and I was denied approval to move forward with this ground breaking project. Maybe it was their lack of understanding of the opportunities to expand online or maybe they just didn’t like my ideas. Either way, I started the project on my own anyway.

I discussed my ideas with some web developers I met through a friend and they all loved the concept.  They wanted in and wanted to work for me to bring this business to life. From here the dream of bringing Your Bridal Flowers (YBF) to life was now a reality.

I was still working for the family business out my office in Chicago and the team working on the new project was based in Detroit. The employees I hired to work on YBF consisted of a Director, Creative director, three writers, two programmers, an advertising sales representative and marketing manager.   This allowed me to continue running the multimillion dollar operation for the family business while bringing my dream to life.

I worked night and day on this web company working to make this entrepreneurial dream come true.  It was quite the juggle managing both businesses, my family, and what little time I had left for a social life. Especially since the new business required me to travel to Detroit.

Leaving Phillips Flowers

In September of 2008, my family discovered I was working on my own business and the reaction was not well received.  Long story short, pursuing this dream basically ended my relationship with my family. The family said, they did not think I should be the captain of two ships and asked that I resign after a lifetime of working for the family business.  I was told to   clear out my office by the end of the week. After over 20 years of work and a lifetime of being a close-knit family, they gave me three days to pack my things and be gone. To this day I no longer have any real relationship with any of my family who worked within our family business.

Unfortunately, by the time I left Phillips Flowers,  I was also preparing to close YBF too.  The team just could not deliver what I needed. I was nearly fed-up when the second development team I hired still couldn’t produce what I wanted after the sites were rebuilt for the second time, they were still far from what my vision was for the business.However, my partner, Myra Love and I were able to work together to design a new site and a new vision was born for our entrepreneurial success.  My determination to be successful pushed me harder and hard to find the team that would make this dream come true.Another year later and thousands of dollars later, Your Bridal Flowers was revised and recreated.  I built an entirely new team with Myra and built the ultimate bridal flower planning membership website. YourBridalFlowers.com is now alive and was packed with everything needed for planning the perfect wedding flowers.

Beyond all the bumps in the road I have come along way to get my businesses to the point that they are at today. Besides YBF, The Russ On Flowers Network (ROF) is a network of businesses operating in the floral industry that serve both consumer and business niche opportunities.

•             www.RussWholesaleFlowers.com – A direct-to-consumer flower wholesale company offering flowers and floral supplies from all over the world.

•             www.RussOnFlowers.com – Online flower blog educating visitors with all the knowledge and expertise of flower expert, Russ Phillip.

•             www.YourBridalFlowers.com – An extensive bridal flower website featuring detailed information and a variety tools for planning wedding flowers.

•             www.FlowerHookup.com – The exclusive place for hip, rugged, and new-age flower arrangements designed by Russ Phillip.

This entrepreneurial path I chose has cost me nearly $500,000 in personal investments, my relationship with my family, my relationship with my wife, as we are now divorced, and relationships with anyone who would not stand behind me as I have striven to make my dreams come true. I have learned many hard lessons that have sculpted me into the person I am today; and I am proud that with all the difficult obstacles life thrown my way, I am still standing here stronger than ever.

• Life After Phillips Flowers -  Following My Passion to Build a New Dreams
• Chicago Flowers
• Chicago Wedding Flowers

Bulk Flowers:  By buying flowers in bulk from web based shops, you can get a massive amount of flowers and save precious time as well by keeping away from going around the city as a way to find the appropriate place. Via online means, you can acquire discount flowers if you place a large order and this most definitely decreases the amount.

Discount Flowers Reasons For Buying Bulk Flowers Online Include:

1. Less Time Consuming

When searching for flowers online, you only need to focus on what exactly meets your requirements. There is no hassle of getting in the car and driving around for god knows how long. All you ought to do is specify the type of flowers you want, the color and when you like them to be sent to you. Also ensure what occasion you want to buy flowers for.

2. Wholesaler Discounts

There are specific online shops that are essentially run by wholesalers who give lowering of prices when buying bulk flowers. Retailers also have their own websites that promote various discounts and packages when you’re hoping to buy flowers in a large quantity. So prior to you order from any online shop just look around the web and compare different choices available in the marketplace.

3. Great choices

All you ought to do to find flowers online is enter the keywords in a search engine- it’s as easy as that as there are lots of dealers accessible on the Internet who can provide you with what you are looking for. These online stores tend to have one or more of the greatest collections of flowers which include orchids, callas, lilies, asters, carnations, tulips and many more.

Conclusion:

Hence, when buying bulk flowers from web based shops, ensure you inquire about the delivery time so that the order doesn’t have a delayed arrival as it will be able to be a frustrating situation to manage.  Click here to get your bulk fresh flowers today!

Bulk Flowers

Buy Bulk Flowers

First you pay a visit to the Chicago florist and explain your needs. You might look through a book that contains pictures of various flower arrangements and potted plants. It’s thoughtful to spend a little time selecting an arrangement that fits the occasion. It should express your sentiments and take into account the tastes of the person receiving the flowers.

For example, you could celebrate the arrival of a baby girl with a joyful arrangement of alstroemeria, gerbera daisies, and lilies in shades of pink and lavender. To express love and devotion, you might choose flowers associated with romance, such as roses and orchids. If you were sending sympathy flowers, you would probably select an arrangement that uses traditional flowers of mourning, such as white lilies, white roses, and white freesias. You can see how it’s easy to tailor the floral arrangement to the event.

On the other hand, instead of choosing the arrangement yourself, you could simply request something appropriate within a certain price range. You may not know much about flowers, but you can rely on a trained florist to design exquisite and tasteful floral arrangements for any occasion. To get the best value, ask the florist to use whatever blooms are in season or looking especially lovely at the moment.

You will also provide a message for the card that accompanies the flowers. Make sure the Chicago florist gets it exactly right, including the spelling of names. Finally, you choose when you want the arrangement to be delivered. It’s not always possible to request a specific delivery time. It depends on the purpose of the flowers and how busy the florist is. You can usually name a particular day and be confident that it will arrive as intended.

When you’ve ironed out the details and paid for your order, the Chicago florist will relay it to a local florist in the destination city (or as close to it as possible). That florist accepts the order and fills it according to the specifications. If he doesn’t have a certain flower in stock, he will substitute another flower of equal or greater value. The arrangement goes out in his delivery van. And finally it lands on your loved one’s doorstep. The process works in reverse as well. The Chicago florist fills orders from across the country and delivers them locally.

Being able to send flowers anywhere, anytime, is a wonderful convenience. It’s nice to know that your favorite Chicago florist can arrange for flowers to be delivered to your grandmother in San Diego, your sister-in-law in Topeka, and your aunt in Talahassee, all on the same day.

Chicago Florist Russ Phillip Jr.

If you have a florist in town that you like to deal with, you can place an order through him. He might show you a book of floral arrangements and ask you to choose something. He will also take down the message that you want on the card.

Your florist doesn’t actually fill the order himself with the flowers in his shop. Instead, he will immediately relay the order to a florist in Chicago who will create the arrangement and deliver it.

Will the Chicago flowers be exactly the same as the flowers you picked out in San Diego? Possibly not.

When you choose a floral arrangement from a book, you should know that the recipient may not get exactly what was pictured. The photograph is more of a guideline for color, flower types, style, and theme. The florist in Chicago will try to create something very close to what you saw. But if a certain bloom is not available, she will substitute another flower.

The availability of flowers always varies from city to city. This is particularly true when you compare flower shops on opposite sides of the country or in different climate zones. A flower may be out of season, in high demand, or simply not grown in that part of the country. The florist will do the best she can with what she currently has in stock.

Another option you have is to call a florist in the destination city and place an order over the phone. In fact, sometimes the direct route is the best way to go. You can save extra handling and service fees by placing an order with the florist who will be delivering the Chicago flowers.

Here are a few tips for getting the nicest flowers. Ask the florist to put the value of your order into the flowers and to use an inexpensive container instead of something fancy. Don’t be too rigid about the type of flowers you want. Give the florist some leeway to choose whichever Chicago flowers are fresh and blooming. Also inquire whether the florist has any in-house specials going on.

Don’t wait until the last minute to order flowers, especially when you are sending flowers for a holiday. If you always send your mother in Chicago flowers for Mother’s Day, it isn’t exactly an unexpected event. Why not order the bouquet a week or more in advance? The earlier you place the order, the more time the florist has to create something pretty. And by ordering early you are more likely to get the exact flowers you want before they are sold out.

For many of us, the customs that surround the major events in our lives are meaningful and comforting. Giving flowers is one of those customs that just feels right. Thanks to the network of florists around the world, you can send someone in Chicago flowers, a plant, or even a funeral wreath, and you will know the floral gift will arrive within a short period of time, no matter how far away you might be.

Chicago Flowers with Russ Phillip Jr.

The Flowerbudi more than pays for itself after the first use and can continue to be used over and over, allowing you to make new flower arrangements any time you wish. Use flowers from the garden or sculpt a five-dollar bouquet into a variety of florist-quality arrangements.

Used by floral design school across the US, the Flowerbudi is a hands-on, step-by-step flower arranging learning tool that gives you proessional florist arranging techniques while you make an amazing arrangement.Featuring a detailed learning chart, step-by-step flower arranging instructions, and all the supplies needed to design your own flowers – the Flowerbudi requires no experience in floral design to use this remarkably easy kit. It makes the perfect flower arranging gift for beginners.

Available at www.russwholesaleflowers.com   for $29.95 (including shipping anywhere in the US), every Flowerbudi comes complete with:

• Detailed instructions and recipes in full color
• A color-coded, numbered and lettered instructional chart – (2) Double-sided arrangement presses
• (1) Block of floral foam
• (1) Green plastic design bowl

Visit www.RussWholesaleFlowers.com to order your Flowerbudi today! Call us at (877) 923-2769 send an email to Flowerbudi@russwholesaleflowers.com to learn about special offers and other great ways to afford the flowers you love without breaking the bank.

A Bit of History on Silk Flowers

It is stated that the Chinese mastered the skills of working with silk more then 5000 years ago and in turn created the elaborate silk floral replicas. As early as the twelfth century, Marco Polo brought the art crafts to the Italians who began making artificial flowers and in the 14th century, the French continued to improve the quality of both fabrics and fabric flowers that they became known as the best.

In the 1960′s crepe paper flowers gave way to colored thin foam sheets which had increased popularity due to not fading as quickly as crepe paper.

Manufacturers have tried to recreate the beauty of perishable flowers and the mass production of the "plastic flower", kept the interest in artificial flowers at an unusually low point in history. The term "permanent botanicals" became the term most florist used for silk and other artificial flowers for many years.

Most flowers are now from the cotton/polyester blend fabrics that hold color dyes, retain their textures and display well, exceeding any manufactured product from the past. Today’s flowers are magnificently real that to look at them from a distance one could never tell the authentic from a silk that you almost have to touch them to distinguish from nature’s own. I challenge you to walk into a hotel lobby or a fine restaurant and see if you can tell the difference from a silk floral arrangement or the real plant. Some high quality flowers are hand painted to give that illusion of real blooms and stems.

Silk flowers are so well crafted one would never guess the authenticity. These beauties captivate me and I have to step close to touch them to see if they are in fact real. I have seen silk floral arrangements designed with a mix of silk flowers and leaves with real plants and I cannot tell the difference, I commend the florist designer their creativity.

Introducing Silk Real Touch Flowers

Silk real touch flowers is the term typically used to refer to the newest generation of artificial flowers which not only look, but feel realistic.  These flowers are also called natural touch or soft touch flowers. Often made from latex, they are waterproof, do not crush and do not fade. They are the highest quality silk flower to look at and to feel. One silk flower is not like any other silk flower, they are all unique creations.

Real touch flowers are manufactured as close as possible to the real flower it represents and are conditioned to feel real. Not all real touch flowers can be dip dyed as glue and other items in the flower will take the dye differently and actually ruin the flower. There are other methods of dyeing other then spray that should be done by professionals.

Real touch flowers are made out of latex as opposed to fabric, so they have a texture that mimics real flower petals. A lot of times, they are a more detailed than real flowers in their coloring. Real touch flowers are so realistic that they depict the finest lines and veins that natural flowers show.

Most people do not realize that these are fake flowers unless they closely inspect them. They have the room brightening effect of real flowers without the cost and short life span. Real touch flowers come in two different sizes of bloom: the small is more like a rose bud and the large is slightly more open.

Real Touch Flowers for Wedding

Real touch flowers are an amazing option that brides should definitely consider for their wedding flowers.  Real touch flowers are a newer brand of artificial flowers that look unbelievably real. Real Touch started becoming more popular around 2005, and have been becoming more and more used by brides. Even brides that said they would never have artificial flowers at their wedding are now using them.

Real touch flowers are a lasting memory of your special day. The arrangements can be saved or appreciated as gifts by family members or bridesmaids. They will remain as beautiful and as fresh looking as the day they were created.

The only colors in natural touch flowers that don’t seem realistic is any shade of blue. You could use white or ivory flowers & then add accents with ribbons, pearls, crystals etc to bring in the blue or even add another flower color such as hot pink or pale pink.

I’ve worked with real touch for several years, and I can’t believe how many times that I am still fooled by them because they look just like the fresh flowers I work with everyday. 

In terms of pricing, a typical bouquet in normal silk fabric would cost approximately $25. The same bouquet in Real Touch would cost approximately $60. Clearly they are more expensive then normal grade artificial flowers and can even cost the same as fresh flowers, but they will last forever.

Real Touch Flowers for Sale

Some online companies are passing themselves off as florists dealing only in real touch flowers with extremely low prices. The pricing alone tells you that these are poor quality flowers and you are not getting the best real touch available from reputable companies. Purchase a real touch flower and take it somewhere where there are fresh flowers. If you can’t tell the difference you have a good quality artificial flower.

For the best prices on silk real touch flowers, visit my online fresh and silk flowers website.  I ship nationwide 7 days a week!  Click to visit Real Touch Flowers Wholesale for Sale !!

If you have been wondering how to make oval flower arrangements, don’t worry.  It is probably much easier than you think; it can just be a little difficult to get yourself started on the creative process at first.  The first thing that you want to do is decide whether you want to build your arrangement by height for color.  Even though we already know the general outline shape, which one you set your design around has a big impact on how you build your arrangement, so decide now.

If you want to go by color, start by organizing all your flowers according to color.  Next, decide which flower or color you want to represent the center of your arrangement.  This will be the one that most people focus on, so make sure that it’s in very good shape.  Put it in the center, then work your way out trying to keep the colors as random as possible.  Your other choice is to work from one side to the other and line up the colors so that it looks like its going from one end of the oval to the other.

The next step in how to make oval flower arrangements is to try out the height method.  In this method, simply take the tallest flower and put it in the center.  Now, working your way out, arrange the flowers from tallest to shortest.  This will give your arrangement a nice pyramid shape with good height, and it’ll look almost as though the flowers have all grown out of one pot.

Now that you know how to make oval flower arrangements, just try to make more of them.  Like anything else, practice makes perfect and the more you do the more you’ll enjoy it and the better you’ll be able to make them.

If you would like to an easy way to learn how to make oval flower arrangement, check out our Flowerbudi Kit.  With Flower Budi, anyone can create professional looking centerpieces and arrangements!