Interned at Phillip's Flowers
Westmont, IL
Summer 2007

Putting new design techniques to work Putting new design techniques to work

This summer I packed up my things and moved to the Chicago area, ready and excited to start my internship at Phillip's Flowers in Westmont, Illinois. I was hoping to gain a new perspective of and additional work experience in the floral industry. I wanted to diversify and expand my knowledge in the retail floral business. Over a fourteen week period, I learned a lot about the company and floral design, but most importantly, I learned a lot about myself. I now have a clearer picture of what I want in my future as a floral designer and hopefully future owner of a floral design business.

I started my internship the Wednesday before Mother's Day. As a major supplier of Chicago land's floral designs, Phillip's Flowers awe-struck me those first couple of days with the amount of merchandise that was flowing in and out of their doors. After the holiday, things went back to normal in the company, and I settled into the many facets of my internship. Although the majority of my time at Phillip's was spent in their Event Department, I did get a chance to spend time in almost all of the departments Phillip's offers in their company including production, dispatch, retail, wholesale, phone room, plants, administration, and branch stores. Each department offered something different and something for me to learn.

I spent a majority of my time in the Events Department, which I enjoyed very much. The ladies I worked with were great mentors and very fun to be around. I learned a lot in this department that I can use down the road, and I was really able to use my creativity on such projects as standing orders. I enjoyed this so much because flowers were at my disposal, and I had access to about any flower which made designing fun and exciting. I believe I enjoyed the Events Department because I learned some new design techniques, but most importantly, I was exposed to new things. I worked on elaborate and colorful Indian weddings, something that is not common in Iowa. I also had the chance to go on set-ups and see some really gorgeous venues. My experience in Events gave me a lot of great ideas for designs. I also enjoyed this department because I was able meet with customers for a bridal consultation. I really enjoyed this because I am a people person, and I really enjoy working and conversing with customers.

The impact my internship had on my career and education is almost too large to express in words. My experience in a successful retail florist company solidified my interest in floral design as I am still passionate about the floral industry and excited to make big strides in my career. It also provided me great opportunities for the future. Finally, the internship better prepared me for a fast-paced job in the floral industry. I learned how to adjust in a new work environment and effectively work with new co-workers. In just a couple of years, I will be out on my own, hopefully working in a floral design business and using what I learned at Phillip's Flowers to help fuel my success.