Florists not only love working with flowers and plants, but should also possess a keen eye for detail, and creative flair. You'll have to be good with your hands, and physically fit. It will help to have good interpersonal skills. The retail portion of your business, means that you'll be dealing with customers as they come in to shop for flowers The flower arrangements for weddings and funerals are often made in times of high stress, where emotions are close to the surface. You'll have to be able to be helpful, diplomatic, and practical in difficult situations. To learn the trade of a florist, you can either go through a community college program or learn by apprenticing with a florist. Some community colleges have certification programs in floral design, but there is no requirement for college credits in order to work as a florist. Working for a florist while you attend college is a good way to get the most out of your training. If the florist doesn't have any jobs or internships arranging flowers, you should consider doing part-time work cleaning the shop or other unskilled tasks in order to get a sense of the way a shop works. Working for a florist is the most efficient way to learn what skills you'll need, because you'll learn first-hand the pressures and rewards of owning your own shop. In addition, you'll likely learn cost-saving measures and floral design secrets that won't be found in community college programs. Someone who works in floral design is usually more up-to-date on the latest trends in the flower industry as opposed to someone whose involvement has been more academic. If you plan to open your flower shop in the same city, county or state, you'll learn more about local resources and licensing requirements. While there are no formal requirements for becoming a florist, you'll need to apply for a business license and follow all local tax and building codes. Someone who runs his own flower shop will have to expect to work from quite early in the morning, as early as 4:30 a.m., until the end of a typical business day, 5:00-5:30. Your shop will likely be open at least 6 days per week. You'll have to be plan ahead for busy seasons (generally around Valentine's Day and Mother's Day) and slow seasons (January and August tend to be slow seasons for the floral industry). If you're thinking of hiring any employees, you'll need to make sure they're well trained. Customer service is essential in running a successful flower shop.

Summary: Have the natural skills a florist requires. Learn the trade of a florist. Consider on-the-job training. Think about risks and benefits of opening a flower shop.

It can often be easy to slide back into kid-oriented instruction styles during swimming lessons with adults. But remember that your adult students may already be anxious or uncomfortable. The last thing they need is to be treated like a child on top of everything else. Praise them when they deserve it, kindly explain how they can improve what they're doing, and always address them with respect and consideration. Give your students time to understand, to ask questions, and to learn at their own pace. Each student learns differently and reacts to various teaching styles differently. Observe your students and see how they seem to learn the best. Then, tailor your instruction to fit each student. For example, some learn by watching someone else do the thing, while others learn by doing and receiving feedback. Don't focus on what the adult swimmer is doing wrong. Instead, encourage them by telling them what they are doing right and providing tips on how to improve what they are already doing. If the student is struggling with a particular stroke, try saying something like, "Your side-to-side head motions are great! Now let's focus on trying to keep your arms straight all the way through the stroke."
Summary: Speak to them like adults. Adjust your teaching style. Stay positive.