Behind the Blooms
It's a Small Town After All
Monday, July 9, 2012

Charleston is a bustling, growing city, but at its heart it's still just a small southern town, and we love it!  The picture you see here was taken about 15 years ago at our very first store front on King Street. The little girl with the bright smile is the daughter of our driver, Bennie.  We didn't even know Bennie at the time.  He just happened to snap this pic years ago while they were on a walk.  
Bennie's daughter is now grown and living in Atlanta, Georgia and is a student at Clark Atlanta University.  Tiger Lily has grown too, from a small shop on King Street to the largest florist in South Carolina.  Likewise, the city of Charleston has grown and flourished into a dynamic and culturally rich utopia. It was voted as the #3  best city in the world to visit by CNNGO.com in 2011, it is one of the top wedding destinations in the U.S., and ranks amongst the top 5 Best Places for a Job by Forbes in 2012. With all the recognition Charleston has received, it is very easy to forget that at the heart of all the accolades, is a charming small town that stays humble.

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Posted by Manny Gonzales
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When Google Called Us...I Thought It Was A Joke
Monday, May 7, 2012

When Google called us...I thought it was a joke.  They called from San Francisco and said something like, "We've been following Tiger Lily, and the way you use Google business apps, and would like to shoot a video of your story."  I responded with "Listen, we're really busy, so if this is scam or advertising pitch, your'e wasting your time". 
Well, it was legit, and Google sent a production team of 11 people down from Boston for 4 days.  Cameras, lighting, boom mics, even make-up! We told our Google Business Apps story, and it was then that I realized how much Google Business Apps is part of our daily operation.  Everything from emails to schedules to daily reports are all driven by Google Business Apps, often times remotely!  Most importantly, we SHARE that info in real time with our key staff members.  Now all of our goals are top of mind for the entire staff, as well as the results.  And the results have been amazing.  By following sound business principles, we're having a great year.  But it's Google Business Apps that makes following those principles so much easier! 
People often say "It must be a blast working with flowers all day."  Clara and I do feel we have a great profession, but the flowers are just part of it.  It's where the "art" of flower design meets the "business" of  ownership that makes it a blast.  Like we often say, "I'ts never been easy but its mostly been fun."  Being part of Google's Business Apps story has certainly been a blast!

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Posted by Manny Gonzales
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The Beginning
Monday, June 9, 2008
Welcome to the first entry into our blog! Our goal is give you a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes at Tiger Lily.
Most folks say "It must be fun to play with flowers all day, so relaxing and nurturing for your soul" and stuff like that. Hey, our entire staff loves being around flowers all day. We always appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. But make no mistake, Tiger Lily rocks and rolls. Imagine being in the kitchen of a busy 5-Star restaurant! Deliveries coming and going, appointments, 5 delivery vehicles in constant rotation, phone calls, photo shoots, interviews, beach weddings, whew! And that's a "typical" day!

Over time, we hope to convey what it's like to be part of Tiger Lily. We'll be posting a couple times a week what's happening, including photos, stories, challenges and hopefully solutions. In short, what goes on "Behind the Blooms".

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Posted by Manny Gonzales
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