Small business owners are prepared for a lot of things, whether it’s a seasonal shift in sales or an unexpected employee absence. But we’ve never seen anything like the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving us uncertain about how to cope in these strange times. While it can be stressful, it can also be a time of innovation and growth. As entrepreneurs try to figure out their own unique path forward, we wanted to share how one of our clients is managing their way through this crisis.

Flowers by Nature, a unique flower shop in East Aurora, NY, run by Force of Nature, Cheryl Gicewicz, had to close its doors and lay off its staff like so many other businesses following the COVID-19 shutdown. Fresh flowers still in the coolers were donated to local nursing homes, but with so much inventory of fun spring gifts, Easter decor and garden accessories, Cheryl saw an opportunity. 

Time to PIVOT!

In late 2019 Tall Girls Design launched a new website for Flowers by Nature showcasing their original floral designs and gorgeous imagery. The site was built to accommodate seasonal offerings as well FBN’s active Instagram feed. Enter COVID-19. In a matter of days TGD reconfigured the site to list a catalog of non-floral products and weekly limited time products as available. Cheryl launched a spitfire social media campaign featuring her pop-up curbside sales, on-line ordering for pick-up only and her loyal customers responded brilliantly selling out products and clambering for more. Now Cheryl is offering fresh flowers, as they are available, in addition to a variety of gifts and manages to fulfill orders single-handedly while maintaining social distancing. 

Looking for ways to PIVOT your business? Let’s brainstorm!