The first thing you notice about Jennifer Miller is her smile. Then you notice the enthusiasm. That smile, and that enthusiasm, is part of what keeps bringing people back to Flowers Et Cetera on Clark Street in Republic. When you enter or call the shop you immediately feel a sense of welcome.

 Jennifer has lived in Ferry County most of her life, but she took her first step into owning a business in January 2009. She had worked as the primary floral designer and sales clerk for Flowers Et Cetera for six years and when the owner decided to sell, Jennifer made the decision to take a chance on the opportunity. “I never thought I would own a floral shop, but I’d fallen in love with what the business offered. Each day brought a chance to learn something new, each situation created new challenges.”

Jennifer said she learned that even a small business has to diversify a little in a small town. “Like most floral shops, we offer fresh arrangements for funerals, weddings and special events and prom night corsages and such. But we offer a full range of floral services for the home, too. If you’re having a special event, we can help you plan your arrangements. My background in interior design allows us to create a harmony between the floral designs and your home. We consider the furniture you have, the height of the ceilings and the colors in your home, because all these factors are a huge part of planning arrangements in a room.”

When asked what some of the challenges were when she opened her first business, Jennifer pauses a moment. “I’ve never been a boss, never been a business owner,” she muses. “I opened in January, knowing that one of the biggest days of the year for florists was coming soon: Valentine’s Day. So I had to move fast, and that meant hiring someone quickly. It meant I either had to find someone who was an experienced floral designer or I had to do some mighty fast training! Now, I have two part-time employees, and I’ve learned a lot from them," she laughs.

“I had to learn to listen carefully to what my employees were saying, and what they were not saying. Not every employee is the same; it took me a good year to know each of my employees, to understand how they work best, which niche fit them best and how best to help them become part of our team. What’s important is the end result.”

“I’ve learned there are some critical aspects to having employees: observe them carefully to best understand how they function. In order to help me do this, I hold monthly meetings where we can discuss what’s working in the shop, talk about any problems we’re experiencing in the job and explore what we can do differently."

“I’ve also learned that employees have to understand the business image that the business owner wants to create. Employees can’t read your mind; you have to explain that image to your employees, help them respect that image and uphold it.”

Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it. Peter Drucker

When asked what she thinks is the most important part of doing business in Ferry County, Jennifer doesn’t hesitate. “Killer customer service," she states firmly. “It’s easy for people to drive over the hill. We can’t compete with discount prices, but we can offer fantastic, superior service to every customer. We have to work hard to overcome objections to paying a slightly higher price, and we have to educate ourselves to sell our product. We can offer better customer service, a professional approach to our business and best of all, we can remind our customers that we’re here. We live in their town; we understand the problems and difficulties, so we can be more accommodating than businesses on the outside.

"Another thing we can do is get involved in the community: join organizations, join the Chamber of Commerce, network as much as possible. The more people see and meet you, the more they see your business. Networking within your community is like advertising without cost.”

Jennifer is eager to see more businesses come to Ferry County, and shares her insight as to how to succeed: “Hiring the right people to help your business succeed is important. The people you hire should be the people who understand your business image and who want to actively support that image.

"Also, while we’re competing for the same dollars, don’t view other businesses as competition--see them as resources for advice. I want people to shop in Ferry County, so I try to promote every business. If I don’t have something a customer wants, I try to steer them towards a local business that might have what they need. To do this, I have to know what other businesses offer, so I make a point to drop in on other businesses, introduce myself and look around. We’re all here for the same reasons: we love Ferry County, we love where we live. We need to work together and get advice from each other. Also, I’d recommend every business person continue your business education. Your business isn’t just a business--it’s your livelihood, and you have to be willing to put time and effort into making it succeed.”

The bottom line is, you have to get customers in your door to get your name out. Your customer can always go somewhere else, your business can’t. You have to get the right message out to the right people. That’s good marketing," Jennifer continued. “You have to establish trust between the customer and yourself--the customer has to know that you are there to meet their needs, to solve their purchasing problems. Whether you sell a product or deliver a service, the customer has to remain your primary focus.”

Jennifer pauses. “I know some people are fearful of change, but change is what will enable us to survive as a community. We need to make other businesses feel welcome, we all need to work together to create the best chance for every business to succeed. None of us is going to get rich in Ferry County, but if we work together, we can all live comfortably here. Making room for change requires that you update your business plan to meet changing demographics in the county. No business can survive long if it takes a 'same old same old' approach."

Jennifer smiles that welcoming smile. “My final suggestion would be to constantly re-evaluate your business, study your customers, and ask ‘What can I do to make my business better?.' Don’t stagnate or become complacent. You can be on top today, but if you forget that customers and community are what support your business, you could find yourself closing your doors tomorrow.”

Respect for the customer, concern for the community, a focus on the future, and a solid business approach are found at Flowers Et Cetera. It stands as a model for other business owners who want to help Ferry County thrive.