Poached or Lost: When Another Florist Books Your Client
Because sometimes someone crossed a line. And sometimes, you missed the signs.
You’ve worked with them for years. Prioritized their events. Squeezed them in when you were already booked. Showed up early, stayed late, and never made them feel like anything less than a priority. And then suddenly, they go quiet. A few weeks later, you see the announcement: they’ve booked another designer. Not just anyone—but someone who follows you, someone who’s seen your work together, someone who knew exactly what they were stepping into.
We don’t talk about it enough, but it happens all the time. Another florist inserts themselves into a conversation that wasn’t theirs to begin with. Sometimes it’s obvious—offering to beat a proposal, DM’ing a client you’re clearly tagged in. Other times it’s more subtle: a flirty comment on the client’s post, a soft nudge through mutual vendors, a quiet suggestion that they’d offer something “fresh.”
Let’s not sugarcoat it. That’s not networking. That’s not collaboration. That’s poaching.
But here’s the part that stings a little more—sometimes a client leaves the door open. And sometimes, we didn’t notice it swinging. Maybe our communication lagged. Maybe the proposal lacked clarity or heart. Maybe we assumed loyalty without continuing to earn it. That doesn’t excuse what the other designer did, but it does call us to pause and ask: did I leave space for doubt? Did I make it easy for someone else to look like the better fit?
Did I leave space for doubt? Did I make it easy for someone else to look like the better fit?
When it happens to you, it hurts. Especially when it’s someone you’ve shown up for consistently. But before you let your pride take the wheel, take a breath. Don’t post about it. Don’t spiral. Don’t chase a client who’s already told you what they need to say by going elsewhere. Close the loop if it feels right—but hold your dignity while you do.
And if you’ve ever been the one who stepped into someone else’s lane—whether intentionally or not—own it. A simple “If you’re already working with someone, I completely understand and respect that” goes further than any pitch ever will.
You don’t need to steal someone else’s momentum to build your own. You don’t need to blur boundaries to book more.
Because at the end of the day, integrity is a long game. And if your growth depends on slipping into someone else’s client thread, you’re not building a brand—you’re building a reputation no one trusts.