What a well-thought out flower workshop can do to your team

Discovering new worlds through workshops

Recently, I had the chance to host workshops for private yacht crew members. Having never experienced life aboard a private yacht, it was fascinating to glimpse this unique world. A yacht operates as a mini society requiring all elements of a well-functioning environment: beautifully decorated interiors, wellness facilities, beauty salons, exceptional cuisine, and flawless event execution. In this setting, floral design skills become invaluable for crew members who must create and maintain these sophisticated spaces.

The Netherlands, with its renowned shipyards and maritime expertise, serves as a frequent port of call for private yachts. Magnificent vessels dock here for refueling and renovations, and during these extended stays, stewardesses and crew members pursue knowledge and skill-building courses. The chief stewardesses I met had been searching for months for exactly this opportunity—a rewarding, skill-building floral design course in the Netherlands.

How to run a successful ‘Creative’ sessions

The teams I worked with were experienced professionals: culturally sophisticated stewardesses with a genuine passion for creating beautiful floral arrangements. My teaching approach balances structure with creative freedom. I share core fundamentals—proper handling of cut plants, color theory, and proportion principles—demonstrating each concept as I explain it. But once the demonstration concludes, I encourage participants to choose their own color palettes and follow their personal preferences. This approach helps them practice envisioning and executing their unique designs. While they could simply replicate my demonstration, 90% choose to experiment with their own flower selections and color schemes.

Bringing the magic of Korean hospitality

One memorable moment occurred when the yacht crew entered my kitchen for lunch, exclaiming, "Wow, it's a real home!" As part of our full-day program, we share a home-cooked Korean meal. For people who spend months away from home working on yachts, there's profound comfort in the cooking aromas that greet them as they enter my house. I believe food prepared with 48 hours of careful attention and love makes a tangible difference. You can visibly watch participants relax and recharge as they enjoy wholesome, traditionally prepared Korean cuisine.

People will pay for memorable and meaningful experiences

Beyond the meaningful connections and relationships these encounters have brought me, here's what I've observed:

The experiential tourism business holds tremendous potential. I'm seeing increasing numbers of B2B clients operating major hospitality businesses, alongside individuals seeking direct experiences. In a world saturated with social media and YouTube's indirect experiences, people actively research and invest in activities that create lasting memories, inspire new perspectives, and provide practical skills.

These workshops have taught me several key principles about creating meaningful experiences.

Any successful experience should engage all five senses. Our workshops offer beautiful flowers for sight, exceptional food for taste, natural fragrances throughout the day, carefully selected music during creative flow states, and the tactile pleasure of working with plants.

When teaching creativity, provide individual creative freedom—but only after establishing core principles of material handling, fundamental techniques, and color and shape theory.

Flowers and plants excel as decorating mediums for creating themed environments. With readily available materials, anyone can transform a space into exotic tropics or serene white minimalism within a single day.

Always envision the desired end-state for participants. I aim for my groups to experience: attentive care, the pleasure of beautiful surroundings, practical floral design skills, increased confidence in realizing their creative visions, and the wellness that comes from deep, focused engagement. When participants experience all these elements, I've succeeded in my mission.