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Dear Readers:

Yesterday, I shared the five best pieces of advice I have ever received in response to the letter from Curious who asked me to reflect on the best and worst tips given to me in my personal and professional life. Today, I will list the five pieces of advice that turned out to be wrong.

When I was first starting out, I mentioned my passion to a dear friend and was told I would never be able to make a living selling flowers. Boy, were they wrong!

When I finally did start my business, I was told clients would never pay $1,000 for a floral arrangement. I guess they never understood the value of unique flowers and designs.

Many years ago, while facing hard times and deep in debt, an associate advised me to declare bankruptcy. I explained that was not an option for me. Thank God that worked out.

When I shared my desire to move from the low-end market into the high-end market, a colleague scoffed at the idea and announced that clients would never pay more for my services. I believed at that time, that a good product and hard work allows us to make that leap.

Once, when I had a bride cancel a wedding, I was told not to follow my heart and return the bride’s money. I had already started to produce the wedding, and my advisor suggested that I keep the funds given to me. In the end, I chose only to cover my costs and returned most of the sum. Three years later, the bride returned and hired me to do a larger wedding.

In closing, I want to say that most of the family and friends who give us advice are coming to us from a very good place. Still, I think we need to always listen to our instincts and follow our hearts to find the answer that is right for us.

Follow Your Heart,

Preston