Stories of successful family empires always seem to catch our attention, whether it’s a family like the entertainment moguls the Kardashians or a successful business family like the duck dynasty crew, but yet ordinary people like me and you are always left wondering how they manage to keep their families on the same page long enough to create something similar.
Let me introduce you to the family behind J’adore Les Fleurs; they’re a family-first business that began in a small Glendale shopping plaza in 2013. Originally known as “Sunshine Flowers,” their business consisted of Margaret, the owner of Sunshine Flowers, her two sons, Chris and Davit, and her two daughters-in-law, Eliza (Attorney at Law) and Alisa (Fashion Designer). Although they may seem like an ordinary family, what they didn’t know then was that this small crew was capable of creating a family empire in the soon-to-be luxury floral industry that would serve the greater Los Angeles area.
Humble Beginnings
It all started with a small family business that wanted to do more with their shop than sell flowers. They wanted to revolutionize the flower-giving culture by adding a touch of elegance and luxury to every bouquet and arrangement that came out of their shop. At that time, the family began seizing every opportunity to create unique and original arrangement methods that would catch the attention of some of the biggest celebrities we know today.
On one eventful trip to Paris, instead of just going on a typical vacation, the family came back with inspiration from the sophistication and elegance behind France’s chic culture and language, which would soon become an innovative birth to luxury flower culture. The delicacy of French fashion and design, plus the vivid concepts of the Victorian Era hat boxes, inspired the family to incorporate these ideas into their flower packaging.
The momentum and praise for their innovation of the US’s flower-giving culture were pouring in, so much so that in 2015 the family launched a new store in Studio City, California. Within two years, their luxury brand had expanded its operations to three brick-and-mortar stores offering fresh flowers and hand-delivery within the greater Los Angeles area.
The Family First Edge
When we talked to the founders of J’adore Les Fleurs, they talked about working with family and the many advantages that come with that strategy, most working in their favor. For example, there is just a certain trust level that they can’t expect from non-family members, meaning the family has a vested interest in seeing the company succeed just a bit more than a regular employee. Although they value every employee equally, they know at the end of the day, having family members that share core values, they can rest assured that it’s everyone’s mission to accomplish their shared vision.
The family at JLF stays fiercely committed to their roots and goals for the company but remains open-minded to the vision that the company is more than just a small family business. When you talk to the family about the shared vision for J’adore Les Fleurs and what it can become, you’re going to pick up on the fact that being the best premium or luxury floral business is at the top of everyone’s agenda. Co-Founders Alisa Tovmanyan and Eliza Glants recognize the value in reinforcing their brand to energize each member by sharing news and details of innovative and exciting projects, to build a tradition and a brand that people can be proud of now and in the future.
Learn from Two Powerful Women in a Family Business: 5 Tips to Take Immediate Action
J’adore Les Fleurs began as a small family business, and today we know it for its famous boxed floral bouquets that Southern California fell in love with, and its success is due primarily to the two powerhouse co-founders that have taken charge of their family empire. Their business savvy extends far past their ability to sell flowers; the duo has started to receive lots of attention for their ability to build a brand and scale, further strengthening the voice of women in business. If your family is building a business at this very moment and things seem difficult, these are the biggest tips you can implement into your family business J’adore Les Fleur’s very own.
- Understand and respect each other’s true nature.
- Do not be afraid of speaking up but keep it professional.
- Have a clear line between family responsibilities and work responsibilities.
- Do not discuss business outside of the business.
- Don’t minimize each other’s efforts, accomplishments for the brand- instead celebrate it and cheer!
The Future in Store for the Family Empire Behind J’adore Les Fleurs
Over the next few years, we can expect the company to continue innovating within its space. The immediate changes we will see are new innovative packaging of flowers ( new box designs, colors, materials, providing upgrades to existing products, more locations in different states and countries, and lastly, expanding the brand to include additional product lines inspired by the beautiful world of flowers.
It’s remarkable how far a family-run business like J’adore Les Fleurs has come with strong leadership, starting from one small flower shop in Studio City, California, to three boutiques in the greater Los Angeles area and a fourth in Las Vegas. So the next time you’re looking for the freshest floral bouquets that offer delivery, remember your friends at J’adore Les Fleurs!
