Sisters Claudine and Laurie, owners of the Roseville, MN store have just signed an agreement to open an Edible Arrangements store in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They brought a combination of business experience, talent and enthusiasm to their first store, opened in 2006, that is sure to make them successful in their expansion. I know firsthand how gratifying it can be working with family – I started my first business with the help of my parents, and worked with family members over the years in the floral industry, our computer technology companies, and still today at Edible Arrangements!
Like most siblings, Claudine and Laurie share many of the same likes and interests – golf, the Minnesota Twins, and traveling. They also have a good natured debate going on about how they first heard about Edible Arrangements. Laurie says she saw an advertisement in a magazine. Claudine says one of her clients received an Apple Blossom arrangement, and Claudine was so impressed she contacted the store to learn about franchising opportunities. The debate goes on, but their mother thinks she has the answer: Mom insists that the daughters heard about Edible Arrangements through her after she saw the company on the Food Network!
Claudine and Laurie bring a wide range of business skills to their enterprise. Before opening their first Edible Arrangements store Claudine spent over 10 years designing commercial space and selling business owners everything they needed to set up their business. She was also a construction manager for a scenic construction company that designed and built interiors for the Rainforest Café Restaurants and scenery for Betty Crocker, Relax the Back Stores, the WNBA Hall of Fame in Nashville, Disney World, Mall of America and Times Square. In addition to her experience as an EA franchisee, Laurie has many years of office management, volunteer coordination, fundraising, bookkeeping and Human Resources experience in a variety of mid to small organizations and non-profit settings.
I know that these complementary skills will continue to serve Claudine and Laurie well running their Edible Arrangements enterprise. Business administration experience, people management skills, creativity, and passion for what you do are the keys to success for any small businessperson. Claudine and Laurie have it all!
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