Christina Stembel

Natasha Dongoor, WSJ editor who reported on the sleepcation trend. Donnie Paquin, jeweler and founder of Agapantha Jewelry navigating volatile gold and silver. Christina Stemble, CEO of Farm Girl Flower managing tariffs and rising transport costs. Kristen Schwab, Marketplace reporter covering import price jumps and trade data. They discuss import price spikes, metals-driven small-business pricing, shipping and fuel surcharges, and the sleepcation phenomenon.

In this conversation, Christina Stembel, founder of Farmgirl Flowers, shares her incredible journey of turning a mere $411 into a $65M floral empire. She discusses the bold choice of entering a perishable product market during a recession, navigating through 104 VC rejections, and thriving without a marketing budget. Christina emphasizes the importance of bootstrapping, customer obsession, and strategic planning, offering invaluable lessons on logistics and seasonal management. Her story is a masterclass in grit and resourcefulness!

Donnie Paquin, jewelry designer navigating volatile gold and silver costs. Christina Stemble, floral entrepreneur coping with rising fuel, fertilizer and transport expenses. Kristen Schwab, reporter unpacking a sharp monthly jump in U.S. import prices. They discuss soaring import costs, how commodity swings hit small businesses, and what the price surge could mean for inflation and everyday pricing.

stacy-marie ishmael, Bloomberg executive editor on crypto and payments, breaks down Coinbase’s surge and the regulatory shifts around stablecoins. Christina Stembel, founder of Farmgirl Flowers, explains holiday demand, delivery timing and tariff pressures on floral supply. Dr. Adam Posen, Peterson Institute president, discusses inflation risks, Fed policy paths and long-term forces like AI and demographics.

Christina Stembel, the visionary founder and CEO of Farmgirl Flowers, bootstrapped her startup from her dining room in 2010. In this insightful chat, she dives into the challenges of prioritizing profitability over rapid growth and her courageous decision to reject a buyout offer, opting instead for long-term ownership. Christina sheds light on the difficulties of sourcing U.S.-grown flowers amid labor shortages and tariffs. She also shares her unique approach to integrating farming into her business, ensuring top-notch quality in her beloved burlap-wrapped bouquets.