From “Why Not?” to Wow! An Intern with Ian Experience

From spooky Halloween arrangements to an eight-foot floral guitar and an elegant waterfront wedding, Jessalynn Morgan of Floratechnics in Bowmanville, Ontario, experienced it all during her three-day internship with renowned floral designer Ian Prosser AIFD in Florida.

As the winner of FTD’s 2026 Intern with Ian contest, Jessalynn stepped outside her familiar world of retail floristry to discover the creativity, teamwork, and behind-the-scenes coordination that bring spectacular events to life. Along the way, she gained fresh inspiration, valuable business insights, and a renewed confidence in pursuing new opportunities.

And it all started with one simple thought when she saw the contest invitation: “Why not?”

Behind the Scenes of Spectacular Events

Jessalynn’s internship was packed with creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning. She worked with Ian and his talented team on four distinctive events: a Halloween retirement party at the Dalí Museum, a vibrant hot pink and red bat mitzvah, a rock-and-roll-themed 50th birthday celebration, and an elegant modern wedding in Boca Grande.

Her projects ranged from creating spooky floral arrangements in skull-shaped containers to designing large statement pieces, helping with an eight-foot-tall floral guitar, and preparing and installing elaborate floral displays.

One highlight was completing a cloud-like ceremony installation alongside Ian at the Boca Grande wedding. Weather delays had shortened their setup time, making teamwork and quick decisions essential.

“The fact that he trusted me to help with such an important piece made me feel like a valued part of the team, not just someone there to observe,” Jessalynn shared.

Beyond designing, Jessalynn gained valuable business insights through conversations with Ian’s daughter, Zoë Gallina, about consultations, quoting, software, scheduling, and coordinating employees and events.

 Five Lessons to Bring Back to the Shop

Jessalynn returned home with five key takeaways that any florist can apply:

1. Collaboration is everything. Sharing ideas and solving problems together leads to stronger results.
2. Trust your team. Giving employees meaningful responsibilities allows their talents and creativity to shine.
3. Learn from different business models. Event-focused operations offer valuable lessons for retail florists.
4. Prioritize the customer experience. Making clients feel cared for is just as important as creating beautiful flowers.
5. Stop overthinking and start trying. New ideas don’t have to be perfect before you put them into action.

 Paying It Forward

For Ian, hosting the annual internship is about sharing knowledge and supporting the industry’s future.

“I feel it’s part of my job as an industry veteran to pay it forward to the next generation,” Ian explained. “We need to help those coming behind us and nurture the next generation of floral designers.”

Jessalynn returned home with new perspectives on teamwork, customer relationships, business operations, and creative collaboration. Most importantly, she gained confidence to pursue new ideas and opportunities.

“The biggest thing I’m bringing home is confidence—not necessarily in my ability to arrange flowers, but in myself, my ideas, and my willingness to try something new.”

Her experience offers a powerful reminder for florists at every stage of their careers: There’s always something new to learn, and sometimes the first step toward growth is simply saying, “Why not?”