The Society of American Florists (SAF) has introduced Aster, an AI-powered business consultant developed exclusively for SAF members to address the everyday challenges faced by floral professionals. Designed as an industry-trained digital advisor, Aster delivers quick, practical guidance on staffing, pricing, marketing and operational efficiency, eliminating the time and cost barriers of traditional consulting.

Built to support floral businesses of all sizes, Aster offers clear, actionable insights rooted in real-world industry experience. SAF President Lori Wheat, AAF, described the tool as “having an experienced floral business advisor in your pocket,” adding that it enables florists to make confident decisions faster while juggling shop operations, team management and customer demands.

Unlike general-purpose AI tools, Aster is trained exclusively on SAF’s extensive library of trusted resources, including Floral Management magazine, SAF industry news, and educational content from the Floral Education Hub. This ensures advice is tailored to floral-specific workflows, terminology and seasonal pressures—ranging from holiday staffing surges to perishability and margin management.

According to Joe Aldeguer, SAF’s director of IT who led the platform’s development, Aster was designed to deliver genuinely useful, industry-aligned guidance. He noted that the AI consultant can recall past conversations, supports multiple languages and will continue to evolve as member usage grows and new SAF content is added.

Aster is positioned as a decision-support tool that helps members save time, reduce stress and improve business outcomes. Florists can use it to explore best practices across marketing, recruitment, operations and profitability through natural, conversational queries.

SAF CEO Kate Penn said the launch underscores the association’s commitment to innovation that delivers tangible value to members. “Aster extends our expertise in a highly accessible way, providing immediate support when members need it most,” she said, adding that the initiative reflects SAF’s focus on technology that strengthens business resilience without adding complexity.