Entering a national company as an entry-level accountant, Kelly Taggart worked her way up through the ranks with unyielding tenacity and determination.
Besides being stunningly attractive, a gift of flowers often speaks volumes and communicates a powerful message without words, which few understand better than Roses Only CEO Kelly Taggart.
“People have rediscovered the floral gift you can give when you don’t necessarily know what to say,” says Kelly.
“Flowers provide an extra bit of passion and feeling to your meaning that you can’t always get across in a text message or phone call.
“Which is lovely in a way because those flowers last a lot longer, and that person is going to be looking at those flowers remembering you’re thinking of them.”
Kelly looks comfortable sitting behind the wheel of the all-electric EQC and we’ve adjusted the ambient lighting to match her heels and the bright pink pops of colour in the stunning Roses Only bouquet.
The luxury vehicle is silent as we circle the industrial lot and feels as though we’re in the cockpit of a futuristic space capsule, especially with the glow from the customised light system and moon roof.
Starting with the company over 14 years ago as an accountant, Kelly is a wonderful example of a business investing in its staff.
Along her journey to becoming CEO, Kelly has always maintained an owner’s mindset, having become a shareholder early on.
“This was something we did over and over again because we were a new business and when you’re starting out, cash is king.”
As Kelly became increasingly involved in the business decisions, she naturally progressed into an operational role and began to climb the corporate ladder.
“While I was still managing the finance team, it began to grow underneath me,” she says.
“These new teams continued to come under my wing one after the other until I became the General Manager and eventually Chief Operations Officer.”
Roses Only now has the largest floral footprint in Australia, with 11 studios located across most states and territories, the business employs over 200 qualified florists.
“While the company has experienced a lot of growth and change, I love being able to work with such a great team, drive the strategy and help people grow in their roles,” she says.
“It’s exciting when you’re dealing with a product that’s all about making people feel good and helping send their love to someone – this is what keeps me inspired.
“When customers place an order through Roses Only, they trust us to deliver exactly what they want and to get that message of love across to their special one.”
Over the years, Kelly has learnt the importance of listening to other people and considering their point of view.
“To enable growth, you need to stay curious, always ask questions and continue to learn,” she says.
“Tell people what you’re interested in, be willing to learn and be open to the advice of others,” she says.
“For a lot of people just starting out, I love it when they make an effort to express their love of a certain aspect of the business and ask after new avenues.
“If you don’t say something, it’s not just going to be handed to you – the more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to grow and achieve more.”
“I was COO for about six years and achieved so much, whereas I’ve only been CEO for a year,” she says.
“There’s so much more we can do with the flower gifting experience, and I want to continue exploring what else we can offer our customers to help them provide better gifts, express more meaning and celebrate more moments.”
