Bouqs is short for bouquets and these are nothing short of spectacular. Then again, they’re farm-fresh, and really fed by melted volcanic snow in mineral-rich, ph-balanced soil and delivered straight from the farm, 2-4 days after you order them. Which means that they last longer.
“We’re bringing a modern brand, elegant design, easy shopping and a volcano-direct supply chain to an old and stagnant industry,” said Founder & CEO John Tabis, who tells us more about his Amplify LA-accelerated company – and the hottest stems in town.
Tell us about the service.
Bouqs.com is a farm-direct provider of affordable, elegant flowers, sustainably farmed in South America or here in the US. Drop-shipped for $40 flat with free shipping, our flowers are as fresh as they come, and unique in both origin and design.
How is it different?
-Sourced from sustainable and responsible farms on a volcano in South America or on the California Coast. The farm-direct model means fresher stems (sometimes by over a week), and transparency of source means responsible sourcing
-Flat pricing of $40 from South America and $50 from California, with free shipping and no hidden fees
-Elegant and easy shopping experience @ Bouqs.com or via our app
-Subscriptions available to automate your deliveries, all at discounts up to 25%
What market are you attacking and how big is it?
$50B global flower retail.
What is the business model?
Vertically-integrated international supply chain with perishable product on the supply chain side, and a modern, next-gen shopping experience on the consumer side.
What inspired the business?
My Co-Founder, Juan Pablo Montufar, was frustrated with the farming business, which his family has been in for decades. Meanwhile, I was frustrated with the lack of a brand and shopping experience that spoke to me. Combining the two, Bouqs was born!
What are the milestones that you plan to achieve within six months?
More growth, more employees, more fun!
If you could be put in touch with one investor in the community who would it be and why?
I feel like I know the community pretty well after 2.5 years of networking, parties, conferences, and fundraising. I haven’t met Chris Sacca yet, though, so he’d be at the top of the list.
What does being “Made in LA” mean to you and your company?
Creativity. We live in the most creative city in the world, and what better place to start a company? We have an amazing set of assets here in LA – from the weather and beaches, to the silver screen, to the creative people who live and work here in Venice, Santa Monica, South Bay and Hollywood. We imagine, then bring to life stories for the big, small and mobile screens. We create huge ad campaigns for Fortune 50 brands. We create amazing art with paint, skateboards, pen and pencil, and our bodies. And we build very cool, very relevant, and in the future, very big companies and brands. Creativity. That’s LA.
What else can be done to promote early stage entrepreneurship in Los Angeles?
A larger, more diverse set of A and B round investors. We have a great set of accelerators and seed stage investors in town. I’m lucky to call some of them investors, and many more friends. With the exception of a couple funds, though, LA companies are forced to travel to find leads for their A and B rounds. We’re getting there, but attracting more top notch, mid and late stage investors is crucial to evolving the community.
What’s your favorite after work activity in Los Angeles?
Spending time with my family (2 boys, 1 girl, 1 wife, 1 Boston Terrier – Billie Jean) at the beach. Though, typically, that’s weekends as ‘after work’ is kinda late for the kiddos. If I’m not with the family, I’ll happily take a frosty beverage at sundown at a beachfront bar.