Debby Wood

Debby holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Piano Performance from Tulane and is a generally creative and talented individual. In January 2004, she made six floral arrangements for her mother-in-law’s birthday party and received so many compliments she decided to pursue floral arranging as a side business. She created her own business, Debra Hirsch Wood Designs, acquired a tax ID number, and completed all the other necessary paperwork to start her business. She then found out Louisiana requires individuals to have a license before they can arrange and sell flowers. Undeterred, Debby decided to take the licensing exam. To prepare, she enrolled in a two-week, 80-hour course and spent more than $2,000 preparing to take the exam between the course and supplies. She not only attended the classes, she took a $150 refresher course on the Saturday before the exam and studied hard on her own—going so far as to tape-record portions of the Commission’s florist handbook, make flash cards, and practice with flowers and greenery to perfect the techniques she would be required to use on the exam. She was shocked when she found out she had failed the test.