The Fresh Bunch
The Fresh Bunch (formerly '2 Fat Guys Talking Flowers') is your all-access pass into the wild and wonderful world of flowers. Hosted by Michael Black, Mimi Pacheco, Ryan Black, and producer, Joel, keeping us sounding fresh—we bring you unfiltered conversations about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the floral industry’s trends, challenges, and characters. From flower fails to petal-powered success stories, each episode blends laughs, insights, and special guests from all corners of the flower world. It’s part podcast, part therapy, and all fresh—welcome to The Fresh Bunch - a Jet Fresh Flowers podcast.
The Fresh Bunch
Ep. 193 - Good Words, Good Business: Robert Luebcke’s Floral Philosophy
This week, The Fresh Bunch brings you an episode overflowing with New York energy and floral heart as we welcome the one and only Robert Luebcke of J. Van Vliet NY. Robert shares how his uncle first pulled him into the floral world—and how a life-changing trip to Holland sealed his floral destiny.
We dive into the legendary days of 28th Street, the bold decision to establish J. Van Vliet in Queens more than 25 years ago, and why everyone thought they were crazy… until it became revolutionary.
A devoted student of Dale Carnegie, Robert lives by a simple philosophy: give first, be unselfish, speak good, and good will come to you. We talk about the future of the floral industry, flowers as powerful stress reducers, and the importance of relationship building with an extraordinary team.
This episode bursts with the energy of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade—filled with New York characters, flower passion, and contagious laughter. We even play a rapid-fire True NY This or That, and we dare you not to smile the entire time.
Robert also opens up about his growing social-media presence and his mission to educate, inspire, and help creatives truly stand out.
Vibrant, funny, heartfelt, and overflowing with flower love—this episode is pure New York charm. Grab a seat, hit play, and enjoy the ride from start to finish.
https://www.instagram.com/vanvlietny/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/robertluebcke/?igsh=MTlhZjYzZHM0cjI5bQ%3D%3D#