Bloom and Wild: How a secret CEO WhatsApp group helps boss deal with ‘isolation’ of the top job

The chief executive of Bloom & Wild turned to a secret WhatsApp group with fellow founders to combat the “isolation” of being the sole head of his rapidly expanding flower delivery business.

In the latest episode of Boardroom Uncovered, City A.M.‘s on-camera interview series, Aron Gelbard revealed what it’s like to run Bloom & Wild without his co-founder Ben Stanway who stepped back to set up MoneyBox.

Now alone at the top of Bloom & Wild day-to-day, Gelbard has spoken about not being able to speak as freely with other top executives about the pressures and strains of running the household name and needing to seek out other founders for advice.

In the episode, which is available on City A.M.’s YouTube channel, the CEO also talks about the sacrifices he has had to make since quitting a comfortable job in the City to co-found Bloom & Wild more than ten years ago.

He also speaks about the impact his dad’s business failure had on his approach to entrepreneurship, whether he has ever doubted that he was the right person to lead the company and whether he would do anything differently if he was given a second chance.

The episode with Bloom & Wild’s CEO comes after previous editions of Boardroom Uncovered with the UK boss of IKEA and the chief executive of American Golf.

Filmed at THG Studios in Manchester, Boardroom Uncovered features the chief executives of the biggest and best-known companies operating in the UK today.

Bloom & Wild recovering from a tough few years

Earlier this year, City A.M. reported that losses at the group behind Bloom and Wild ballooned to more than £100m during its latest financial year after being hit by the cost of living crisis.

The London-based group, which sends bouquets of flowers in boxes that can fit through a letter box, reported pre-tax losses of £100.5m for the year to March 31, 2023, compared to losses of £20.4m in the prior 12 months.

Bloom and Wild, which also includes the Bloomon and Bergamotte brands, also posted a revenue of £117.9m down from £145.4m, according to accounts with Companies House.

The latest results came after accounts published in January revealed that the Bloom and Wild brand itself had achieved a turnover of £83.2m, down from £107.2m, while it went from making a pre-tax profit of £320,969 to losses of £1.4m.

Bloom and Wild said that its revenue decreased partially because of the “economic climate and Bloom’s greater exposure to the more macro-economically impacted subscriptions business but also the strategic decision to reduce investment in new customer acquisition marketing”.