When Steven Dyme, 26, and Jo Dickstein, 27, began selling flowers outside of school graduations, it wasn’t because they loved roses and carnations.
“We call ourselves the accidental florists,” says Dyme. “We started in the flower business to make some extra cash in college, and it turned into a business that made quite a bit of money. But what was so compelling about it—and what really gave it momentum—was the fact that we latched on this social-conscience piece.” For every bouquet they sold, the friends donated a backpack filled with school supplies to a child in need.
That was the foundation for Flowers for Dreams, which launched in Chicago in 2012 and expanded to Milwaukee in 2017. “That’s still the core piece of our business: using flowers as vehicle for good,” Dyme says. “Flowers for Dreams is a floral service first, but we’re a certified B-Corp, and we care about community equally, if not more.” The company gives 25 percent of its monthly profits to various charities and has donated around $200,000 to date to various causes.
The burlap-wrapped bouquets start at $35 and top out at just $95. “We get most of the flowers from local farms, so they look a little more organic than the typical arrangement—and that’s how we design as well,” Dickstein says.
The flowers’ affordable prices and rustic look make them popular with the millennial crowd, as does the brand’s stylish social media presence. To date, Flowers for Dreams’ Instagram account has nearly 40,000 followers, compared to just 13,000 in 2015.
Though Flowers for Dreams began as a floral-delivery service, it branched out to offer wedding and event design in 2014. This year, wedding business could contribute to half its revenue. Though Chicago is a crowded market for talented florists, “We have a different message,” Dyme says. “We don’t have minimums for our weddings; we’re meant to be an accessible alternative.”
To spread this message, the duo launched a bridal magazine, One Fourth, in 2016. Available for free across Chicago, it contains floral editorials and lifestyle features. “It’s not really about selling; it’s meant to give people a taste of what we do, who we are, and what our style is,” says Dyme.
The brand uses its social media outlets to announce stops for its flower truck, which is painted in matte black and has music wafting out of its flower-decked window, and staff wear flower crowns. The truck travels to places such as tech companies, where employees scoop up arrangements; this year, it partnered with Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco for a Mother’s Day pop-up shop.
“We’d love to take our concept of partnering with local charities, and creating local jobs, from city to city to city,” Dickstein says.
Back to the Most Innovative People in Events and Meetings list
