Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Dyme.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Flowers for Dreams started as an unassuming college project. We set out to sell a few hundred roses to parents outside a high school graduation ceremony. The plan was to use half the profit to upgrade our college diets from frozen pizza to take out, and the other half to buy backpacks for the low-income students we tutored during summer. Make a little money and make a difference.
A couple of neighboring high school’s got wind of the concept invited us to their ceremonies, and a summer business was born. Not even two months later, we’d donated a total of 600 backpacks. Unbeknownst to us, we’d become a successful case study in profit and purpose working together.
After several summers of doing this, we gained intimate exposure to the not-so-pretty sides of the flower industry. From the exploited workers to the carnation cupcakes and everything in between, we concluded that florists were trapped in the past. So, when we graduated, we set out to become the alternative. The alternative to overpriced flower delivery.
The alternative to hidden fees and silly upsells. The alternative to tasteless baby’s breath and pesticide-ridden roses. We wanted to make flowers more inspiring and accessible. In 2012, we launched our first website with a unique suite of organic bouquets, fair and honest prices, and a model where each purchase would benefit a local charity.
Today, we sell locally crafted flowers online for just $35 with free delivery to Chicago and service to Milwaukee. Every single bouquet sold benefits an amazing local charity.
Has it been a smooth road?
Many struggles. Many mistakes. One of our bigger obstacles early on was our youth. It was tough to be taken seriously. For example, it took 3 years until our vendors & suppliers gave us accounts with credit. That’s unheard of in our industry. Early on, we embraced our youth as a means rather than a crutch. An example, we used our competitive advantage to understand social media to help the business grow.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We sell locally crafted flowers for fair and honest prices. Every bouquet benefits an amazing local charity.
Our bouquets are sourced, designed, and delivered by us, often via bicycle, always by hand. We started as primarily daily flower delivery and have slowly added much more: including weddings, events, corporate.
Our proudest accomplishment is our record of giving back. Nearly $300,000 all from the sale of flowers! Crazy to think that a simple bouquet can make such a difference with support from the community.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Absolutely. Chicago has a helpful makers ecosystem, not a competitive one. It’s a place where sharing our ideas never felt threatening but rather inviting and cooperative. Our city was built on industry and there’s a real revival happening in manufacturing, craft, and making products in the real world.
Pricing:
- All bouquets start at $35
Contact Info:
- Address: 1812 West Hubbard Chicago IL 60622
- Website: flowersfordreams.com
- Phone: 312-620-1410
- Email: help@flowersfordreams.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/flowersfordreams
- Facebook: facebook.com/flowersfordreams
- Twitter: twitter.com/flowers4dreams
Image Credit:
@reamaesherman, @dkelleghan, Hannah Hoggatt Photography, McKenzie Hanson Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
