Last week, my mom and I attended a wreath-making workshop in Detroit with Flowers for Dreams. My mom is a big fan of Christmas and flower arranging, so I figured this would be a perfect gift for her. Plus, I knew I was putting my money towards a purposeful business, as Flowers for Dreams is a Small Giants company.

Steven Dyme, the founder of Flowers for Dreams, spoke at the 2023 Small Giants Summit about the company's practices of financial transparency, employee empowerment, and being a force for good within the communities they inhabit. Along with wreath-making and flower-arranging workshops, the company delivers flowers across several cities in the Great Lakes region.

The night of the workshop, my mom and I walked into the shop in Detroit’s Eastern Market neighborhood, and were greeted by friendly staff, as well as a space filled with lots of charm and Christmas cheer. A long table was decorated with a beautiful tablescape, and offered all of us participants champagne, a hot chocolate station, and slices of Detroit’s famous Sister Pie pies (which, by the way, is another company that has great employee policies and offers their staff significant benefits). 

Once we were all settled with champagne flutes in hand and piles of fresh greenery before us, our workshop host, Renee, introduced us to the space. A longtime florist, she told us that she had only been with Flowers for Dreams for several months, but absolutely loved the company and everything they stand for. Renee went on to explain that Flowers for Dreams donates 25% of net proceeds to local charities. The staff from each location decide which non-profit organization will receive the donations. Right now, the profits from our workshop, as well as other sales from the Detroit location, are all going to help the Ruth Ellis Center. When Renee told us this, the whole crowd ooo’d and ahh’d with recognition and excitement. The Ruth Ellis Center is a beloved organization in the city that supports LGBTQ+ young people through housing, health, and wellness needs. 

After some more introductions, we got into the main event: wreath-making. Renee walked us through every step, from branch-trimming, to attaching the greenery to the frame, to decorating. The process was fun, a tad bit challenging, and incredibly sticky (these were clearly fresh branches of cedar and pine we were working with – sap was everywhere!). 

A Space Blooming with Care

The atmosphere was warm and relaxed as everyone worked on their wreaths. Christmas music played as people wrapped twine around bundles of greenery, chatted softly, and took pie breaks. We even had a couple of mellow shop dogs, clad in cable-knit sweaters, wander around and greet us, clearly hoping for some pie crust droppings. 

This was a building filled with care.

As I listened to the soundtrack of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and fitted pinecones onto my wreath, I reflected on this wonderful business that is Flowers for Dreams. As a customer-facing business that sells a beautiful product (just scroll through their bouquets!), they have one advantage that not all Small Giants companies have: visibility. And they use this to their – and their community’s – full advantage. 

They work with local Midwest farmers to source their flowers ethically, and elevate deserving charities through their platform and their own dollars. They are advocates for their partnered non-profits as well as their own employees, all while providing customers with beautiful bouquets. 

Thinking about all of this, it reminded me of the importance of community and supporting one another. And what better time of year to think about these values than at Christmas?

We ended the evening with festive (if not slightly lopsided 😂) wreaths to hang on our doors, and a newfound appreciation for the humble holiday decoration. It was also the perfect opportunity for my mom and I to spend some quality time together, all while doing something creative and supporting a purpose-driven business. 

Thank you to Flowers for Dreams for a wonderful workshop experience and a reminder that beauty in business goes beyond fresh-cut flora: it’s about treating people with compassion and respect, and putting purpose in the profits. 

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