Stephanie Dorsey is the owner of Willow Blooms, a flourishing floral business in Highland.
She started the business while still working another job, driven by her dream of becoming a successful florist. Dorsey now operates it alongside her husband, who manages the day-to-day operations.
Together, they have turned Willow Blooms into a beloved local establishment.
“This is my retirement dream,” said Dorsey. “The opportunity sort of fell into our laps. The Brumm’s Bloomin Barn owned the florist shop for 50 years before selling it to a long-time customer upon their retirement. After three years, that customer was looking to sell, and I thought, 'This is the perfect opportunity.' It's an established business, and I feel like I can do so much with the community moving forward. We bought it on February 1, closed after Valentine's Day, and reopened on May 4, right before Mother's Day. We've been open ever since.”
Running a floral shop involves various tasks such as crafting gifts, arranging flowers, and curating assortments to meet customer preferences.
“Going into the business, I knew little to nothing about flowers except for the ones I grew in my yard and the arrangements I made for my house,” said Dorsey. “However, I told myself I was going to figure it out. I am blessed to have three designers on staff who have been absolutely amazing and very patient in teaching me about the different flowers and how to arrange them.”
Customer satisfaction is important to Dorsey as she guides customers through the process of creating their assortments, ensuring they align with their budget.
“For one wedding customer, we had to supplement with different flowers to stay within her budget,” said Dorsey. “I told her those flowers were very expensive and suggested we limit them and include some other options to fit her budget. We want to ensure we're being creative and giving everyone what they want in a cost-effective way.”
Dorsey is committed to going above and beyond to ensure each customer leaves with a smile, valuing their satisfaction and happiness over the money made.
“Personal testimonies are what make me happy,” said Dorsey. “Recently, a woman came in because she had her first grandchild, a boy, and wanted a blue bouquet. As I crafted her arrangement and listened to her pride in her family, it was incredibly fulfilling. Creating designs that are unique to each individual is truly amazing.”
Her business has seen great profitability so far, aiming not only to grow but also to support other businesses in the process.
“As you start, there are always fears: Is this going to work? Am I making the right decisions? Are the products right? Am I doing the right thing?” said Dorsey. “However, for us, it's been working pretty well so far. I also love supporting other women and local businesses. In my shop, women can come to one place and shop from 10 or more different local vendors. This not only supports us but also helps others in our community.”
Recently, Dorsey had students from an entrepreneurship class come to her business for a project, and they ended up starting their own business.
“We've had high schoolers from Munster High School, who as part of their entrepreneurship class, created a product,” said Dorsey. “The students came up with a stencil chapstick that you can apply to your wrist. Once it dries, you can spray your perfume or cologne over it, acting as a seal to make your scent last three times longer. We were the first business they approached to offer their product in a retail setting, and now they even have an investor. How exciting is that?”
When she's not managing her business, Dorsey dedicates her time to actively engaging with and contributing to the community.
“We feature a charity—whether it's local, regional, or national—every month. We create a custom bouquet, and then after covering our costs, we donate the proceeds back to that organization,” said Dorsey. “Additionally, we host classes to engage with the community and showcase a local artist every two months. We strive to be an integral part of the community, celebrating others and inviting people into the shop to support our community.”
For more information about Willow Blooms, please visit willowblooms.com.