Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cheryl Pray. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cheryl, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

My Journey from Nonprofit Leadership to Floral Design

With an M.A. in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy and more than 30 years of leadership experience, I had the great fortune of working with some of the most prestigious organizations in the country, including Johns Hopkins University and The Nature Conservancy. Throughout my career, I championed donor stewardship, ethical practices, and community impact.

During COVID, like many, I was given the opportunity to pause and re-evaluate my long-term career goals. I rediscovered a long-held passion for floral design. When families were unable to visit their loved ones in assisted living facilities, I began creating and delivering small floral arrangements to brighten their days. What started as a simple act of kindness quickly became something greater—I witnessed firsthand how flowers could spark joy, lift spirits, and create human connection during a time of isolation.

Research supports what I experienced. Studies from Rutgers University, led by Dr. Jeannette Haviland-Jones, demonstrate that flowers positively impact emotional well-being by increasing happiness and life satisfaction, reducing depression and agitation, and fostering social connection. For seniors in particular, flowers can improve memory, encourage new social interactions, and enhance overall quality of life.

This blend of personal experience and scientific validation inspired me to launch my floral business, Bouquets in Bloom, full-time. Just as I once worked to strengthen communities through philanthropy, I now continue that mission through the beauty of flowers. My work is rooted in the belief that flowers are more than decoration—they are a gift of joy, care, and connection.

Cheryl, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Why Bouquets in Bloom is Different
The Problem with Online Flower Ordering

Many customers believe they’re supporting a local florist when they order through a big 1-800 number or national website. In reality, these companies are order gatherers—middlemen who take the order, keep a significant cut, and then pass what’s left to a local florist.

The result?

Disappointed customers — arrangements are smaller, lower-quality, or not what was pictured.

Frustrated florists — local shops can’t afford to deliver what was promised, and often make no profit.

Broken trust — customers feel deceived and stop ordering flowers altogether.

This cycle creates a lose-lose experience for everyone involved.

Our Solution: Local, Personal, Transparent

At Bouquets in Bloom, we do things differently. We believe ordering flowers should be joyful, personal, and worry-free.

✅ Direct to Florist — Every order comes straight to us. No middlemen. No hidden cuts.
✅ What You See is What You Get — Photos and descriptions match the flowers you receive.
✅ Personal Service — You know exactly who is creating and delivering your arrangement.
✅ Community Support — Your purchase helps sustain a local small business that gives back to the Twin Cities.
✅ Quality First — We design with abundant, fresh blooms to deliver maximum joy.

The Bouquets in Bloom Promise

We set ourselves apart by combining floral artistry with the same principles I upheld for 30 years in nonprofit leadership:

Integrity

Transparency

Commitment to community

My success in business is evidenced by my perfect 5-star Google rating. As of today, I have 201 five-star reviews—a record unmatched by any other florist in the metropolitan area.

When you order from Bouquets in Bloom, you don’t just get flowers—you get trust, care, and connection.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

When people think of art, they often picture galleries, museums, or music halls. Yet artistry is all around us — in the flowers that brighten a hospital room, the mural that enlivens a neighborhood, or the handmade gift delivered to a friend. Creativity is not an “extra.” It’s essential to our health, our memory, and our human connections.

But in many industries, including my own, the image of creative work is being damaged by middlemen who profit at the expense of both artists and consumers.

The Problem: Order Gatherers and a Broken System

In floristry, many customers unknowingly order flowers through 1-800 numbers or national websites called “order gatherers.” These companies take the order, keep a large percentage, and then send what’s left to a local florist. The florist is left with a razor-thin budget and can’t possibly deliver the lush arrangement that was pictured online.

The result?

Customers receive something smaller, cheaper, or simply different than they expected.

Florists work at a loss, unable to showcase their true artistry.

Trust in the floral industry erodes.

This is not just a florist’s problem. It’s a creativity problem — one where the middleman strips away the authenticity, value, and human connection that creative work is meant to bring.

Why Creativity Matters for Communities

Research from Rutgers University, led by Dr. Jeannette Haviland-Jones, shows that flowers increase happiness, reduce depression and agitation, and even improve memory for seniors. In other words, flowers do far more than look pretty. They change how people feel, remember, and connect.

I saw this firsthand during COVID, when I began delivering small arrangements to assisted living facilities. Residents who hadn’t seen family in months lit up with joy when they received flowers. It was proof that something simple and beautiful can profoundly change a person’s day.

How Society Can Do Better

If we want a thriving creative ecosystem — whether in floristry, music, theater, or the visual arts — we must do three things:

Educate Consumers. Help people understand the difference between buying direct from a local florist and buying through a 1-800 gatherer. “Buy Local” campaigns should include creative industries.

Protect Authenticity. Policy makers should enforce truth in advertising so that companies can’t pretend to be local when they’re not.

Invest in Creatives. Schools, hospitals, and businesses can commit to contracting directly with local artists, ensuring both quality and community benefit.

A Local Success Story

At Bouquets in Bloom, I built my business on artistry, integrity, and transparency. The proof is in the response: I have a perfect 5-star Google rating with over 200 reviews — a record unmatched by other florists in the Twin Cities metro. That trust is built not just on flowers, but on authenticity.

The Call to Action

Society thrives when its creatives thrive. If we continue to let middlemen erode trust and strip away value, we will lose not only businesses but also the beauty and joy they bring to daily life.

The solution is simple: support artists and creatives directly. When you do, you’re not just buying flowers, art, or music. You’re investing in human connection, community well-being, and the creative soul of our cities.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the greatest reward of being a florist is witnessing the circle of joy that flowers create. There’s the joy on the recipient’s face when they’re surprised with an arrangement — a light in their eyes, a smile that says “I feel cared for.” And then there’s the joy from the sender, who knows they’ve made someone’s day brighter and more meaningful.

Flowers are unique in that way: they carry emotion, memory, and intention. They celebrate milestones, comfort in times of loss, and connect people in ways words sometimes cannot. To be the artist behind those moments — to create something that sparks joy on both ends of the exchange — is what makes this work profoundly meaningful to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bouquetsinbloom.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bouquets_in_bloom/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bouquetsinbloom/

Image Credits

Bella Photography