Twenty-three years ago I started working at Maple Lee, a florist in Worthington, Ohio. I was a sophomore in high school and fell in love with the beautiful blooms that moved through that old majestic building. The smell was incredible. I was hooked.

Twenty years ago, in my senior year of high school, I was diagnosed with leukemia and had to quit my amazing job. My life was put on hold and my immune system was so weak I couldn’t even have flowers in my hospital room. Everything changed.

During the nearly three years I was being treated, I became an avid reader and took on an intense curiosity of all things. I wanted to learn about everything. This was not the only silver lining to those strange years, but it has certainly paid off.

Fourteen years ago, I had the unbelievable privilege of working for the same team that diagnosed me with leukemia. My curiosity and drive to learn has kept me in the field of medical research ever since. Here I have had the privilege of working with truly amazing people. To be part of this field continues to be equally rewarding and humbling.

Three years ago my husband Eric and I moved into a beautiful home that has been in his family for over 50 years. The big backyard is lovely and I immediately started filling the existing beds with the flowers I’ve always wanted to grow but didn’t have space for. While I never lost my need for cut flowers and growing in small spaces, this new space presented endless opportunities and countless dreams of what could be.

Last year I took the Floret Farms Workshop and Heartfelt Floristy courses, both taught by inspiring and uniquely talented women. With motivation from these courses and positive encouragement from friends and family, I decided to ask Eric if we could tear up our yard. He agreed and we created two huge garden beds (or small fields) where I planted nearly 100 varieties of plants and flowers.

This year I’m starting this business and am giddy and a bit nervous about it. I will be selling my specialty cut flowers as well as small plants for cut gardens and landscape borders. I will also take on my first events where I will provide unique floral designs to clients.

The life events described above, along with so many others, have brought me to this exciting path. The curious spirit within me is alive and well, driving me to learn as much as I can. I can’t wait to see what’s next.