Today we’d like to introduce you to Brett Turner.
Hi Brett, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I didn’t grow up thinking I’d become a florist but looking back, I’ve always been drawn to creating experiences that make people feel something. What started as a creative outlet eventually turned into something much bigger once I understood how powerful flowers are in marking life’s most important moments. That realization became very real in late winter/early spring of 2020.
I was still working up until the full COVID shutdown, and I remember being at the Illinois State Floral Association show when everything started unfolding. We all kind of looked at each other like, “we’re already here… let’s just finish the weekend,” not knowing how long the world or the events and wedding industry was about to pause.
Then everything stopped.
I went from being employed to having essentially no income, no unemployment, and bills that weren’t going anywhere. At the same time, people were completely isolated. You couldn’t show up for each other in person, and everything shifted to screens. It felt disconnected and honestly, a little empty.
So I leaned into the one thing I knew how to do flowers.
About a week before Easter, I decided to offer flower deliveries safe, contactless, what I jokingly called “ding dong and ditch” (but making sure people actually received them). I posted it on Facebook with no real expectations and ended up with 15 orders.
Then Mother’s Day came and I doubled that.
That’s when it clicked. Even when everything else shuts down, people still need connection. Flowers became a way for people to show up for each other when they physically couldn’t.
That moment is what started Bunches Squared Florist.
From the very beginning, I didn’t just see it as a traditional florist. The name “Bunches Squared” came from the idea of multiplying flowers into people’s lives specifically through a subscription model. The goal was never just one arrangement at a time, but consistent, recurring moments of connection flowers showing up in people’s homes, businesses, and lives on a regular basis. That concept is still a major part of how I think about growth today.
From there, I built the business from the ground up learning through past florists I had worked for via hands-on experience, long days, mistakes, and a lot of trial and error. There was no clear path into this industry for me. I had to figure out how to turn creativity into a real, functioning business while navigating uncertainty the entire way.
The first 3.5 to 4 years were part-time reinvesting everything, building a client base, and operating without a storefront. It was just me, a growing group of customers, and a Facebook page.
Over time, I found my place in weddings and events. That’s where things really started to click. I wasn’t just creating arrangements anymore I was designing full experiences. Clients weren’t just buying flowers; they were trusting me with moments they’d remember for the rest of their lives. That level of responsibility shaped how I approach every project.
In March 2024, I joined BNI Mid America which isn’t a typical space for florists, but it was exactly what I needed. I had spent years building from home without a physical presence, and I needed to be in rooms where real business was happening. That decision led to stronger relationships, consistent referrals, and positioned me as a go-to florist within that network.
Recently, I took another major step and moved the business out of my home into a dedicated workspace. It’s not a storefront yet, but it’s a critical step forward giving the business more structure, legitimacy, and room to grow.
Today, my focus is on expansion continuing to grow weddings and events while building out subscriptions, corporate work, and new concepts that push what floristry can look like in the Midwest.
It hasn’t been a straight path, and it definitely hasn’t been easy but that’s exactly what made it worth building.
This isn’t a finished story. It’s something that’s still being built every single day.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road, not even close.
Starting Bunches Squared Florist during COVID meant everything began in uncertainty. I went from having stable employment to having no income overnight, with no clear timeline for when the wedding and events industry would come back. There wasn’t a safety net, so every decision early on carried real weight.
One of the biggest challenges was building something without a traditional foundation. No storefront, no built-in foot traffic, just a Facebook page and people willing to take a chance on me. That meant I had to learn every side of the business at once: design, pricing, marketing, sales, customer experience, and operations. A lot of that came through trial and error.
Financial pressure has been constant. Flowers are perishable, costs fluctuate, and margins are tight especially with how expensive everything has become. There’s very little room for mistakes, and you feel that in real time.
There was also the challenge of being taken seriously. Working out of my home for the first several years, without a physical retail space, meant I had to prove my value over and over again. People don’t always see the level of work behind the scenes they just see the final product.
Growth itself came with its own set of struggles. Knowing when to reinvest, when to expand, and when to hold steady isn’t always clear. Moving from part-time into a more full-time, growth-focused mindset required taking risks and being okay with uncertainty.
Stepping into rooms like BNI Mid America was another stretch. It pushed me to show up consistently, build relationships, and represent my business at a higher level, even when I was still figuring things out behind the scenes.
And then there’s the personal side burnout, long hours, and the physical and emotional demand of this work. You’re part of some of the most important moments in people’s lives, and that responsibility adds up.
But those challenges forced me to become more disciplined, more strategic, and more intentional about how I grow. It hasn’t been smooth but every part of it has shaped the business into what it is today.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As the owner of Bunches Squared Florist, my work sits at the intersection of design, experience, and building something that actually functions as a real business. I don’t just create arrangements I create moments, and I build systems behind the scenes that keep those moments happening consistently.
I specialize in weddings and events, where everything has to be intentional. I’m not interested in repeating the same designs or playing it safe. I want to understand the person, the space, and the feeling they’re trying to create and then translate that into something that actually hits when people walk in. Flowers aren’t the product. The feeling is. The memory is. The flowers are just how I deliver that.
A big part of what sets me apart is how I work with clients. I ask the questions most people don’t ask what do you want people to feel when they walk in, what actually matters to you, what don’t you want, what’s going to make this feel like you instead of something you’ve seen before. That’s where the real design starts.
I also consider myself a floral engineer and honestly, a hospice nurse for flowers. By the time they get to me, they’ve been cut from the farm, they’re thirsty, droopy, and stressed. My job is to bring them back to life. They get my own flower food mix, a fresh cut with a sharp knife, and consistent care in a cooler until they’re ready to be designed and sent back out into the world looking like something completely different than how they arrived.
What I’m known for is not settling. If something doesn’t look right, feel right, or read right I fix it. I care about the design, but I also care about how it’s presented, how it’s marketed, and how it actually converts into business. I pay attention to details most people overlook because those details are what separate something average from something people remember.
I’ve never treated this like a hobby. From the beginning, I’ve been building something with structure behind it. That’s meant going beyond one-off orders; developing subscriptions, corporate work, and partnerships that create consistency and long-term growth. I think in momentum, not just individual jobs.
I’m especially proud of building this from the ground up during a time when everything was uncertain and continuing to grow it into something more established. No storefront for years, no traditional setup just figuring it out, showing up, and making it work.
What sets me apart is that I’m not just a business owner, and I’m not just a designer I’m both at the same time. I care about the creative, but I also care about results, relationships, and building something that lasts.
At the end of the day, I’m not trying to be one of many options. I’m building something people recognize, trust, and come back to because it actually delivers.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The easiest way to work with me is to reach out directly through email at brett@bunchessquared.com. Whether that’s for a wedding, event, corporate space, or just sending something meaningful to someone. I’d rather have a real conversation than push people through a complicated process. The more I understand what you’re looking for (even if you don’t fully know yet), the better I can guide it.
For weddings and events, I work closely with clients to design something that actually reflects them not something pulled from a template or copied from Pinterest. If you want florals to feel intentional and memorable, that’s where I come in.
For businesses, I offer corporate and client-gifting options, along with subscription services meaning flowers consistently showing up on a front desk, in a lobby, or in a waiting room. It’s a way for businesses to elevate their space and show up for their clients without having to think about it every week or month.
Collaboration-wise, I’m always open to working with other creatives, planners, venues, and local businesses. If there’s a way to create something that benefits both sides and actually brings value, I’m interested. Most of my growth has come from referrals and relationships, and I take that seriously.
And honestly, support doesn’t always have to be a purchase. Sharing my work, referring me to someone, or mentioning my name in a room I’m not in; that’s how small businesses grow. That matters more to me than people realize.
At the end of the day, if someone wants to work together, collaborate, or even just ask questions, I’m open. I want this to grow within the Midwest, St. Louis and Metro East Illinios communities that have supported me—not separate from them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bunchessquared.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bunches_squared2/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BunchesSquared/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/Bunches2Florals/
