Canton woman follows heart, starts blooming at-home floral business

Sushma is pictured with one of the floral arrangements she created inside her Canton in-home studio.
When she needed a break from her at-home certified public accountant desk job, Canton resident Sushma Surikuchi would enrich her soul by stopping and smelling the roses — literally.
Sushma started growing flowers in her backyard a short time after the coronavirus epidemic emerged. The nature-based hobby was the perfect remedy for Sushma, a married mother of two who moved to Canton in 2018.
Now, Sushma is not only smelling the roses, she’s selling the roses (and an assortment of other sweet-smelling flowers) as part of her recently-launched business, CBFlorist.
“The first year I started growing flowers in my yard brought me such joy,” she said. “When winter came, I was not ready to let go.”
In the days leading up to Mother’s Day 2021, Sushma made floral arrangements using the 400-plus tulips she grew in her yard.
“I would place them out in my front yard for people to pick up and take home,” she said. “Before I knew it, people were calling me with orders.”
Keeping it local
With a limited capacity to grow flowers in her yard — but wanting to grow, so to speak, her floral arrangement business — Sushma connected with southeast-Michigan farmers, from whom she acquired flowers that she turned into stunning arrangements in her garage-turned-floral studio.

The more arrangements Sushma created, the more joy she was spreading among her growing base of customers.
“Last year, before Mother’s Day, I reached out to the Flower Shop Network and let them know I wanted to be listed as a florist,” she said. “So they helped me develop my own website.”
Sushma’s hobby created widespread interest — so much so that in December she resigned from her CPA job to become a full-time floral arranger.
“I still grow flowers in my yard, but I lean on several different farmers, especially Susan from Open Water Blooms in Dexter,” she revealed. “I also lean on several expert gardeners who grow stunning blooms.
“I hope to sell 100% local flowers (at the least American-grown flowers) as we see farmers adapt to greenhouse, indoor and hydroponic farming methods.”
Environment-first philosophy
Sushma said she follows sustainable floral practices as much as possible, utilizing design tools like chicken wire and compostable foam — and she visits thrift shops (and takes donations) for vases.

“Moving to Canton to be close to family was the best decision we made, and we love it here,” she said. “This community is so diverse and welcoming.
“I have tremendous support from my husband (Prasanna Sivadas), who steps in to deliver flowers, my daughter who brainstorms my social media and marketing strategies, and extended family and friends who support me anytime opportunities arise.”
Since becoming a full-time florist, Sushma said her sales have increased at a good rate, especially considering her primary marketing tool is word-of-mouth.
She recently provided the floral arrangements for a wedding of a teacher at her son’s pre-school. The results invigorated Sushma with profound joy, she said.
“The bride’s dad approached me and told me how beautiful my arrangements were,” she said. “He also told me how happy his daughter was to see the joy the experience brought to me.”
She makes it easy
Sushma has discovered that some people are intimidated by the floral-arrangement ordering journey.
“They’re hesitant to be candid and come right out and say, ‘I don’t know exactly what I’m looking for’,” she said, smiling.
“I simply ask them how they want the recipient of the flowers to feel and to visualize what kind of arrangement they’d like, and then I take it from there.
“The feedback I’ve received has been amazing.”
Sushma said she is able to keep her prices lower than most area florists because she works out of her home, saving the extra expenditures she’d have if working out of a brick-and-mortar business facility.
“I have taken over our garage for my studio and our basement for storage, but my family is totally supportive,” she said, smiling.