Our Story
When Canton resident Sushma Surikuchi needed a break from her at-home work as a certified public accountant, she found peace in the simplest place — her backyard. What started as a quiet escape soon turned into a passion.
Sushma began growing flowers shortly after the pandemic began, discovering that tending to her garden brought calm, color, and joy into her days. The nature-filled hobby was the perfect balance for the married mother of two, who moved to Canton in 2018.
But Sushma didn’t just fall in love with flowers — she let that love bloom into something bigger. Today, she isn’t only smelling the roses; she’s selling them through her newly launched floral business, CBFlorist.
“The first year I grew flowers in my yard, it made me so happy,” Sushma shared. “When winter came, I just wasn’t ready to stop.”
Right before Mother’s Day in 2021, Sushma put together beautiful bouquets using more than 400 tulips she had grown herself. She set them out in her front yard for neighbors to pick up and enjoy.
“Before I realized it, people started calling me with their own orders,” she said.
What began as a soothing pastime has now blossomed into a thriving small business rooted in passion, creativity, and community.
With only so much space to grow flowers in her yard — but a big dream to expand her floral business — Sushma began partnering with local farmers across southeast Michigan. Their fresh blooms became the heart of her beautiful arrangements, crafted from her garage-turned-floral studio.
As she created more designs, her customer base kept growing, and so did the joy she was sharing through her work.
“Before Mother’s Day last year, I reached out to Flower Shop Network because I wanted to be recognized as a florist,” she explained. “They helped me build my own website, and that really pushed things forward.”
What started as a simple hobby quickly blossomed into something much bigger. By December, Sushma made a bold decision — she stepped away from her CPA career to pursue floristry full-time.
“I still grow flowers at home, but now I collaborate with several farmers — especially Susan from Open Water Blooms in Dexter,” she said. “I also work with expert gardeners who grow truly stunning varieties.”
Her mission is rooted in supporting local growers:
“I hope to offer 100% locally grown flowers — or at the very least, American-grown blooms — as more farmers explore greenhouse, indoor, and hydroponic growing methods.”
Environment-First Philosophy
Sushma embraces sustainable floral practices wherever possible. She uses eco-friendly tools like chicken wire and compostable foam, and she often finds unique vases at thrift stores or through donations.
“Moving to Canton to be close to family was the best decision we ever made, and we truly love it here,” she said. “This community is so diverse and welcoming.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the support I get from my husband, Prasanna, who helps with flower deliveries; my daughter, who helps brainstorm social media ideas; and our extended family and friends who always step in whenever opportunities come up.”
Since switching to floristry full-time, Sushma has seen steady growth — especially impressive given that most of her business comes through word-of-mouth.
Recently, she designed the floral arrangements for the wedding of a teacher at her son’s preschool, an experience that filled her with pride and joy.
“The bride’s father came up to me afterward to tell me how beautiful everything looked,” she said. “He also mentioned how happy his daughter was to see how much joy the process brought me — that meant a lot.”
She Makes It Easy
Through experience, Sushma has noticed that some customers feel nervous when ordering floral arrangements.
“They’re often hesitant to admit, ‘I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for,’” she said with a smile.
To ease the process, she simply asks how they want the recipient to feel, and encourages them to imagine the type of arrangement they have in mind — then she brings that vision to life.
“The feedback I’ve received has been wonderful,” she added.
Sushma is also able to keep her prices competitive because she works from home, avoiding the higher overhead of a storefront.
“I’ve taken over our garage as my studio and the basement for storage,” she laughed. “Thankfully, my family is completely supportive.”
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