CINCINNATI, Ohio —  Middle. Left. Right. Front. Back. That’s Carol Ruffin’s tried-and-true method for the past 47 years to create the perfect flower arrangement. 

What You Need To Know

  • Carol Ruffin owns Blossoms Florist in Cincinnati
  • She one of only three Black florists in the region with brick-and-mortar locations
  • Thanks to grant funding, she now hosts the 'Blossoms Floral Academy' to grow diversity in the industry

 She's the owner of Blossoms Florist in Cincinnati. She's made many memories over the years, but one of her fondest is how it all began to take root.

"When I first started out, the first flowers I made were for my own wedding,” Ruffin said.   

Ruffin makes up part of the only 2% of Black florists in the U.S., according to Zippia. In Cincinnati, that number is even smaller. She’s one of only three with physical locations. 

“We don’t have a lot of those businesses in our community. Therefore, it may be because they're out of sight, out of mind,” Ruffin said.  

Through the Blossoms Floral Academy, she wants to plant a seed to increase the number of professionals like herself in the industry. 

Ruffin received a grant from the United Way of Greater Cincinnati’s Black Empowerment Works program, which looks to address the lack of investment in black-led work.

Future florists are learning everything from how to process flowers, where they come from, and even how to cut and store them. 

“I’m just giving them the foundation and where they go from there can be endless,” Ruffin said.  

Monique Patterson is one of Ruffin’s students. She’s also an entrepreneur and said the classes have helped her business keep blooming.

“It wasn’t just discussions about flowers. She also talked about people and building relationships," Patterson said. "I want to pay it forward and support her."

Over the years, Ruffin said she endured lots of changes in the industry, from the rise of social media to the impact of the pandemic.

Despite that, two things have always remained constant; that’s her love for flowers and her passion for helping people. 

“I want to make sure that they don’t have to fall on those little slippery slopes. I can say, go this way. That will be my contribution to the future florists and Cincinnati,” Ruffin said.  

Since 2020, the United Way’s Black Empowerment Works program has provided more than $5 million in awards. 

To find out more about Blossoms Florist click here