5 Questions for Samantha Paradis
Above: Samantha Paradis ’20, M.S. ’22. Photograph by Bethany Paradis.
Samantha Paradis ’20, M.S. ’22, owns Sam’s Stems, a floral boutique in Central Massachusetts that works with local flower farmers to source fresh, sustainable blooms and preserve their beauty, and that offers flower-arranging workshops. We caught up with Paradis to talk about her business, her time at Worcester State, and the power of flowers.
Tell us about your entrepreneurial journey.
My journey to opening Sam’s Stems was guided by my appreciation of small businesses and my passion for floral design. While I built a strong foundation in the corporate world, I dreamed of becoming a florist. In 2023, I took the leap. Sam’s Stems has grown into not just a floral boutique but a space for creativity, connection, and community. From designing wedding florals to leading workshops and crafting large-scale installations, I get to combine strategy with artistry every day. What I cherish most are the relationships I’ve built with my clients and within the local floral community.
You talk about the “transformative power of flowers in bringing communities together.” How does that work?
Flowers have always played a role in human connection, from ancient rituals to modern celebrations. They mark life’s most significant moments, like weddings and memorials, and serve as everyday gestures of kindness. At Sam’s Stems, strangers become friends while creating arrangements together, and my collaborations with local flower farmers further strengthen connections. From ancient times to today,
flowers have brought people together. That understanding drives everything I do in my business.
We know that plants talk to each other in nature. They also talk to us, don’t they? What have you learned from your work about the language between flowers and people?
Flowers speak through color, scent, and symbolism. A single stem can evoke emotions, carry memories, and convey messages that words cannot. People often gravitate toward flowers that mirror their emotions, even if they don’t realize it. Each floral arrangement is a way of telling a story, honoring a memory, or capturing a feeling through nature’s most beautiful language.
How did your time at Worcester State inform or support your entrepreneurship
and creativity?
Studying business administration and accounting provided me with a strong technical foundation. As a graduate assistant, I managed projects, collaborated with diverse teams, and adapted to different roles. All of these skills help me run my business. As the student representative on the graduate disciplinary committee, I reinforced my ability to navigate complex discussions with fairness and professionalism. And being a member of the dance team gave me a perspective on discipline, creativity, and performance that shapes my approach to floral design. Just like dance, floral artistry requires a balance of structure and spontaneity, technique and emotion. The support from faculty, peers, and mentors reinforced that business and creativity can go hand in hand.
You probably can’t pick just one flower, so—favorite combination of flowers?
It is so difficult to narrow it down, but I do have a special love for lilacs and bleeding hearts. There’s something about flowers that make you wait for them. They remind us to pause and appreciate the moment, and to consider how life unfolds in cycles. I also adore lavender for so many reasons, especially how it bridges fresh and dried flowers, offering beauty that lasts beyond its season.
