Check Out Catherine Hernandez’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Hernandez.

Hi Catherine, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Never in a million years did I think I would become a florist before 2021. My plan was simple: graduate college and grow within my career field. I attended Montclair State University and graduated in 2020 with a degree in Business Administration. My focus was management, logistics, and HR.

From 2019 to 2022, I worked in several management positions — first as an HR Manager for Target, then as an HR and Executive Assistant for the Recreation Department at Passaic City Hall, and lastly as a Logistics Manager for J.B. Hunt. I truly loved my career and everything that had to do with management and leadership.

While working at Passaic City Hall in 2020, my coworkers and I would often visit a marketplace that sold flowers. Every week we would buy flowers for our desks. I always loved flowers, but I never imagined I would one day design arrangements — let alone turn it into a business.

Little by little, people would stop by my office asking who created the floral arrangements on my desk. Eventually, I started making small arrangements for other people’s desks just for fun. Two of my coworkers, Alina and Cindy, whom I love dearly, told me one day, “Cat, why don’t you turn this into a side hustle?”

I looked at them like they were crazy and replied, “You guys really think I’m good at this?”

As time passed, we had access to a software program where we could create logos and flyers. Alina gave me access to it, and I started thinking about what I wanted my logo to look like and what I would call my business. I knew I wanted my initials, “CH,” in the logo, but I felt like something was still missing.

So I began to pray.

Since I was young, I’ve attributed every success in my life to my relationship with Jesus, and I include Him in every decision I make — big or small. One day, while looking at a blue hydrangea in one of my desk arrangements, I noticed it beginning to bloom. In that moment I said, “There it is… CH BLOOM TO LIFE.”

I finally had the name.

I created the logo and left the idea there for a while.

Two years later, I began working for J.B. Hunt as a Logistics Manager. While working there, I realized many of my coworkers had side businesses. One day, one of them asked me, “Cathy, what do you want to do with your life?”

I replied, “Well, grow in my career, get married, have kids, buy a house… you know, the American dream.”

He looked at me and said, “And that’s it?”

I paused.

Then I added, “Well, I do want to open a floral business… but maybe later on when I have a bigger house and more space for it.”

And he responded with something that changed my life:
“You think you’ll have the same time and energy you have now when you have kids and a husband to care for?”

That conversation stayed with me.

I realized I might never feel “fully ready.” I didn’t have the experience, the knowledge, or a perfect plan for how to start and grow a business. But I had one thing: a genuine love for flowers.

One week later, I officially registered my business and created an Instagram account for it.

On June 16, 2022, I received all of my business paperwork, and on June 25th, I officially launched CH Bloom to Life on Instagram. Every week I would buy flowers simply to create content and post arrangements online. Slowly but surely, clients began reaching out.

At the time, I was still working full-time from 9 AM to sometimes 9 or 10 PM Monday through Friday. My routine became exhausting. I would wake up at 6 or 7 AM to buy flowers before work, create arrangements for the day, and leave them with my mom so clients could pick them up while I was away. Some nights I barely slept because I stayed up making arrangements so they would be ready on time the next morning before heading back to work.

Then, around November 2022, I received my first large event booking through a state events company. After that, more events started coming in, and my business began growing rapidly. Eventually, I reached a point where I could no longer balance my corporate career and my floral business at the same time.

By the end of November 2022, I made one of the scariest decisions of my life:
I quit my job and became a full-time florist.

It has been a crazy, scary, beautiful, and deeply fulfilling journey. Through this process, I’ve grown not only as a businesswoman, but also as a person.

In 2024, I moved to the Dominican Republic and started my business there completely from scratch. In many ways, it felt like reliving 2022 all over again. But this time, I had experience, faith, and confidence in what God had already helped me build.

Today, I continue growing in both countries. I now run my business in New Jersey while also building in the Dominican Republic, traveling between both places for weddings and events.

What once started as flowers on my office desk has now become a dream come true.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was not easy at all.

In the beginning, I didn’t receive much support. Many people would tell me things like, “There are already so many florists,” “There’s no real money in floristry,” or “You’ll be back at your job in two months.” At times, those comments were discouraging, especially when I was already doubting myself and trying to figure everything out.

What many people don’t see is that building a business requires so much more than passion. I had to spend countless hours studying, researching, learning floral techniques, understanding marketing, analyzing my market, and figuring out how to position my business differently. There were many moments where things did not go according to my plans, moments where I questioned myself, felt exhausted, or wondered if I was making the right decision.

People often think launching a business means becoming successful or wealthy overnight, but that is far from reality. Building a business takes time. It takes courage to continue even when things feel uncertain. It takes discipline because every responsibility falls on you — whether things go well or badly. Most importantly, it takes consistency and persistence, especially during the hard seasons when quitting seems easier than continuing.

I learned that success is not built in a single moment. It’s built in the days no one sees — the sleepless nights, the sacrifices, the disappointments, the learning process, and the decision to keep going anyway.

And through all of it, I kept reminding myself why I started in the first place:
my love for flowers, my faith in God, and the vision I carried in my heart.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Today, I am a floral designer and event designer specializing in luxurious floral arrangements and curated events. I am known for creating designs that feel unique, elegant, and intentionally different. I’ve always believed flowers should do more than simply decorate a space, they should create an experience, evoke emotion, and leave a lasting memory.

One of the things I am most proud of is that I never gave up on myself or my dream, even during moments when others, and sometimes even I feared I would not be good enough for the floral industry. Choosing to continue despite fear was one of the hardest and most rewarding decisions of my life.

What truly sets me apart, beyond my design style itself, is the way I connect with my clients. I don’t do this business solely for money. I do it because I genuinely love creating. I love seeing people experience joy, beauty, and emotion during some of the most important moments of their lives.

For me, every arrangement and every event is personal. I care deeply about creating experiences that people will remember forever, because at the end of the day, memories are what we truly carry with us.

That is the heart behind CH Bloom to Life, creating beauty that people can feel, not just see.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is seeing my clients’ visions come to life exactly the way they imagined them. There is something incredibly special about taking someone’s ideas, emotions, and dreams and transforming them into a beautiful experience they can actually see and feel.

But beyond the designs themselves, what I value most is the relationships I build along the way. I never wanted CH Bloom to Life to feel like just another business transaction. I genuinely care about the people behind every event, and my goal has always been to make an impact in their lives — whether through my work, my creativity, or simply the connection we build throughout the process.

One of the most rewarding parts of this journey is that many of my clients become friends after their events. I get the privilege of growing alongside them and witnessing some of the most important moments in their lives. From gender reveals, to baby showers, first birthdays, baptisms, weddings, and so many other milestones — it’s an honor to continue creating for them as their families and lives grow.

To me, that is what makes this work so meaningful. It’s not only about flowers or events. It’s about creating memories, celebrating life’s most important moments, and becoming part of stories that continue long after the event is over.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ch.bloomtolife