CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Ten years after she was fired from her old job, a florist on Chicago's North Side is embarking on her second decade of serving brides and grooms-to-be.
Lynn Fosbender is the owner and founder of Pollen Floral Design on Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park.
She earned a degree in horticulture from the University of Illinois and entertained the idea of opening her own shop while working for another florist.
"I'm extremely risk averse, so I took a long time to get to that point where I was comfortable starting my own thing," Fosbender said.
It took one more push to get Fosbender to found her own business in 2009.
"I got fired from my job," Fosbender said.
She started Pollen in a space in the Ravenswood neighborhood. She devoted the business to weddings, because it didn't require a dedicated retail space or a full time staff.
"I see a lot of dynamics between couples themselves and parents when they come in during consultations," Fosbender said.
She said she remains neutral during disputes over flower designs and budgets.
But, she said, every now and then a couple cancels their order.
"It's wonderful to have this really supportive community in Chicago. Not just in the wedding industry, but in the floral industry as well," Fosbender said.
