Editor’s Note: The Pivot Point is a series that explores floral professionals’ bold decisions and transformative journeys.
When Sun Valley Floral Farms closed its doors in 2024, longtime employee Rodi Groot, AAF, faced a crossroads. With his wife battling serious health challenges and his own future uncertain, Groot took a leap and launched Groot in Flowers — a company that bridges farmers and markets by handling the sales and marketing side so growers can focus on what they do best.
In this conversation, he shares how he navigated financial risks, leaned on grit, and built a new business that’s already entering “Groot 2.0” — strengthening grower partnerships, expanding product lines, and reimagining how to support domestic farms.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications for the Society of American Florists.
