Roeser says that, while many appreciate the magic of flowers, there is a small percentage who do not like them because they die. “Flowers remind us to be present. They don’t last forever, and that’s the point. They remind you to slow down and appreciate what’s right in front of you,” she says.

This idea—that flowers, and by extension, beauty, is worth something—lies at the heart of FiftyFlowers, an online floral company that sells farm-fresh flowers shipped directly from growers to customers, including bulk and curated flower kits that offer a simple DIY experience. In short, FiftyFlowers helps create beautiful memories. For Roeser, flowers aren’t just a business, but a language and a dream.

“I’m a little girl from Texas who went into the Peace Corps, fell in love with Ecuador, and just kept saying yes. And somehow that turned into this business and this movement I get to be part of,” laughs Roeser.

In 2000, she created the first website that sold flowers direct from farm to doorstep, connecting growers and consumers in a way the floral industry hadn’t yet explored, offering consumers beautiful blooms, just a click away—or that’s how it might seem. The reality is more complicated, of course.

Because flowers are a perishable product, there are many ways for things to go wrong. “When you really stop and think about what it takes to get a flower to your doorstep, it’s incredible,” says Roeser. From transportation to operations, the process is complex.  “A flower might be cut at 4 a.m. in Ecuador, then go through inspections, planes, trucks, and so many hands before it reaches you. There are hundreds of people behind every single flower, and that’s what makes it so special,” she says.

The secret to her success? “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. And a lot of grit. Do what you say you’re going to do,” says Roeser, who attributes this lesson, in part, to learning how to navigate her dyslexia by speaking with intention.

This formula has proven effective for Roeser, who balances parenthood, FiftyFlowers, and building her own brand with a book and a podcast, out later this year. A lifelong storyteller, Roeser dives into the logistics behind a floral business, but also the magic of flowers and the value of facing your fears.

“The key is recognizing what’s holding you back and actually saying it out loud. Because once you do, it loses its power. You realize it’s just a story you’ve been telling yourself,” she says.

“Are you familiar with the parable about the cow and the buffalo?” Roeser asks. “When a storm comes, cattle run away from it. Buffalo run straight into it. I am definitely a buffalo.”

Combined with her natural curiosity, this willingness to tackle problems head on, and without fear holding her back, Roeser has excelled as a visionary entrepreneur. Her brain is constantly at work—she estimates that three out of seven mornings start with a brilliant idea she’ll jot down in her phone’s Notes app to integrate later. “I create a lot of chaos. That’s just how I’m wired,” Roeser acknowledges. “But I’ve learned how to put systems around it so it actually turns into something productive.” She’s also an avid reader and hosts several book clubs in an online community that she created for women in the floral industry.

But nobody can do it alone. Roeser says that she surrounds herself with people who are smarter, more passionate, and confident in their expertise. “I surround myself with people who are better than me in their lane. That’s how we grow,” she says. “Flowers are my passion, but building a team of experts is what allows the company to truly scale.”

Trusting people is all part of the process and has been a crucial part of finding (or at least attempting) balance. Roeser recalls a moment when her younger daughter was around a year old and wanted to walk into the water. “One day I finally decided to just let her…and she tumbled in the water for 20 seconds,” she says. “It was the hardest 20 seconds of my life. But she learned. And that was the lesson for me too.”

Though Roeser says she still hasn’t mastered the tightrope act entirely, she’s getting closer. Her daughters, now 15 and 20, are proud of her, and finding their own paths. “We want our kids to do better than us, to achieve more. I set the bar high, but they know they can do anything.”

That commitment to building a meaningful life for her daughters also shaped one of Roeser’s biggest decisions: where to call home.

She jokes that she threw a pen at a map and it landed in Idaho, which isn’t that far from the truth. Though Roeser is from Texas, she came to Idaho by way of California, where she lived for a short time. There, she met some people at a wedding from Idaho who were “just so friendly.” After a visit, she says she fell in love with what Idaho has to offer. “It’s an incredible place to raise a family. The people, the outdoors, the pace of life. It just felt right,” she says. “You can hike, ski in 30 minutes, and paddleboard after work. The sun shines long and the business landscape was prime to bring my international company to Idaho.”

Though her flowers typically come from places where they can be grown more seasonally and in larger numbers, Roeser loves Idaho’s local growers and is committed to opening doors for them where she can. Often, that is by connecting smaller local folks with bigger operations and building community. Sometimes, it includes working with institutions like Texas A&M University, where she sits on the Advisory Council and is working on a campaign to educate people on the effect of flowers on mental health. “Flowers genuinely make people happier. It’s been studied. But honestly, you feel it the second you walk into a room with them,” laughs Roeser. “Go visit farms. Support growers. Bring flowers into your life.”

And, although Roeser appreciates that there is nothing more beautiful than a simple red rose, it isn’t her favorite flower. “Tulips are my favorite because they start as this ugly little bulb. You put it in the dirt and just trust something beautiful is going to happen. And then it blooms. And even after you cut it, it keeps growing. That’s how I see life. You can go through hard things and still keep growing,” says Roeser.