Upperbloom

The seed was planted in 2018, when Sam was gifted a nicely filled flower box by his mother. It improved the look of his balcony, making him use it more often and also brightened up the view from the living room. Sam started studying flowers and plants, spend time with growers to gain knowledge and started selling filled planters. Together with Tom, he turned his small-scale idea into the professional service that Upperbloom is today. In cooperation with growers and specialists, new plant-sets are developed every season. Cultivation and filling are done by plant nursery and sheltered work space Pantar Amsterdam.

Sam van der Zanden, co-founder of Upperbloom: “When we first met Shawn, we instantly felt a personal connection. She is the type of entrepreneur who sees more than just the business model you have come up with or the numbers you put on the board. Looking back, we have made some very big steps in a very short time. Like us, Shawn believes the quality of city-life can be improved with the power of plants and flowers.”

‍Business partner Tom van Ruitenbeek adds: “Shawn has been great at helping us further cultivate our ideas, growing the business and making us work better and smarter. The support we got from her and her team has been amazing and we hope to continue working with her for many more years!”