By Lezlee Gutierrez, Student Reporter

Some may say spring is blooming more than flowers this season for two ACU alumnae who have taken their flower business to new heights.

Sisters Robyn (’03) and Rachael Wise (’06) were featured on the television channel TLC on Friday night as they introduced their event designing business on the pilot episode of a reality show, titled A Blooming Business. The network may pick up the show as a more permanent series.

The program featured the two sisters and the hard work they put into managing their business, Cymbidium, which is a modern floral boutique in Dallas specializing in event planning. The show followed them as they prepared for a big wedding that will be held at a well-known Baptist church.

“We didn’t get to see anything until the night it aired,” Robyn said. “We have been blessed in so many ways.”

The sisters opened their floral shop in 2005, and several years later, a production company approached them and asked to film them as they ran their business. After the initial conversation, the sisters did not hear from the company until months later when it finally began to shoot for the show. Now the Wise sisters have to wait to see if TLC will air their show as a reality series.

“It was definitely a learning process,” Rachael said. “TLC is a family-friendly network, so we knew we could trust them.”

The sisters also put hard work into other aspects than just running their business and shooting a reality show. They also work with the Touch of Life foundation to help children in Africa.

“God has given us so many opportunities to do what we love,” Rachael said.

Rachael returned two weeks ago from Africa where she served with the foundation ‘Pack it up,’ which works with the Village of Life and Village of Hope orphanage in Ghana. This orphanage helps enslaved children who are being sold and bought along Lake Volta, one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. At this lake, children are forced to catch, clean and sell fish under gruesome circumstances.

“I would like to encourage students at ACU to take everything they learn with them as they follow their dreams,” Robyn said. “All of the blessings we have encountered would not have been possible without our faith.”

The sisters said they hope to expand their flower business and open more shops in the future. For more information about Cymbidium and A Blooming Business, visit www.cymbidiumflowers.com.