Service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off — it simply evolves into new ways of giving back.
U.S. Air Force veteran Renee Pea spent 22 years in the military, shaping every part of who she is today. She started off as a communication, navigation, and penetrations aids journeyman, responsible for maintaining the systems that kept one of our nation’s premier fighters mission ready. She later cross-trained into financial management, stepping into a world where strategy, resources, and global operations intersect. Her final nine years were spent at U.S. Special Operations Command.
Today, she is a florist — a franchise owner of FauxReal Flowers in Florida — and had the honor of providing flowers for the 2025 ALA National Convention stage.
Can you explain your path from the U.S. Air Force to becoming a florist?
My journey into floral design began during one of the hardest periods of my career — my deployment to Iraq. Doctors encouraged me to find an activity to help manage anxiety. I turned to gardening and floral design, and it became more than a hobby; it became healing. Working with flowers helped quiet my mind and gave me a form of therapy I didn’t know I needed.
After retiring from the Air Force and transitioning into Department of Defense contracting, I continued designing florals. Conversations with community leaders guided me toward entrepreneurship.
That guidance led me to the FauxReal Flowers franchise in Raleigh, N.C. — a model built on luxury, real-touch faux florals that you can rent. The concept aligned perfectly with my creativity, desire for sustainability, and commitment to service.
What began as therapy during deployment evolved into a business that allows me to continue serving others in a meaningful way.
Did your military career prepare you for a career change?
Absolutely. My military career prepared me in several key ways:
• Discipline and precision
My avionics background on the F-15 taught strict attention to detail and technical accuracy — skills I now apply to floral design and event execution.
• Leadership and accountability
Years in financial management across Iraq, Pakistan, South Africa, and other deployed locations strengthened my ability to lead teams, manage complex budgets, and make high-stakes decisions.
• Mission planning and logistics
Serving at USSOCOM required planning, coordination, and ensuring operators had what they needed to succeed. Those logistics skills directly translate into delivering weddings and events seamlessly.
• Adaptability under pressure
Military operations demand calm, quick thinking, and problem-solving — all essential on event days when perfection is expected.
• Mental resilience and purpose
Floral design began as a tool to manage anxiety during deployment. It evolved into a passion that grounds me and fuels my business.
• Core values
Everything I do is anchored in the Air Force core values — Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.
What did it mean to provide florals for the 2025 American Legion Auxiliary National Convention?
It was a profound honor to provide the stage florals for a national event of this significance. As a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business, being chosen to support the American Legion Auxiliary National Convention meant far more than designing arrangements — it was an opportunity to represent veterans, service, and resilience on a national platform.
Seeing a sea of delegates from every state fill the convention hall — and then seeing our florals showcased on that stage — was a moment I will never forget. It felt like a bridge between my past and present: from serving in uniform to now serving through my craft and business.
It was a moment of validation — that what began as therapy during deployment has grown into something that stands on national stages.
This experience reaffirmed something deeply personal: Service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off — it simply evolves into new ways of giving back.
Do you have any advice for navigating career changes?
Find your passion and go for it. Career transitions take courage, resilience, and a willingness to start fresh. Trust your instincts, trust your gifts, and don’t be afraid to build a life that looks different from the one you imagined. When passion leads, everything else eventually aligns.
Is there anything else you want to add?
I am incredibly proud of the community we serve and the partnerships that have supported our mission. Through collaborations with Visit Tampa Bay, ECHO, NAWP–Gulf Coast Chapter, Women in Defense, USF ROTC, and many local event venues, we’ve been honored to support weddings, military ceremonies, nonprofit galas, leadership events, and community celebrations throughout the Greater Tampa Bay Area.
I also want to express heartfelt gratitude to the founders of the FauxReal Flowers franchise, whose vision and innovation created an opportunity that changed the trajectory of my life. Their belief in sustainable luxury florals allowed me to turn a personal healing journey into a business that now serves thousands.
My commitment today is the same as it was in uniform: to serve with integrity, excellence, and purpose.
Every experience — from deployments overseas to building a business here at home — has shaped this chapter. And I am deeply grateful to the Tampa Bay community for embracing us and allowing FauxReal Flowers to be part of so many meaningful moments.
