The tale of 1-800-Flowers’ success is a story of entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and commercial smarts. Join Avanade and Microsoft at NRF 2025 for a unique conversation with 1-800-Flowers Founder James F. "Jim" McCann – alongside CIO Arnold “Arnie” Leap. You’ll hear the fascinating story of how the business began in the 1970s, as retold by Jim – then a social worker and part-time bartender in NYC – who had a dream to build America’s first nationwide florist. And you’ll learn how the business has flourished since, by staying agile and innovative – moving early to thrive in the .com era, and now doing the same in the AI age with the help of Microsoft and Avanade.
