Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Hurst.
Hi Brandon, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After working for some of the nation’s top real estate agents and losing my job during the early part of the pandemic, I, like many people, developed a love for plants. I decided to take my newfound love and turn it into a business. I run a small plant business out of my Van Nuys apartment, which has been in my family for over 40 years and has been passed down for four generations. I converted my outdoor balcony into a safe space where people could socially distance themselves and learn about plants. In the past almost two years, I have been blessed to be featured on national television and through my Instagram account, have sold over 10,000 plants. I recently started offering shipping in the US as well and at any given time, I have between 50-100 plants in stock. I love what I do!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t think it’s ever a smooth road when you’re starting out a brand new business and at the same time, the love and support of the plant community has poured in since I began. It’s hard to say I have struggled when so many people were going through really hard times during the height of the pandemic. I was glad to be people’s light at the end of the tunnel by providing them with something they loved. I definitely did not know how to run a business when I started but have figured it out one plant at a time and am proud of what I’ve built. I am always expanding and evolving.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Brandon The Plant Guy?
I sell houseplants and plant-related merchandise. This business is run by myself, my partner Josh, and my mom Susan. Every plant is hand-picked by one of us with the intention of providing only the best quality plant for each and every person. We really don’t sell plants just to make money, we do it to make people happy! I am most proud that we are able to provide people with great customer service and that we get to know our customers on a personal level. This is not a plant boutique – it truly is your unconventional local small business!
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think just being a business owner alone requires you to be a risk-taker. Starting my business with no income at all was a huge risk. I literally invested my personal savings into the first batch of plants I bought to sell. Something in my gut told me I was doing the right thing but I had no data or past sales to go off of. I think the word risk is associated with fear many times but I don’t look at it that way. I think each of us are meant to contribute to this world, to engage with each other, to get out on the skinny branches and take risks and make a difference. That is my purpose in life.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: brandontheplantguy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandontheplantguy/
