Conversations with Nina Brahman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Brahman.

Hi Nina , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hi my name is Nina and I am the owner of iLoveTus Succulents, a Plant Shop where guests can enjoy a creative planting experience. This project started because for the past 30 years, I have had a very stressful day job as a lawyer. During my hardest days, I found moments of wellness with planting and taking care of succulents, cacti and houseplants. I loved how, no matter how crazy my day was, just spending 10 minutes with my plants would calm me down and recenter me to go back stronger and fight for justice for my clients.
Just as a hobby and gifts from my heart, I began making succulent arrangements with rock and crystal decorations for my friends, clients and family. To my delight, they loved that I had specially made pretty long-lasting mini-garden gifts for them. They also couldn’t believe that I, a crazy busy bee with no particular previously known artistic talent, was able made these beautiful gifts! I assured them they could also create their own mini-gardens, as like painting, it requires no particular skills and everyone, with any degree of ability, young or old, can enjoy planting. Little by little and over the years, my plant collection grew wide and beautiful. I planted everywhere I could find a piece of land or a planter! To balance my own life and share this gift with my community, I could not resist but to open a small Planting Shop on Topanga, where people can come, relax, pick from a variety of unique planters, pretty succulents and shiny rocks, crystals and moss and create their own mini-gardens to take home. Pretty much all of our guests, of any gender or age, love our creative activity and tell us they feel relaxed when they spend time planting with us. We also offer a vast variety of sophisticated pre-made arrangements, experience gift certificates and beautiful plants that are ready to go in an elegant package and perfect as last minute gifts. Last but not least, we have a lot of fun hosting private parties, birthdays, BFF outings, date nights, team bonding events, school fundraisers, mystery nights, senior gatherings, kids parties, art shows and a variety of other events, all specially curated and customized to our customers’ needs and desires.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been smooth in the sense that our clients’ 100% contentement and the visible happiness we see them experience while planting is the proof of my concept. There is no question that planting is so good for the soul. People of all ages and walks of life truly enjoy our planting experience and report having fun and feeling relaxed when creating their mini-gardens, as stated in their 5 star reviews which truly warm our hearts. However, like any new small business and especially one with a new concept, we struggle (financially) to keep our head above the water. Last year’s LA wildfires and the frequent closure of our street (Topanga Canyon) have been very difficult for us and the neighboring local businesses. We are trying hard and hope we can survive and continue offering this lifetime wellness activity to all the people of our community in Los Angeles.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At our small Planting Shop on Topanga, people can come, pick a unique planter, pick pretty succulents from our indoor gardens, make arrangements under our guidance, decorate their mini-gardens with shiny rocks, crystals, shells and moss and take home their new babies. What sets us apart is that we are the only planting shop in Los Angeles that offers planting classes and workshops every hour of every day we are open in a relaxing indoor environment with water sounds sand soft music. We are proud of the fact that our guests (4-99 years old) love the good vibes of our store and create, often to their own surprise, incredible mini-garden masterpieces that truly amaze us every day. We are also so proud of instilling the love and ABCs of planting in our guests while they have fun being creative. Our prices are reasonable and all inclusive of all mini-succulents and decorations that fit in the selected planter, so guests dont have to worry about extras. Another feature that also sets us apart is that we package the Mini-Gardens beautifully so they are ready to gift and provide written care instructions to help our new friends get better at planting, with hopes that it would help their lives become more relaxed and fulfilled.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
As you know, our city lives are very busy and stressful. Planting is an amazingly balanced and fulfilling activity that often becomes a healthy habit for life. Spending time with plants brings one closer to nature and brings the good vibes of nature into homes and offices. No outdoor garden is necessary as many plants can be acclimated to the interior as long as there is bright light! Planting Succulents and Cacti, especially in Los Angeles, is an easy gateway to a lifetime of planting and gardening. These species are the dinosaurs of plants, very resilient, easy to plant and to care for, qualities which help people gain confidence in the greenness of their thumbs! Planting is a lifetime gift that will hopefully stay with our guests forever and that they can enjoy anywhere and anytime. I know this personally as the love and gift of planting was passed on to me, when I was a little girl, by my 2 beautiful Grandmothers, Mani & Aziz. I miss them every day but every time I plant, I feel they are with me, smiling from the heavens.

Pricing:

• Our planting experience starts at $35

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ilovetus.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilovetussucculents
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilovetus
• Other: https://classbento.com/plant-it-your-way-succulent-workshop-los-angeles

Image Credits
Not applicable