Today we’d like to introduce you to George Torres.
George, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2003, I left the Post Production/Hollywood industry and started a new career. I took a crack at Real Estate Loans but could not make a solid living at it so I decided to go back to school.
I attended Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA and double-majored in Horticulture and Landscape Design. After graduating from college in 2007, I went to work for a prominent landscape designer in South Orange County. During the 2008 recession, I was laid-off and found work in Los Angeles at a popular boutique nursery in the heart of Santa Monica… The Leaf and Petal. After working at this nursery for four years and designing landscapes from ordinary folks to celebrities, I decided it was time to go at it solo and start my own company. I set off designing landscapes and specializing in detailed indoor and outdoor plant maintenance.
Soon thereafter, I was acquiring jobs by word of mouth… no marketing/advertising of any sort… and was off to a good start.
After two years in the industry as a self-employed entrepreneur, I began to feel the complexities of running a company and experiencing down-turns in my industry.
I tried taking advantage of the Southern California drought but the competition was fierce and funding for water conservation programs ran out. I was forced to begin marketing myself by creating a website, distributing business cards, brochures, and advertising on Yelp, Facebook, Instagram and other social media outlets.
Currently, I am working on my biggest project to date, a 4,500 square foot Hollywood Hills Landscaping design and Installation.
This is my third year in business and I look forward to continued growth and expansion of my company. Currently, I am focusing on opening a specialized landscape maintenance division with a full crew while I focus primarily on marketing and design work.
Has it been a smooth road?
After two years in the industry as a self-employed entrepreneur, I began to feel the complexities of running a company and experiencing down-turns in my industry. I was solely relying on monthly maintenance clients and the design /installation jobs were not coming in. I was running in the red for many months at a time and had to borrow money to make ends meet.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Monarca Landscape Design – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Most of my work is in West Los Angeles along the beach cities where there are affluent neighborhoods and clients wanting to create outdoor rooms and beautiful landscapes.
We specialize in drought-tolerant, California friendly and native plants, succulent gardens, and container gardens for yard-less residences. We also specialize in drip irrigation and converting current spray irrigation systems to money saving, modern irrigation technologies.
We design as well as maintain indoor plant installations.
Our company is set apart from your typical mow and blow gardeners who seldom take the time necessary to manicure the clients landscape. We spend time pruning, clipping, and feathering shrubs and other delicate plants to our customer’s desire, as well as limiting gas powered machines and instead using hand tools to maintain the garden.
Our company has a reputation of trust-worthiness, reliability, and good, clean work.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I love about this city is the wide variety of people, neighborhoods, and landscapes.
What I don’t like about this city is the congestion and traffic gridlock and difficulty in getting from the West to the East and from the North to the South.
Contact Info:
- Address:1053 Alhambra, CA 91802
- Website: www.monarcadesign.com
- Phone: 949.228.5240
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: monarcalandscapedesign
- Facebook: Monarca Landscape Design
- Yelp: Monarca Landscape Design
