Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Suissa.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I moved to Los Angeles from the East Coast, I loved seeing more sunshine throughout the year, but the poor air quality and lack of greenery soon had me bringing plants inside our home.
One day, I was potting plants with my kids outside on our deck (unfortunately, like most Angelenos, we don’t have grass in our backyard). We were making a big mess, which was fun until the kids started trekking dirt inside the house and I thought, “I wish there was a place where we could do this.” I envisioned a place where kiddos could make a mess and mommas didn’t have to clean up (you know, a mom’s typical daydream). I thought of a place where families and friends could gather for special occasions and infuse their time spent together with an experience that would last for years to come – not only in memory. I’m familiar with hosting, as my husband and I take it upon ourselves to host people from all walks of life. It is a Jewish value called hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests). We invite into our home young people who have emigrated to this country without family, elderly people with family no longer living, and everyone in between. Coupling my passion for hosting guests, a trait I inherited from my mother, and my love of greenery and gardening, a trait I inherited from my father, created the beautiful blend that is Le Petit Garden. We are an event space that facilitates potting workshops. Choose a plant, make your own potting mix, and plant happiness.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think smooth roads are dangerous because you’re more likely to fall asleep on them. That’s my way of saying, no, it hasn’t been a smooth road, but I’m okay with that. We started renovating what is now our tranquil, warmly lit studio space in September 2017. I had my Asher 2 months later. It was a struggle getting the interior ready, ordering inventory, and getting our systems setup all the while breastfeeding my handsome new blessing. We opened in May 2018. I wore all the hats – accounting, HR, sales, marketing, social media, janitor, and I’ve forgotten the others likely due to sleep deprivation. In June 2019, I had another baby, bringing the headcount to 2 loving stepkiddos and five kiddos from my own womb. Not that I didn’t learn my lesson with Asher, but building our blended family is more important to me than building any business. And this time was different. After being in business for over a year, I was able to document e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. so that onboarding was more of a breeze rather than a hurricane. I also brought on people who could take some hats off my head. We became a team and every member of our team gets it – they get what Le Petit Garden is about. We’re not selling plants. We’re inviting you to partake in an eco-experience that reconnects you to the nature around us and within us.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Le Petit Garden – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
At Le Petit Garden, you make your own potting mix to replicate your plant’s native habitat. We liken our workshop to baking in that we have different ‘recipes’ for our plants from different regions and soil environments around the world. We combine different ‘ingredients’ to create the optimum potting mix for your plant. We help you with the process from start to finish. First, you’ll pick a ceramic pot from our collection. We have many styles and textures to choose from: moderne (modern in French), éclectique (eclectic), and ethnique (ethnic). My hope is that everyone can find a piece that represents themself because Le Petit Garden isn’t about anyone aesthetic, it’s about a shared experience. Next, we’ll guide you to the plant that will thrive in your space’s natural light – whether it’s bright sunrays beaming in or whether it’s just a tiny window in a big room – we have a plant for that. All of our plants are interior plants – they’re meant to be kept indoors. Then, we’ll guide your potting mix workshop. You’ll learn about each ingredient as you add it to the mix. We’ll share some tips for potting plants and teach you care instructions before you leave as a new, proud plant parent. We encourage our guests to keep in touch on social because we kinda feel like your plant grandparent.
I believe our Guides are most known for their patience and enthusiasm. The biggest compliment I hear (eavesdrop, really) is when a customer asks one of our Guides if they own the business. That means to me that their love and commitment to Le Petit Garden is just as palpable as mine.
What sets us apart from others is our intention. We let it be known that we’re doing what we’re doing with the intention to create an awareness of the oneness of nature. We’re unapologetically spiritual.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We’re currently in the early stages of raising venture capital to expand Le Petit Garden. We’re looking for the right partner, whose vision and values are in line with our own. We plan to open another location in 2021 – location to be announced later this year, so stay tuned! In the meantime, we’ll be debuting more products and services to make hosting an event with Le Petit Garden seamless. What I’m most excited about is the additional eco-experiences we’re developing. I know I’m being cryptic, so you’ll have to trust me when I say we have more workshops that will marry an artisan ceramic and a plant-based activation.
Pricing:
- Petit Workshop: $18/person
- Regular Workshop: $31+/child, $36+/adult
- Grande Workshop: $56+/person
- Open Studio Party: $100 + cost of workshops
- Private Party: $200 (weekdays), $400 (weekends) + cost of workshops
- On-Location Party: $200 + cost of workshops
Contact Info:
- Address: 8017 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90046 - Website: www.lepetitgarden.co
- Phone: 323-413-2623
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lepetitgarden.co/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LePetitGardenLA/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lepetitgarden
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/le-petit-garden-los-angeles
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