What a CEO Founder at Revival Roots Nursery Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Nursery Industry

I would say there are two things. Everyone says starting your business involves working tons of hours, and it will be taxing and hard. But they also say it's the best way to do it, that there will be an eventual payoff, and it will be worth it.

All of that is very true. But one thing that's become very clear is that tasks only get completed and growth only happens if it happens. The amount of energy I or my team puts in correlates exactly to what we get out of it.

For example, about a year ago, I started an online nursery called Revival Roots Nursery. We sell vegetable and herb seedlings directly to customers throughout California. We were having trouble accessing customers.

We wondered if we should spend more on Google or Facebook and Instagram ads, or if we should go to events and set up a table. I really wanted to co-market our brand with an existing brand, perhaps by throwing in a free seedling with another brand's product. This seemed like a great way to legitimize our brand and co-market with their customer base.

Six months passed, and I realized we hadn't done that co-marketing. I understood that I don't actually sit on my computer and cold call or cold email brands I admire. It just won't happen on its own. Time can pass, but it still won't happen. All it takes is sitting down, brainstorming, and doing it.

I would say the possibilities are endless; you can take your business anywhere you want. But you are accountable for how far your business goes. External issues can happen, and things like that, so no one should be hard on themselves. But at the end of the day, it's up to you to ensure things happen for growth.

The other thing I learned, which I wasn't told before and has been really interesting, is that a significant part of the job is team management. This is a wonderful thing, but it was definitely more of a time and mental commitment than I expected.

It involves making sure everyone feels good and happy in their job, telling people they've done a good job when they have, and constructively guiding them if something hasn't gone as hoped. It also means ensuring they have long-term goals and a pathway at the company, and checking in with them to let them know you're thinking about their long-term goals and the company's growth.

This is a significant part of the day from a time perspective. We couldn't operate if we didn't have a team. Ensuring everyone feels good, supported, and has the resources to flourish in their job will pay dividends for your business a million times over. Those are the two things I've learned.