Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Kinniell.
Hi Erin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was living in NYC for three years while working as an Executive Assistant to a CEO & Partner of a Hospitality Group. I was having the time of my life in NYC and I loved the people at my company, but in the back of my mind I always knew that I wanted more out of life than a 9-5 office job. Fast forward to March 15, 2020, I, as well as the rest of my company are notified to get on an emergency conference call that informed us that we would all be furloughed due to the growing severity of the Pandemic. I decided to head back to my hometown in Texas and took it as a sign from God that it was my time to evaluate what I really wanted out of life. The first month or 2 of the quarantine were not so bad, I got to spend time bonding with my family that I only got to see three times a year. As the Pandemic got worse, I realized I would not be going back to NYC anytime soon. For the next few months, I began applying to jobs every day, with absolutely no luck and hardly any response. I knew that I was not alone and that there were millions of others that were in the same predicament, but I still felt hopeless. I began feeling a lack of motivation, which led me to become extremely depressed. I’ve struggled with depression since I was 18 but it had never stayed with me for long periods of time.
However, this time was different and lasted for almost a year and a half. I did not have the desire nor energy to get up out of the bed each morning. I felt so pessimistic about life that I couldn’t find the joy in the things that I once did before. I was extremely lost, but I was so desperate to get out of this funk and figure out what my next step in my life was. Ultimately, I knew that working another office job wouldn’t completely fulfill me, but I missed working so much. This feeling always led me to having same conversation with my mom “Erin, you really need to get some plants. They will make you so happy!” My mom’s most passionate hobby has and always will be plants. Shamefully, I used to not have a desire for plants and had always made fun of her for how excited she got when she spoke about them. Until one day, I decided to take my mom’s advice after she gifted me with a few plants to take home. It only took about two weeks for the plants to make an impression on me. All it took was having a set schedule to water my plants or seeing a new leaf unfurl that got me excited about life again. This was only supposed to be a hobby and I am so blessed that I have now grown this into a business that I am so passionate about. I am still in amazement by how much plants can positively affect your mental health. I still and probably always will struggle with anxiety and depression, but it is much more manageable now. If anything, I just hope that my story can help spread mental health awareness and the benefits that plants could bring you.
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?
This journey has not always been smooth sailing and I have definitely struggled along the way. I was not employed when I first started this business, so I had to invest an uncomfortable amount of my savings to put into it. I remember one particular instance that made me feel discouraged, I was explaining to someone about my plants and why I was so passionate about starting this business. After my tangent about why plants are the best and how there is a huge market for them, the person responded in a condescending tone “Oh, so you’re pretty much just a mail person for plants.” I know the person probably did not mean anything offensive by the comment, but I know that others who have started a business have definitely experienced some type of backlash. I realized I couldn’t force people to understand my passion and what it is I exactly do, especially if they don’t have a love for plants. After two slow months of my business being opened, I did question if I was just living in a daydream of what could be. I decided not to give into my negative thoughts and keep pushing. I began marketing my business even more which also consisted of me leaving behind my business cards anywhere and everywhere that I went. I knew my hustle had started to pay off when I began receiving multiple orders a week. I look back now and I am so happy that I didn’t let my fear of feeling defeated overcome my dream.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I run a plant business out of my apartment. I sell common and rare house plants locally and offer shipping. What started off as a passionate hobby has grown to a business in less than a year. I have successfully shipped over 200 plants all over the world including to countries such as Dubai, Poland, New Zealand and Thailand. A lot of the plants I sell are propagated, which means that I take a cutting from the mother plant and grow a whole new plant. Once I take a cutting, I place it in a specific mixture that will allow it to begin growing roots. The roots usually grow to a preferred length within 2-4 weeks and then it is time to pot the rooted cutting in a soil mixture. The whole process is extremely fascinating to me because of how fun it is to watch a plant thrive and grow. I am extremely passionate about my plants and I love providing my customers with the best possible customer service, especially people who are new to the plant world. Besides selling plants, I also offer services such as plant consultations, repotting, plant shopping, indoor/outdoor plant design, routine maintenance and plant sitting.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’m pretty particular about who I let into my life and I’m extremely intuitive. At times, I think I can come across as emotionally detached because of my hard exterior. Which is definitely opposite of how I really am. Just like everyone else in this world, I have experienced hurt from relationships and friendships. I can be very sensitive and I feel emotions deeply when I’ve been hurt, Which is why I always tried to protect myself. As I’ve gotten older, I have learned that life is way too short to surround yourself with people whose energy drains you and makes you feel lesser than. I’m less apologetic now about who I want in my life and this have improved my mental health tremendously. I truly believe that God places as well as removes people in your life for a reason. I am working on not being so guarded because I don’t want to potentially miss out on meeting amazing people with good hearts. This new mindset has made me take a step back and be extremely grateful for the people in my life who have always loved and supported me.
Contact Info:
- Email: plantgoddessstudio@gmail.com
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/plantgoddessco
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/plantgoddessstudio
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/plantgoddessstudio
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@plantgoddessstudio
