Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Wooten.
Hi Tiffany, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I started working with plants as a child. My grandmother owned a flower shop, and I spent a lot of time there helping her and learning about the care of various plants. Succulents were some of her favorites because they don’t give off a scent, and she was allergic to almost everything, so I learned a lot about the different varieties and their needs pretty young. She taught me a lot, and I carried that love of plants through my younger years, always wanting to have plants around. Several years ago, I started propagating and growing my succulents. I began a small Etsy shop and loved sending babies out to new plant mamas and dads and educating people on how to care for the plants properly. I have always enjoyed making arrangements and taking them to friends for all occasions, and this year, with some encouragement from great friends, I decided to make it an official business. I built a greenhouse and began Sunny Lane Succulents to share my love of succulents on a larger scale. I now propagate as many plants as I can for future use, and what I don’t grow myself, I purchase locally from Austin greenhouses.
I love getting my hands dirty and find working with plants very calming. It’s also an enjoyable way for me to be creative daily. I now sell plants and arrangements and host classes and parties, teaching new friends of all ages how to properly care for the plants they take home at the end of the day. I have a repotting service and do home plant design where I go to a home, look at the space and light, and determine which plants would be best in the space. Education is a big part of what I offer, and it’s a piece I didn’t know I’d enjoy so much until I got into it. While I don’t (yet!) have a physical store, I offer potted plants and arrangements at markets around the city, and my favorite part is the face-to-face interaction and education I can offer. I’m not selling plants to make money. I want to send plants to a great home where the new owner feels confident they can keep them thriving for years! No green thumb, no problem! I walk you through it all as my grandmother did for me many years ago.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Only sometimes! Plants can be finicky, and I’ve lost many along the way. It’s been trial and error with new plants I’ve never seen before and even with some I have. I am still learning myself, which can be frustrating when you lose. Plant too much water or not enough light, but it’s also fun for me to learn.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Sunny Lane Succulents?
I answered a lot of this in the previous questions, but I am most proud of it, and what sets me apart is the education I offer. I won’t let anyone walk away without knowing how to care for their plants properly, keep them alive, and help them thrive for a long time. I offer classes to teach people the proper soil, light, and water requirements of succulents and send them home with a plant they will know how to care for. I offer parties with the same information as classes, but we have a lot of fun. Parties include picking a pot and plants and making small arrangements. These are great for teen birthday parties, bachelorettes, and moms’ moms’ out parties! I offer repotting services, which means you give me an empty pot and tell me where in your home it will go, and I check out the space and light and repot with appropriate plants. Or it could mean you have a plant that has outgrown a pot and need to upgrade. In either case, I’ve given! Home plant design involves me visiting your home, checking the conditions, including light, and determining which plants will work best. Education is a big part of this service, as I want your plants to thrive when I leave your home!
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I’m still determining if this answers the question, but my positive attitude and enthusiasm for plants make my business successful. I have spent most of my life studying plants and what it takes to help them thrive. I want to pass this knowledge on and send positive energy along with them. My customers feel that.
Pricing:
- Classes + parties begin at $30 per person
- Repotting services start at $45
- Arrangements begin at $65
- Holiday arrangements like decorated pumpkins for fall begun at $35
Contact Info:
- Website: sunnylanesucculents.com
- Instagram: @sunnylanesucculents
