Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mark Ervin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mark, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I was introduced to organic gardening at a very young age by my grandfather. He taught me how to create compost and organic fertilizer from leftovers on his ranch. It always amazed me how a plant thrived from leftover scrapes and recycled materials. These fond memories of gardening with my grandfather helped to instill a love for gardening and regenerative agriculture.

As a young adult, I studied archeology at University of California. Two areas I was studying that intrigued and inspired me were Native American agriculture and ancient agricultural techniques. Native Americans in the Amazonian Basin used an ancient soil amendment named terra preta. I got the opportunity to study how the amendments were made in ancient times and what benefits it provided to the soil. We discovered that the terra preta amendment created the most fertile soil in South America. Some of the soil that was treated 500 years ago is still seeing the benefits of that technique today. I strongly believe that if the ancient fertilizer amendment could create fertile living soil 500 years ago then it could help us heal our mismanaged soil today. Our company was founded on the belief that we could recreate a high quality, packaged terra preta for the modern gardener.

Mark, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

At Greengro, we strive to produce the most premium fertilizers and soil amendments in the United States. We combine ancient agriculture with modern biotechnology to create a unique blend of probiotic-enhanced products. We believe strongly in sustainability and regenerative agricultural practices. Specifically, we seek to revitalize decaying soils. We fortify our products with key ingredients such as mycorrhizal fungi, beneficial bacteria, and biochar to breathe life back into your soil.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

During the pandemic, we discovered that people were going to the brick and mortar stores less and less. Online store fronts for gardening supplies started increasing at an exponential rate between 2020 and 2021. In order to not lose traction in sales we decided to pivot and put a lot of our energy in creating an online store and selling on Amazon. Additionally, we reached out to physical stores that have large online store fronts. We negotiated dropship arrangements with online retailers to further improve our on-line footprint. By making these simple changes we were able to reach 10% more customers thus growing our bottom line during the pandemic.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My advice for starting a social media account would be first and foremost, know your audience. If you know who you want to view and interact with your content, then you will have a much easier time structuring your page around a specific demographic. For example, with Greengro, we knew that we had to target people in the home, lifestyle and garden categories. For new and novel products that age demographic was between 25-45. Once we knew this information, we were able to create content that appeals to that specific demographic. By using repetition and consistency of posting relevant content, we have grown our following organically over time. For everyone trying to grow their following, it isn’t achieved overnight. Building your social media presence requires consistent work and attention but will grow overtime as long as you stay focused on your audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thegreengro.com
• Instagram: thegreengro
• Facebook: greengrobio