We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karsten Tuttle. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karsten below.

Karsten , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Looking back, what’s an important lesson you learned at a prior job?

I recently went back to my previous company, the Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI), but this time it was as a consultant. We were working to get their hydroponic systems back up and running, to grow more food that will feed and benefit the community. The culmination was a fundraiser, showcasing the work we had accomplished, and demonstrating the opportunities for the non-profit and the community as a whole. The most impactful part of the experience was the open mic panel hosted by SJLI’s Health Equity team, of which I had been a member from 2014-2016. It became an open dialogue between the team members and the members of the community, where they were able to examine and reflect upon the work they were doing, the struggles and obstacles still in the way, and the goals still remaining. They were the same goals as when I worked there, with an even greater vision. The dedication and drive everyone demonstrated was inspiring. At SBTG Seedlings (Seedwyze), we want to grow plants to help others start gardens, to give back to schools and non-profits, to teach about gardening and the benefits of nutritious, healthy food. The biggest lesson back then, as it is now, is to always remember the impact and benefit of working together for a common goal, and that we get the most out of things when we help each other. That’s what we want to do: to help educate, grow, thrive.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started in the field of landscape architecture in college, and through my senior project, had really enjoyed learning about urban farming. What could be cooler than growing food in a city, in unconventional spaces, maximizing our output and minimizing our footprint? I began working with school and community gardens at SJLI, a non-profit in Inglewood, and from there we added a new element: vertical farming. Seeing the opportunity to grow food almost anywhere was truly fascinating. And that’s where our seedling company enters the picture. Oftentimes the hardest part of starting a garden is sprouting the seeds. That’s why we provide started plants, seedlings ready to drop into any garden: soil, pot, raised bed, or any hydroponic system. We ship them right to your door, so it’s convenient and makes starting your garden as easy as possible. I’m most proud of the organizations we’ve partnered with over the years, different school districts and restaurants around southern California, who have been able grow their own produce. I’m also proud of how wide a range of seedlings we offer. Throughout the year we offer over 200 varieties of seedlings, of edible fruit, vegetables, greens, herbs, lettuces, and flowers. We love hearing how well someone’s plants are doing and are always happy to provide any advice to make someone’s growing experience as wonderful as possible.

We change up what we grow in accordance with the weather. The fun veggies of Spring and Summer include tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, beans, squash, strawberries, melons, and eggplants. In the Fall and Winter, some of our favorites are cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, peas, edamame, and a winter strawberry. Throughout the year we continuously grow lettuces, leafy greens, herbs, and flowers. We want to provide the highest quality seedlings and a wide variety of starts to make gardening a fun and rewarding experience every season.

We are also extremely excited about our newest venture, which in addition to shipping seedlings and offering garden maintenance, will be donating seedlings with every purchase, partnering with local non-profits and schools to provide more access for students and communities to grow their own food.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

This one is extremely recent, and still ongoing. Instead of shipping an order, I decided to drop off seedlings in person because I’d be in the area. When I arrived to the drop off, it was a large complex without a discernable entrance. So I called and was guided inside. It was at this point I saw their Tower Gardens and realized they could use some help. I offered to take an inventory to get them growing at their best. I came out to the office again and they explained they had a culinary program and kitchen starting and they wanted to integrate their Tower Gardens into the operation. So now we are planning out how they can grow plants on their campus to support their culinary program, and it all started because I decided to drop off. It helps me realize the potential of starting a conversation and to always follow up on opportunities.

Let’s talk M&A – we’d love to hear your about your experience with buying businesses.

I actually bought this business in 2017. I had worked in the industry for several years, including with the owner, and when he wanted to sell, he offered it to me and we broke down the numbers of the enterprise. We looked into the year-over-year sales, it having been around for 6-7 years, and then looked into the day-to-day costs to weigh the opportunity. The business was still young, and I decided to buy it because it was already established and I could see potential in it. It was a simple transfer between two people, the business wasn’t really more than a one person operation. That’s how I’ve run it for the past seven years, but I am now beginning to expand. It was interesting understanding the basics of business acquisition, covenant non-competes, and valuations. Being a small company made it easier to break down, but it was important to look at the total costs of production, shipping, and time needed to grow the seedlings to determine the overall potential of the venture. Because we start the plants ourselves, it was important to put together a timeline of how long each variety takes to be ready to sell. Rather than importing or having a third party grow our products, we manufacture them ourselves. It is therefore extremely important to focus on proper timing to grow the seedlings, which flucuates depending on time of year, temperature, etc. Once we had the overall costs estimated, I determined it to be a promising opportunity, in a field I really enjoy. Looking back, it was well worth it and I’m glad I took the chance.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sbtgseedlings.com www.seedwyze.com
• Instagram: @sbtgseedlings @seedwyze
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/sbtgseedlings