We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nika Linn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nika below.
Nika, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents instilled so many priceless values in me and my sisters when we were young. My mother and father had met while both working abroad and made it a priority to travel with us. We didn’t have fancy material things at home (we played in the mud, learned how to drive tractors and read maps) but we were spoiled with backroads international travel and experiences many children only dream about. I am eternally grateful for the extreme privilege that allowed our family to do this. These experiences and worldly exposure allowed me and my siblings to become the open, caring, and well-rounded humans we are today. Only by communing with diverse people all around the world have I become someone whose primary goal is being radically empathetic, thoughtful and loving. A love for the natural world was also inspired in me by my father who is a tree farmer and fisherman. We spent many summers out camping or working with trees. You cannot force people to care about nature. They must come to the realization themselves that communion with the natural environment is one of the most profound experiences we can hope to have on this planet. At least on a small scale this is what I hope to encourage within people through their houseplant husbandry.
Nika, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Chez Flora started in 2018 as a passion project but has now expanded to a permanent retail gig at Kansas City Kitty (an amazing women’s clothing boutique in downtown FoCo) and a consulting business that has helped countless folks feel more confident with plants. As a botanist with years of horticultural experience and a passion for science communication, I use biology to explain how plants work and how best to care for them in a fun and accessible way.
I grew up on my dad’s tree farm and in my grandfather’s garden: I was destined to love plants. I keep the well-being of plants and humans at the center of my business. Through this lil’ business I hope to foster folks’ love for the natural world and for themselves. Additionally, I think keeping plants in your home is a great way to interact with the natural world at a time when we are so often isolated from it.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Part of why I wanted to start helping people with their houseplants is because of all the misinformation I was seeing about plants on social media. Frankly, many of the “tips” shared on social media regarding plants are not based in science and are either old wives tales or straight-up fake. I wanted to use what I had learned as a young botanist to share with folks the physiology and chemistry of their green foliage friends. This, in turn, allows them to feel more confident with their plants because they know the reasoning behind why one may be wilting or an older leaf yellowing and falling off.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Word of mouth has always been the best source for new clients. Because my houseplant consulting work takes place primarily in peoples’ homes and I regularly work on heirloom-status plants that are 30+ years old, it is vital for me to create trusting relationships with my clients. This is such an honor and I treat it as such. I think this trust and care-centered approach is refreshing for folks and frequently leads to referrals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chez-flora.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chezflora/