We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ana Villa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ana, thanks for joining us today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.

This last year has been an incredible year for Villa succulent.

I’ve hosted monthly workshops at Eataly Silicon Valley, sometimes even twice a month. In between, I’ve had the chance teach CEOs from tech companies about working with plants and their health benefits, I also did team-building events for Apple and YouTube, decorate spaces for Gelato chef Patrizia Pasqualetti, and create party favors for the San Francisco Giants.
Sold over 400 succulent pumpkins between September and October, and hosted private events every month.

Looking back, it all started 4 year ago when succulents were just my pandemic hobby, a hobby I enjoyed in my little bit of free time while being a stay-at-home mom for the last 10 years.

I was born and raised in Medellín, Colombia, and by profession, I’m a designer that was my job for 12 years.
I moved to the Bay Area in 2013, the same year I became a mom, and made the decision to stay home with my kids.

Those next 10 years were filled with diapers, playdates, school volunteering, and birthday parties.
After both of my kids were in school, I began to ask myself: “Who am I beyond being a stay home mom?” It’s so easy to compare ourselves to others and feel the pressure to have everything figured out right away, but let me tell you—it takes time, a lot of time, some mistakes, lots of lesson, but also lots of good people that are willing to help your business grow.

During the pandemic lockdown, I found myself drawn to plants, particularly succulents. I always joke in my workshops that during the pandemic, you either got into plants, got into sourdough, or got divorce.

I started experimenting with arrangements, posting my creations on Instagram, and soon realized it was helping my mental health in ways I hadn’t anticipated, so I started investigating about the correlation between working with plants and mental health. There is so many studies that show that just the fact to touch dirt with your bear hands, boost your immune system, releases endorphins and lowers cortisol levels in your body.

Fall is my favorite season, and in 2022 I thought it would be fun to make some of my succulent pumpkins arregemnets to sell. I remember thinking, “If I sell these five pumpkins, that would be amazing!.
I texted my closest friends with some photos of the pumpkins, an not only they bought them, they send those pictures to other people, and then that people to other people, I started getting multiple orders everyday, long story short by the end of October that year I sold over 200 succulent pumkins!!!
That’s when I realized I could turn this hobby into a business, creating arrangements year-round for people.

Then came the holiday season. I had so many big plans and new products ready to go, I was so excited to do this again and sell lots of succulent arrangements, start my new business, feel so proud of myself and all the great feeling I had in the fall. Unfortunately, I only sold three arrangements that December.

I couldn’t help but wonder: What happened? Was it the price? Was my work not good enough? Was it me? The doubt crept in.
Maybe this was just a cute hobby after all, and I should go find what many people consider a “real” job.

My husband encouraged me to try for one more year. He said, “Don’t quit now, you love to do this so much. Give yourself 1 more year, If after a year you feel like it’s not working, then you’ll reassess. But at least you’ll know you gave it your all.”
So, in 2023, I kept creating new products, but sales were slow. Even though I was promoting on Instagram, only friends were buying. Some months, I was lucky if I sold two or three items.

It was frustrating. But deep down, I knew there was something more I could do—something that would allow me to share my art, my love for succulents, and connect with people in a meaningful way. But what was that “something”?

In May, I signed up to attend a gelato class at Eataly Silicon Valley with Chef Patrizia Pasqualetti. I’ve been a big fan of her gelato and her work, I admire how she turned a family recipe into a successful business, with locations all over the US.
So, I made her a little succulent arrangement as a gift for her to give her after the class.

At the class, I met Frankie, at the time Eataly’s event coordinator,  (now marketing operation manager) I shared with the class my passion for succulents and got to give my little succulent arrangement to Chef Patrizia, I remeber she said “You are the succulent lady on Instagram” and I felt so happy she said that.
We spent the afternoon making gelato, laughing, and enjoying the experience.Then went home and figured that was the end of it.

Almost 2 months later, while I was driving to deliver some 4th of July little arrangements, my only sale that month, I got a message on Instagram from Frankie that said:
“Ciao Ana,  hope you stay cool today! I wanted to reach out  and see if you might be interested  in doing a succulent class here at Eataly. I want to call it ‘Corck and Cacti’ ”
I was so happy , I couldn’t believe it! even-though I did a couple small classes before thanks to friends referrals, I never had a big company reach out and opening a door like this.

A friend of mine always says “Luck is when opportunity meets preparation”  and I was more than ready for this, i been working and learning about  succulents for 3 years at this point, I said yes right away—despite all my doubts I knew all those years of volunteering at my kids school gave the experience on how to prepare for a class, all the research and practice with succulents have me ready to share this knowledge and all my years working as a designer had me ready to create new products, find suppliers, etc. The only difference is now there will be Italian wine involved!

After that first workshop, everything felt right. It was so natural and fulfilling to connect with people, to share my passion for succulents, and to hear their stories. That’s when I realized: succulent workshops and private events were where I wanted to do the most. So many more doors open after Eataly, it gave me the direction and credibility I need it. “How did you get into having workshop there?” I get all the time.

I truly believe in the power of networking and being open to new opportunities. I’ve learned so much from other succulent designers, from friends starting their own businesses, and from strangers who’ve become friends in my workshops. I’ve learned that when you’re passionate about something, there are so many people willing to support and help you. And, most importantly, self-doubt is a normal part of the process, you don’t need all the answers right away.
If you really believe in your business and if you are passionate about what you do, you need to learn to take those slow moments as a sign of redirection.

Villa Succulent is still growing, slow but steady, and I’m so proud to see how a hobby born during the pandemic has turned into my own small business.
Im forever grateful to the people that care about what I do, whether they have attended a workshop, purchased an arrangement, or simply shared kind words of encouragement.

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

My name is Ana Villa, hence Villa Succulent,
I was born and raised in Medellin, Colombia. Lived in New Hampshire for a bit, a couple years in Canada and then moved to the bay area in 2013. I’m a designer by profession and love to be involved in anything creative.

I live in the bay area with my husband, 2 kids and 2 cats. I love poetry, reading, food, travel, meeting new people and also I’m a big Taylor Swift fan!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

When I first started my business, I didn’t know much about social media. I was simply sharing photos on Instagram of what I was doing without really thinking about any strategy. That’s when my good friend, Maria Singh (@singhria), stepped in. Maria, a content creator for the bay area with years of experience in brand development, was also starting her own business at the same time.

She taught me how to interpret the data from my Instagram account and how to plan my posts to reach new clients more effectively. Thanks to her guidance, I was able to use social media in a way that truly benefited my business.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

When I created my workshops, I wanted to offer more than just a lesson on how to ‘play’ with succulents. I wanted to provide a full experience where clients not only learn about plants but also discover the health benefits of working with them. Whether they’re new to this world or have some experience, I want everyone to feel confident in continuing their plant journey at home.

I’m deeply passionate about connecting with people on a meaningful level, finding what makes their spark shine and what truly makes them happy. During my workshops, I like to ask questions that help me understand who they are and what interests them. This allows me to learn from them and ensure they feel seen.

I truly believe plants are an amazing way to ground ourselves and slow down. In today’s fast-paced world, we all need moments to pause, and when we do, we long for genuine human connection and to feel understood.

I use the catchy phrase ‘Let’s Get Dirty’ on my products and supplies as a reminder that it’s okay to get a little messy while learning something new. In fact, touching dirt with your bare hands can actually trigger the release of endorphins, helping your body relax and feel more at ease. It’s all part of the experience – embracing the mess and enjoying the process!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @villa.succulent

Image Credits

Photos by: Danny DBAPIX.com
Maria Singh @singhria