We were lucky to catch up with Berman Rivera recently and have shared our conversation below.

Berman, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I returned to my hometown of Laredo, TX in 2011 after working on a masters in landscape architecture at UT Austin. As a botanist and landscape designer, Laredo’s extreme climate invited the opportunity to explore the limits and adaptabilities of various vegetation types for landscape applications along with developing a deeper sense for seasonality within my long held practice of gardening. Given that Laredo offered no professional outlets for landscape design, forging my own path was the only way to put my experience to practice.

In time, I set up a small office downtown and on a lunch break one afternoon came upon an area within the local community college where I secured arrangements to develop a demonstration urban garden. I was interested in testing the boundaries of organic crop cultivation in desert climates. This endeavor granted the opportunity to hone new horticultural skills and kept me engaged with my professional goals. In short time, I became the sole producer of an array of crops for the local farmers market which further instilled a sense of purpose and meaning to the sweat going into the path I was working to establish.

While this aspect of my journey granted a sense of personal fulfillment, the challenges of earning a living through small scale agriculture were evident early on and the need to evolve my business model became apparent. In time, I received requests for private residential urban gardens which led to other projects through word-of-mouth referrals. I managed to tap into a particular client demographic which invited the opportunity to apply the design skills developed during graduate studies-further broadening the scope of services leading to an increase in projects addressing the many facets of upscale landscape design which defines the majority of projects to-date.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a botanist and landscape designer practicing in South Texas. As a child I was fascinated by plants and seed germination. My mother had an eye for the aesthetics of our home which introduced me early on to the allure of manicured landscapes. My parents owned a restaurant and were both great in the kitchen- I remember my father picking wild piquin peppers for a salsa which, in hindsight, really peaked my interest in horticulture. When time came to pick an undergraduate field of study, botany felt right.

As a practicing landscape designer within a hot and arid environment, problem-solving is deeply embedded in the design principles which I employ. The cooler part of the year can easily trick you into investing resources towards a particular design style with a broad planting palette only to confront the brutal reality of the other half of the year with its scorching extended triple digit months. Without thoughtful design and planning much can be lost including investments of time and money. While summer months often lead me to question why I’ve chosen this career path, it is during this time where my work and services stand out. Through the years, I’ve gained intimate hands-on experience with the plants, materials, and practices best suited for this extreme environment. With each passing year, I find great pride in the success and resilience of what I have designed and delivered and in the value it brings to not only my clients but to the natural environment as a whole.

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

My clients and operating within the context of a small community have been paramount to building my brand and reputation. I have had the opportunity to work with wonderful clients who bring vision as well as confidence in my work. They have also brought much patience to the processes necessary in reaching site-specific success- it is through them that I have gained invaluable experience via experimentation. Word-of-mouth within my community continues to be my primary source for new projects whether its from client referrals or positive encounters with the landscapes I have created.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

I am frequently in touch with my clients simply because I maintain a vested interest in their projects. In a sense, I consider the work I deliver as a dynamic art piece. A designed landscape is successful only through the maintenance and attention it receives. I take much pride in the projects I deliver and often check in for ongoing edits, recommendations, and updates. My clients appreciate this and in many cases friendships have been forged.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.riveralangdesign.com
• Instagram: @riveralangdesign
• Linkedin: Berman Rivera

Image Credits
Stephanie J. Garza