We recently connected with Christine Mandese and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Well, I started off at Quinnipiac University where I picked up the first of my three master’s degrees in Education. Spent the next two decades deeply immersed in elementary education—teacher, reading specialist, you name it. I loved my time influencing the lives of students and educators, but I always had this itch for something different, something of my own. It was the creativity and drive I saw in my colleagues that really pushed me to make the risky leap from the structured school life to the wild ride of entrepreneurship.

The skills I honed as a principal—like nailing down effective communication and getting all those procedures right—actually paved the way pretty smoothly when I switched to running my own business. Then, when COVID hit, I discovered this whole new passion for plants and floral design, something completely absent in my earlier career but somehow sparked during that downtime.

My family’s got these deep artistic roots from my grandfather, Christopher Benvie, my mom, Alice Benvie-Gebhart, and my brother, Nick Gebhart, they’re all incredibly talented artists. I can’t draw to save my life, but turns out, I’ve got a knack for putting together floral arrangements. Guess it runs in the family!

In 2021, I started Plant Girl Shop right out of my home, and by May 2022, I opened our first store on Main Street in East Greenwich, RI. It’s this cozy little spot for plant and flower enthusiasts offering everything from tiny gifts to grand wedding floral installations. We’ve done over 250 weddings now, creating everything from massive hanging floral pieces to lush, vibrant arches that really frame those Rhode Island sunsets perfectly.

Looking back, I’m just super thankful for taking that big risk into a new career. Now, I lead an amazing team of women who put their hearts into spreading joy throughout our community and helping couples celebrate their lives together. It’s been a wild, fulfilling journey and I wouldn’t change a thing!”

Christine, 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?

Hi, I’m Christine, the creator and driving force behind Plant Girl Shop, a small sanctuary for plant and flower lovers and anyone looking to bring a touch of nature’s beauty into their lives. After two decades in education, I took a leap into the botanical world, and it’s been an amazing journey of growth and creativity. At Plant Girl Shop, we do it all—sell plants, offer flowers on-demand, handle deliveries, and even host classes and private plant and flower parties. It’s a place where the community can come together to share their love for plants.

For those dreaming of a perfect wedding, Plant Girl Shop Floral Design is here to deliver. We specialize in creating stylish, customized wedding floral arrangements that speak of organic, refined elegance. It’s our joy to bring each couple’s unique floral vision to life, ensuring every arrangement makes a statement of its own.

We also have Coco’s Petals Floral Design, tailored for clients who love our designs but are mindful of budget. By eliminating setup and pickup fees, removing rentals, and minimizing staff, we manage to keep costs down without compromising on style or quality. This approach makes luxury floral designs more accessible, allowing us to focus on what matters most—celebrating love and beauty in the most sustainable way possible.

Each branch of my business reflects a commitment to beauty, quality, and community, and I’m thrilled to share this passion with others every day.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I did not take a loan to start my business. I came from a good paying job and I did not have an opportunity to “try” a new business without receiving a paycheck. I started by selling plants on my instagram page, out of my garage and at free or almost free events. I saved every cent I could and I did all of this while working my job as a principal. At the same time, I knew booking weddings was going to be more profitable, so I got on the wedding wire and the knot for the lowest price possible ($250 a month) and I watched every free sales video on youtube, tik tok and IG I could find. I booked 25 weddings in 2 months. Most meetings I was taking in my car at my school during a fake “lunch” or “bathroom” break. (with my walkie talkie on low). I had to quit my job before the wedding season started and that year I successfully had 87 weddings total.

When I opened my store in May I thought I might need a loan, but I rethought it. I thought small again. I found tables in my house to start. I took the plants I had. I had enough money to have a friend build me three tables. I took $400 and that is how many plants I had for opening day.

To save money the first year, I worked at each wedding. I did my own wedding pickups, I worked my shop hours. I busted my ass! (don’t know if you can publish that) That is how you don’t need to take a loan.

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

Social media is my baby. This is where it all came from. I never stop posting. I never stop sharing. I never stop posting. I never stop sharing. I never stop posting. I never stop sharing.

People on social media want to know about you! They want to see your life, the behind the scenes, pretty things, ugly things, what didn’t work, what worked beautifully, the family picture, the dog, the cat, the vacation! Give it to them!

Keep posting. Keep sharing! I love to boost posts to targeted audiences. I also will use hashtags that target my audience. I also found that commenting and engaging in my audience every day made a huge difference when I was building my following.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.plantgirlshop.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plant.girl.shop/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plant.girl.shop
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
• Other: https://www.plantgirlshopfloraldesign.com/ https://www.cocospetalsfloraldesign.com/

Image Credits
Eva Alexandra Photography