Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Crystal Brinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Crystal, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?
We were preparing to reopen our just started plant shop in a new higher foot traffic location at the Kilburn Mill located in New Bedford, Ma. in 2021. I was super excited as I was able to have the space custom fitted with paint color, lighting, custom made display pieces, including vintage finds. We opened on the 18th of September and on the 26th. of September I closed shop and got ready for my regular Sunday night roller skate session. This being my favorite way to let go of the weeks pressures and just roll I was overly confident and decided I can totally go in reverse direction backwards skate,I was coming around the corner, I looked the gentleman next to me in the eye and was like ‘I’m a little scared’ he smiled and nodded, then a few moments later I was on the floor. Not only did I crash, loose my glasses, whack the back of my head I shattered my entire wrist. I was in shock, was helped up, someone found my glasses and how I got off the floor, took my skates off, got my shoes on and drove home I really don’t know. I knew I had broken my wrist but what I did not realize was how severely my injuries were. Seventy two hours later I was home with an arm full of metal plates, pins, screws and some kind of bone putty that would allow the bone parts to regenerate. Eww. I was scared shitless. I thought I was going to loose my hand, my new shop, and the garden design business, how the hell will I pay the rent, the mortgage, meet payroll? Winter was coming and I had a line up of work that was now not going to happen. I was freaking out amongst the numbing effect of heavy pain pills and a cast that was up to my armpit. But I didn’t loose any of it as a matter of fact I gained a whole lot of adaptation to the situation at hand. I am quickly approaching the two year anniversary and the shop is flourishing, the garden design side of business has also grown. I am more than humbled to say life really is all right! No I do not roller skate any more but I can happily say I did it.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I have been a passionate plant person my whole life. The past fifteen years I along with my steadfast partner Kenneth Jardin have owned and operated a fine garden design business. We have created and maintained gardens that are as small as a single planter to large estate sized properties. We are a plant driven business that offers best current gardening methods which includes incorporating the love of ecology into all our projects. In 2020 I decided it was time for me to finally have a studio space which launched the second aspect of our company Star Garden Studio. Because of covid things kind of morphed a little and I decided that having a small scaled plant shop that offers an eclectic mix of houseplants, pottery, and home decor would be the perfect fit for the new location within the Kilburn Mill.
At this point in time I am now preparing to open the studio part of Star Garden which will be a dedicated work shop for conducting fun and engaging moments that evoke all things plant centered including seasonal workshops, special pop up venues, as well as a dedicated location to process plant orders.
Having both a garden design business and a brick n mortar plant shop is how we can harmoniously work/live together. I also believe that to be current in todays market means having the foresight to adapt. We are a niche in the term landscape company as we do not follow the herd. We solve the dilemma of what do I do with my yard? How can I grow a plant in my apartment? Because we are a small company and the plant shop is only open three days a week we are able to be exactly as we are a small but mighty business. Only being able to take on so many projects a season we are also able to live the life we want. I truly believe that doing what you love just ripples outwards and keeping ones feet firmly on the ground every step forward with a few stumbles and crashes will only make you stronger but more importantly it teaches you to just live life at your own damn pace. Our niche is staying small.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
You can’t please everybody all the time. But you can put your best foot forward to the best of your ability every day. Yes I am human, I have on occasion been late to open the shop and in the midst of spring madness forgot to be somewhere. Reputation building is done one person at a time. How you accomplish that is entirely up to you. It is very important to me that who ever walks into Star Garden Studio is made to feel comfortable to walk through the shop. Not everyone who visits wants anything I offer, that’s ok but they may know someone who does love plants and that is why saying hello or good day without any expectation can be the most important thing to do. I also say thank you for stopping by when they exit. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming when one is starting out as a plant parent. I take great care to ensure the customer has enough confidence and understanding on how to take care of their investment as plants are a perishable item. I also emphasis the importance of reaching out to me if they are concerned or worried about their plant. Being available to answer any of their questions such as why do I have yellow leaves? Or why is my plant drooping? Reputation is part of how you relate to the customers needs. Sometimes a customers plant dose not make it, I find it more valuable to just simply give them a replacement plant because it is a learning experience and sometimes it does take more than one try. Some may say why? why take the loss? it’s their fault their plant died. Because it is worth keeping a customer and that person can let their friends or family members know the plant lady really does care, she gave me a new plant and I have kept it alive so now I want another plant. Caring and understanding I feel does go a long way to building solid relationships and our goal is to grow. So I guess growing our reputation is like growing a plant!
Have you ever had to pivot?
Pivoting is part of life, every day we are faced with having to change where we go, what do I order for dinner, how am I going to open my plant shop this weekend? The accident was one of those very unexpected moments one that ultimately made us both pivot so we could land back on our feet. I was broken and in despair with the accident. I was open only four days with the new plant shop and I had a fall line up of garden installations ready to go. I was kicked in the gut and thrown down the stairs now I had to focus on healing and recovery. HOW? I just let go of my grip on everything. Kenny took over and lead the gardening team, our employees stepped up to the challenges, the plant shop was fine! I went to physical therapy twice a week, I informed our clients of the accident and they were totally ok with having to wait till following spring for the scheduled garden installs, we did not have a very profitable year but we did make all our payroll needs, pay rent for the plant shop, and best of all we were able to give our employees the bonuses they very well deserved. The shop was operating only two days a week through the holiday season, I had the broken opportunity to accept that I was no longer going to be working in the gardens come spring and roller skating time was over. Last year was difficult because I was physically tired, I stopped exercising, gained a good twenty pounds, and just kinda lost interest in things, the plant shop was my escape, I realized hey I can still meet customers, create garden designs, tag plants, oversee garden layouts, and yes get back into exercising! And today I dropped those pounds, garden at home, my wrist is healed, and yes Kenny is an awesome business partner leading the way installing and maintaining clients gardens. Life is a lesson in itself, we just have to understand that these moments do lead to breakthroughs that pivot you in a direction you never knew you were fully capable of handling.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stargardenstudio.com
- Instagram: star.garden.studio
- Facebook: stargardenstudio
- Yelp: star garden studio