We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jami Derby. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jami below.

Alright, Jami thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Senorita Succulents started in the fall of 2020, as did many businesses. I never imagined myself starting a business, I guess I was always selling myself short not thinking I was creative enough to do so. My love for plants & succulents comes from my grandpa who has the nicest yard that he tends to everyday. Alongside the stunning landscape he has a huge collection of cactus and succulents, which are his favorite. Years leading up to starting my business I would spend time with him outside and make my own mini succulent arrangements with cuttings and pieces of his plants. The most important part of having a business is it being something you love and have a passion for, something you would see in public and need to have. I loved going to nurseries on the weekend and it was becoming a bit obsessive honestly. As it was Fall I decided to kick off my business by making succulent pumpkins, a fun arrangement I had been making years prior for myself. So many of my friends and family supported me and I kinda just went from there. I am thankful enough to have a full time career in addition to my small business so it takes the stress off me to sell 24/7, although I am always up to something plant related. After the high of pumpkin season I rolled straight into Christmas themed arrangements and then Valentines Day and so on. I knew from early on that people could feel my passion for my business and I think that is a big part of why I am successful.

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

In addition to my seasonal succulent themed arrangements which include: succulent pumpkins, Christmas wreaths, heart planters, Easter cross arrangements, and other various size and shape arrangements, I also sell disco ball planters that are a huge hit. I do many custom planter arrangements and projects for different occasions and workshops.

I am especially excited for my third year of business as it’s going to be the best one yet! I am so proud of how far my business has come in just two years, I have a deep appreciation for business owners and all that they do behind the scenes. Everything I do and make I hope that you see my intention behind it and I truly want it to be something that brings joy to you or whoever receives it. All of my plants are locally sourced and I love being able to support other local businesses through my own.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I am very much the type of person who likes to stay busy, hence the full time job and part time small business. This past year I expected to go full steam ahead and I learned pretty quickly that it’s probably not the most sustainable strategy. Considering the market for small businesses right now is a little slow, which I have no control over, physically and mentally my body was telling me to pull back a little. I think I have learned that working hard is always important but it’s more important to rest and take care of yourself. I am choosing to spend my time more wisely and while it’s driving me crazy doing less, I am feeling better and am ready to jump back into a crazy season of the year.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Word of mouth will always play the most important role for my business, I am so thankful for everyone who feels compelled to share my work with others.

Meeting people at markets is also fulfilling because they see me in person, my personality and my passion. I am able to answer questions about specific plants and it makes it more special. In addition to in person, online obviously plays a huge role in growing a business these days. I worked pretty hard at the beginning to post content online that was helpful and informative to people about plants and how to care for them. I think this allowed people to see I knew what I was talking about and again I had a passion for everything I put out.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.senoritasucculents.com
• Instagram: @senoritasucculents
• Facebook: Senorita Succulents

Image Credits
Caylee McFarland (just for the photo of the wreaths)