We recently connected with Tonja Knake and have shared our conversation below.
Tonja, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?
Getting my first client was tough but exciting! I spent months sending emails, calling prospects and I even went inside businesses to speak to owners and management directly. I got my first lead after three months of being in business. I met some friends for brunch on a Saturday and we decided to sit outside on the patio tables. As we were waiting for our food, I noticed how sad the plants looked inside the table. I immediately started thinking about plants that would work best in that area and then the lightbulb went off. At that moment I knew I had to give them my business card. I walked inside to speak to the manager on duty. I gave him my elevator speech and business card. A week went by, and I still did not receive an email or call. I don’t give up easily, so I went to their website and sent an email to the contact that was listed. I received a reply back within two days! I met with one of the owners from the company to discuss monthly routine maintenance. Within a week of communicating through email, I had finally found my first client. I was overjoyed and so nervous! I couldn’t believe it. Now, they are one of my biggest clients and I’m so glad I didn’t give up.
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
Hi, I’m Tonja! I own and operate Grounded Plant Services. I love gardening, growing plants and teaching others how to care for their green friends. My hobbies outside of my business are sewing, food preservation, painting, and learning guitar. When I was a young girl, I spent a lot of time outside. My grandmother loved planting flowers in front of her house. This made her so happy. I think that’s when I first fell in love with digging in dirt! My grandmother also taught me about growing food. She used to work on a farm and would bring home loads of vegetables for us to clean and prep. I’ve always been fond of being able to provide for myself by gardening. As I got older, I started to dive more into learning about gardening and plants. I started my plant business in January of 2022, providing plant care packages to businesses in the area. I currently have two pop-up shops. One located in Noda at Divine Barrel Brewing and the other is at Project lean Nation in Southend off of Hawkins St. Within the next two years, I would like to have my summer camp started. One of my goals is to have a summer program targeted to children in the community, where I teach them how to grow their own food/plants and how to forage in the wild. I’m most proud of myself for not giving up. Juggling a full-time job and a small business is not easy. I’m happiest when my clients and customers have a smile on their face. I’m proud to be someone people can call on and trust. I want my potential clients to know that I take pride in what I do, and I want to provide the best service possible for their place of business.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
One of the things that helped me build a good reputation within my market was focusing on how I interacted with others. Most people are willing to work with someone that presents themselves in a professional manner. Customers want to ensure that they are dealing with a legit business so having all my ducks in a row early on was very important for my company’s success. Proving that I am knowledgeable in my field also helps my reputation.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Sending out emails to businesses and going in to speak with owners on how I can improve their space and save them money has been the most effective strategy for my business thus far.
Contact Info:
- Website: groundedplantservices.square.site
- Instagram: GroundedPlantServices