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

Hi Wendee, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you identified some of your key partners/vendors and how you made those relationships work?

As a designer who sub contracts it is necessary for me to have a core group of key partners to bring my designs to life. A design plan is merely pen on paper without having key partners from nursery vendors for products to the crews that install all facets of the design project. Without their partnerships, implementation of
my designs would not make it to fruition.
I was fortunate growing up in an entrepreneurial family with my mother being owner/operator of a wallpapering company. Having watched her network with other businesses and successfully market herself through the community,
I knew my biggest key partners would be found by volunteering myself to my community. The first place I brought my business to was the Chamber of Commerce where they helped to increase my exposure to the community and online. I also stayed very involved with sponsoring other small businesses and local arboretum, being involved in local school events and working with the Arts Center. Other trusted key partners came from being in a committed networking group for 11 years. I still to this day fall back to referring and meeting the people I met in this group 20 years ago.
I prioritize working with small business owners,
like myself, who are passionately doing what they love.
Great results ripple out into every detail of their work flowing over into mine.
My lesson learned is to go with my gut, not every client is meant for me, it is ok to turn down work. Always be sure to have key partners to refer that work to, “I am not the right fit for this project however I have the perfect person to refer to you who is”.

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 have never been a fan of corporate work structure and love to make the space of a house feel like home so I followed my passion to do that! First portion of my career was focused on interiors of commercial and retail spaces. I worked in a custom furniture factory for a short period of time later moving into strictly residential interiors; decorating, space planning of furniture and accessories, product selection and lighting. After my interior crew; contractor, plumber, sheet rock installer, electrician, all retired I moved outside into the gardens. Sharing my love and knowledge for native and perennial plants. Designing gardens that support wildlife habitats, show a color story all year long and sharing how to ease maintenance along the way.
30 years I have been in business now and I see a need for coaching in the home and garden industries. Guiding Homeowners, who are capable and willing to do the projects themselves, with resources, knowledge, experience and accountability timelines to finish those projects.
I thrive getting to be in a variety of environments daily and meeting new people rather than going to the same space every day.
I am passionate about my work and have deep seated belief that everyone should have a safe personalized place to call home. I feel blessed to help them create an environment that showcases their personality, both indoors and in their gardens/landscape.
My main objective in business is don’t find fault, find a remedy. Assist
Homeowners to feel abundantly whelmed rather than overwhelmed.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Business capital-I created a business out of pure passion and money was not an obstacle that stopped me. I have never had a large amount of money to fund my business, I have simply grown it by working to make money and reinvesting profits into the business. I have never carried business debt and only recently took out my first business loan in 2024 to move my business online. I have paid for all of my schooling out-of-pocket and continue to take education courses every year. I have been blessed to have clients donate tools and equipment and even had a client buy me new tools as gift to expand my craft and generate more income. Current society pushes us to live in debt; student debt, business debt, living expense debt and I do not participate in that.
I have been turned down by banks, told by 6 business owners in a shark tank scenario that there was no way I could succeed with my business model.
They tried to convince me I must have “X” amount of capital at hand, a fancy business plan and a bank backing my venture. What they didn’t understand is, this passionate business owner is driven by more than money! The riches for me come in getting to create a schedule that fits into me living my life best life . Current status in 2025, 30 debt free business years, their proposed business model ideas were not right for me.
I am indebted to myself, my health, my well being and the accountability to do as I say. I am my own bank-always open to learning something new to enRICH myself and strengthen my career path.
I have been open and honest with clients in moments of business growth and they have provided me work to fund my needs.
My experience has proven to me that my faith to live out my passions and trust the process, are all I need and I will always be guided and provided for you.
It has never failed me.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My pivoting story of resilience comes when I fell 25 feet off of a ladder working on an interior painting job. I broke my left foot in 14 places, uprooting my already uprooted life of newly unmarried and newly living life without the habit of alcohol. Doctors told me I might not be able to continue my work as I may not have a functioning foot to be on ladders, work with shovels or stand on my feet for long hours at a time. I tend to be a person that if you tell me there’s something I cannot do, I take it as a challenge and will make it my intent to do! With that being said, I defied their odds and in time came back strong. While I was down I was very fortunate to have the help of Rodney, a wonderful gentleman who helped me handle the labor side of my business while I took on the administrative role. I was blessed that my housemates at the time were physical therapists who told me create a ‘new normal’ and that would lessen the challenges.
My two children, 10 & 17 at the time, had my back, stood by my side, cooked my meals, and did all the chores to run our household. It took me over a year and a half to recover, learning to walk and do all the things again. Sadly Rodney passed away and I was lead to Mark, landscape company owner. and after working some jobs together it was an easy business match with good end results. Working with Mark allowed me the ability to let my body rest and focus on the design and administration part of our landscape partnership. I handle the client contact, designs, task lists and plants. Mark handles the crew, labor and equipment for implementation .
The success I had during this uprooted time came from years of being committed to my key partners-the network group, the Chamber of Commerce, fellow volunteers I participated at events with and other community supporters. At a time when my world came to an abrupt halt and I was put on 56 days of bedrest, my business world barely skipped a beat because the community swooped in to support me. Clients came to my house with their samples to do design plans, local restaurants and friends from the community fed me and my children did all the things I could not do myself.
I was able to make enough money to pay all of my bills during five months of my life being turned upside down and being stuck motionless in a time when I’m usually moving for 12 to 14 hours a day. The way I had built my key partner community and all the support I gave them over the years was reciprocated ten fold back to me. In a time I felt like my world was crumbling around me they showed they were the strength of my foundation to keep me going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wendeejanedesigns.com/
• Instagram: wendee_jane
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/wendeejanedesigns
• Youtube: Wendee Jane Designs@wendeejanedesigns8164