Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Vilorio.
Hi Andrea, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I returned from serving in Peace Corps (https://losingmyselfinservice1.wordpress.com) as an English Teacher in rural Ethiopia, I knew a couple of things: 1) I wanted to obtain further education, 2) I wanted to build a business I could be proud of, 3) I wanted to work in government, and 4) I wanted to help people with health and education. Over the last several years, I’ve worked hard to make those dreams a reality.
When the Covid-19 pandemic began, I started graduate school at Emory University. I collaborated with the Georgia Department of Public Health Board of Health, CDC, Emory University, and CORE to help individuals who had been impacted by the pandemic. As an introvert, I missed having the option to socialize and knew others were in the same boat as the things that would normally bring joy were starting to lose their luster, except for plants. Learning about plants, seeing them grow, battling with pests and winning that war, mixing soil for the best growth, learning about different plant mediums – I found excitement in that.
Planting Positivity, LLC came about to expand people’s concept of what plants are, what they bring to our lives, and to show that there is a certain artistry to plant care. It is a place for gardeners from all walks to life to build a community who love working with their hands and slowly seeing the fruit of their laborers come through in a new leaf. This business allowed fellow individuals to dive into the plant world and become a plant mom or plant dad. I’ve been lucky to interact with various members of the Atlanta community, among others from North Carolina, South Carolina, Oregon, Florida, and Alabama, and have discussions about plants, care maintenance, soil, and other topics.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Any business first starting off will have some challenges and obstacles to overcome. Since making the business official two and a half years ago, we have dedicated significant time to identifying the mission, vision, and goal as this is the foundation and the heart of what we strive for. This level of effort has evolved into many days and nights pondering the direction of the business, looking at skills and values critically, pushing past imposter syndrome, and being the hype person when everyone’s feedback may have fueled insecurity.
One of the greatest things about the Atlanta area is the diversity and history. This has given rise to groups and events from all walks of life. You can imagine that this creates opportunities to get involved with many great organizations, but it can also feel a little daunting – like “what sets this business apart, what makes people want to buy from you, what connections have you formed that make people come back?” It’s these types of questions that allow fear and insecurity to come into those spaces. Online commercialism is also big – how do you build a brand that is unique and special to you, that builds and works on quality products, and stands by their morals, their values, and their items?
Navigating these conversations has meant taking a personal inventory of any knowledge and knowledge gaps surrounding business strategies, marketing, advertising, web design and commercial licensing, taxes, obtaining business insurance, and many more. While overwhelming in the moment, taking a step back and reflecting on how we started has allowed opportunities for grace, compassion, and strength to come through the light. Planting Positivity, LLC prides itself on teaching about education, learning, optimism, and effort to others – sometimes, as a business we forget to pause for a moment, and as humans, we forget that we deserve some grace, too. This has led to seeking help from others with more expertise, taking business and financial classes to be more well-rounded, getting to the root of where insecurities come from, seeking mentorship from those who have established businesses, advocating and believing in oneself and in the business, and seeking out opportunities to attend conferences/festivals to get involved with other business entrepreneurs. At Planting Positivity LLC, we haven’t quite figured it all out, but we’re having fun learning along the way and hope others can join us.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
For the past four years, vending at markets has been key at building relationships within the Atlanta community. Planting Positivity, LLC is a proud participant of vendor shows, in collaborative partnerships with Georgia Plant Trade and Sale, Bossup_events, Community Farmers Market, Community Market Atlanta, Sudnat Studios, Cryptid Creatives, Southeast Plant Show, ATL Entertains, Compassion Con, Benteen Park Fall Fest, and hopefully future partnerships with Vintage Market Days, Atlanta Plant Fest, Alabama Plant show, and Big Plant Expo in SC.
These in-person markets help the staff at Planting Positivity, LLC understand trends of what the community finds value in, what common plant questions appear, and identify the misconceptions of plants and the plant community, thus helping us pivot and stay aware of how to best support the community. These interactions then drive the content being produced through social media, the blog, and best practices moving forward to facilitate curiosity, learning, education, and health within the community.
In addition to face-to-face interactions at markets and plant shows, Planting Positivity, LLC offers the following services: virtual plant consultations, in-home houseplant repotting, indoor plant event styling, and plant sitter for when time away is needed. These services can be booked at our website of Planting Positivity, LLC (https://www.planting-positivity.com/).
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
In this interview, I’ve talked a lot about insecurities and imposter syndrome quite in-depth. It happens to the best of us, from those just starting to those more seasoned business owners, and it really is a part of being on this human journey. As a highly functioning anxious introvert, I’ve had to learn to get out of my shell and find people who are willing to work with you. I’ve had to get over my fear of being a burden on someone and “I can do this myself” mentality. Some of the greatest mentors I’ve had are the ones who are honest, look at their mistakes critically, and reflect on ways to improve. They are the ones who listen to podcasts, who read books and are intellectually curious, those who ask “why?”, and those who are willing to listen when they are given a why.
As a collective unit working towards building a business, we’ve had to work hard in our communication and business strategies, while remembering why we got involved in the first place. Together, we combine the things we’ve learned along the way and experiment with strategies to authentically represent the brand, produce plant products and other plant accessories that bring joy to the public, and form connections with others like us or different from us.
Before forming Planting Positivity, LLC, I worked at a flower shop with a freelance floral artist and designer based in the Atlanta area. During the few months, I became a sponge where I learned as much as I could about building a relationship with clientele, maintaining a shop with plants, plant care & maintenance, vending at markets and applying to different shows, and taking calculated risks. I took the information and lessons I learned there to create my own version of heaven through Planting Positivity, LLC.
In trying to find a mentor, I encourage any individuals to seek out those leaders who are situated in spaces that they would like to be in the future and ask about their experiences. These mentors could be those at a certain level in the organization, completing a certain project, or holding a specific certification. It’s important to find someone you respect, admire, and who the mentee and mentor could learn from one another. From there, maintain a level of check-in with each other to talk about goals (one, two, five, or ten years), and map out what that looks like. With time, you’ll start noticing conversations instilling a level of excitement and energy – that’s when actions need to start matching words.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.planting-positivity.com
- Instagram: @planting.positivity.llc / @dreainethiopia
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/planting.positivity.llc
- Other: Tiktok: @planting.positivity.llc
Image Credits
Eddie Wedman.
