Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat O’Brien.
Hi Kat, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I moved to Athens in July of 2021 to begin graduate school at UGA and fell in love with the town. I have always had a huge garden, so that winter I started working on my seeds and was excited to get outside in the spring. I’m originally from NY and spent the previous five years in Alaska, so my gardening knowledge did not exactly translate… my huge collection of seedlings that thrived inside were not doing so well in the southern heat, so I turned to my indoor plants to help keep my hands dirt-y. I started propagating everything; the cuttings of my plants that I had shipped from Alaska were thriving and it was nice to have greenness all around me again. Having been an organic gardener in Alaska, my favorite part of plants is sharing them, and while I love my UGA community and the folks in my department, I really was missing out on connecting with other people in Athens.
I started Potted to fulfill those two needs — my desire to connect with people outside my bubble and to engage in plant chats with anyone who would listen. As an educator, gardener, and all-around chatty person, my goal was to make good on my commitment to plants and to people. I always tell folks that they can reach out with any questions about plants because I never want to send someone home with a plant they don’t know how to care for. Education, support, and community, and especially plants, are Potted’s mission.
Potted would not be here today without the incredible support of the Athens community willing to host our pop-ups. Businesses have been excited to have us, and it has been wonderful meeting all the people keeping Athens’ small businesses running. Also, my friends who now own too many plants, my wonderful partner, and of course the family– including my dog who is a mascot of the shop.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle has been the confidence. It is a big risk to start something new, especially while in school and working part-time at a local brewery (shout out Athentic!), and I was not sure I would have the time or energy to do this. But I really wanted to have something of my own to share with people, dictated through my own lens, and done on my own terms. The question of whether that is something people would want is hard to answer before it is done, so it was a risk and a challenge to believe in myself. Was what I was doing unique? Was it worth it? Would it actually do the things I want to do? Can you build a silly little community around plants?
That, and figuring out taxes.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Potted. Athens specializes in organic: plants, house-made fertilizers, pest control, potting mix; also, homemade and hand-made pots, and environmental education. We strive to have people enjoy their plants for a long time and have the resources they need to do so. We always say: our DMs and Email are open!! We want to empower people to be plant parents. We also offer re-potting workshops, and I think what sets us apart is our commitment to our plants and people for the long run. We are really proud of the mission to educate and uplift!
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I am lucky to have good friends, good connections, which has allowed me to pop-up in many places! One of my friends works for a restaurant, so I was able to use their connection to meet and work with their bosses. I feel my luck comes from the people I am lucky to know!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Potted.Ath
- Twitter: Potted.Ath
Image Credits
The profile image was taken by myself. The four “glamour” shots uploaded are taken by Sarah Frazer, @sarahfrazerart
