Invest in Us!

We want to build stronger community, create more jobs, and GROW, so we're raising funds through small business bonds on @thesmbx marketplace. They start as low as $10 and investors will receive monthly payments at 11.5% interest over a 5 year period.

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Paraíso Plant Studio is a people-centered house plant nursery and Berkeley’s largest house plant destination. With a focus on community they strive to inspire hope and joy through our intentionally inclusive and education-based plant space.

Our Story

When I started my business in 2018, I had been struggling with postpartum depression for 2 years. Gardening and plants had been key to my recovery, and I wanted to share this powerful tool with others. I began by selling plants and what I called “plant chandeliers,” one-of-a-kind hanging plant holders and terrariums from antique chandeliers and lighting fixtures, at local markets and festivals. I started with a $300 investment and within one year I was able to open our first brick and mortar store. By 2021, we had generated $1M in revenue, and secured our first long-term lease in one of the most highly sought-after shopping destinations in the Bay Area, in Berkeley’s Fourth Street shopping district. Since then, through Covid and drastic changes in socio-economic conditions, we have created stability for our business and our team.

Today, we are a highly regarded houseplant nursery. Both my background in Interior Design and Community Organizing shape our business model. We are values-forward, community builders, and culture creators who embrace change. Through our passion for house plants, we create community by forming deep and earnest relationships with our customers. We focus on meeting customers where they are in their plant journey and providing accessible plant care education so that they are successful at caring for their plants. Resulting in an incredible returning customer rate and help people who think they are plant killers become plant people.

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Our Business Plan

We have obtained a lease 2 doors down from us that is almost 3x the size of our current space. This will increase our street visibility, inventory and customer capacity, and allow us to combine our floral business with our growing workshop and plant jobs. Estimating scaling our business by double our revenue and diversifying into other areas for additional growth opportunities. It will also help us create more fail-safes and pivot plans to maintain stability in the event of an economic downturn.

Use of Funds

We will use the funds raised for working capital for a new location expansion, labor, and inventory.

$235,000 (94.0%) - Working capital- expansion to new location, labor, and inventory
$15,000 (6.0%) - SMBX Funding Success Fee

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Invest in Paraíso Plant Studio

Dear Plant Friends,

You might have heard that we're growing and moving (just 2 doors down)! Our team and I are so excited to take the next step and to double down on all of the things that make us great, with almost 3 times the space for workshops, community events, and more plants!

Instead of relying on big banks for capital, we’re partnering with SMBX to give you–our amazing community–the opportunity to invest in our growth and our future. Partnering with the SMBX is a way for small businesses like ours to grow through community financial support, allowing us to maintain our values instead of partnering with big banks whose values don’t align with ours.

We’ve come a long way since first opening our doors in 2019 and throughout it all we’ve remained determined to lead with our values of equity, inclusion, and community. Now we want to thank you for your continued support and invite you to invest in our business during this next exciting phase of growth.

Here’s how it works: Purchase PLNT Small Business BondsTM on SMBX. The Bonds start as low as $10 and investors will receive an 11.5% annual interest paid back monthly over a 5 year period.

We’re raising funds to support that growth and to continue to build community, create meaningful jobs, and provide a beautiful and inclusive safe space for all. Wether you invest $10, $100, or $10,000 your investment means the world to us. We hope that you’ll be excited to join us on this journey as our business grows and we continue to uplift our community!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out, an if you can, please be a part of our growth and invest in us!

With love and care,
María