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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Caladium Care

Caladium are beautiful leafy plants that thrive in high humidity. They can grow large beautiful leaves in bright light and come back from bulb year after year.

Light:

Requires bright, indirect light - direct sun will burn the thin leaves
Can tolerate medium light in front of north or east window

Water:

Water when topsoil feels dry to the touch
They need to be watered regularly, roughly once a week depending on environmental conditions

Humidity:

Native to South American rainforests, humidity is crucial
Misting and placing a saucer filled with pebbles and water under the container helps, but a humidifier is best.

Soil Type:

Prefers well draining, rich soil
Rich potting mix with peat moss or coco coir and perlite

Toxicity Level:

Toxic to animals

Additional Information:

During the winter the leaves may fall off and the bulbs go dormant
Does not have any tolerance for cold; try to keep at temperatures of 65 degrees or higher
They are tuberous plants that grow foliage only from spring to autumn
You can then either lift the tubers, allow them to dry and store them in peat in a breathable bag or leave them in the soil and suspend watering

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