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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Monstera Deliciosa Care

Monstera add instant jungle plant presence to your space. They are vining plants that get big overtime without pruning and develop really cool aerial roots. Leaves start out small and heart-shaped and develop cuts in their leaves as they mature in proper bright light. This plant is easy to propagate and will yield you enough cuttings throughout its life for you to gift to all your friends. Our plants are greenhouse grown and acclimated to thrive in an indoor environment.

Basic Instructions: Place in bright, filtered light, and water once every 7-14 days or when the top two inches of soil are dry.

Who should get this plant: A good plant for those looking for a large presenceful plant. This plant is resilient and not finicky, making it a good plant to start your collection with too.

In depth care:

Light: Monstera will thrive in bright, filtered light, and will have a hard time photosynthesizing in lower light. Our plants are greenhouse grown, so direct sun will burn the leaves unless it’s limited to only very early morning light. In a space with very little natural light, a grow light can be added to ensure the plant’s ability to photosynthesize and grow.

Water: It’s best practice to learn to test the soil moisture with your finger by inserting into the dirt down two knuckles deep. Once the soil is dry to that depth, you can water your plant. Depending on your environment this can be once a week if your home is very hot or dry, or once every 10-14 days if your house is cooler or you use the AC regularly.

Humidity: Grouping plants together helps increase the humidity in the area immediately surrounding the plants. You can also supplement with a humidifier.

Pests: Spray Monstera leaves above and below with Neem oil monthly to prevent pests like spider mites from infesting your plant.

More Info:

If your leaves get defined yellow edges, it can be a sign that you need to repot your plant. Other less dramatic forms of yellowing can mean you are overwatering your plant or it is not getting enough light to photosynthesize.