Tuesday, August 24, 2010

i'm grounded.

being constantly on-the-go is my way of life. can i multi-task like no one you've ever seen? you better believe it! it's in the Shim family genes (have you met my sister?!).

we are like oak trees- sturdy and resilient and dynamic- with many branches, constantly growing and free. happy to be blown by the wind, bud new leaves, change, face challenges and expand...and get rained on every now and then too.

for me personally, this means always juggling tasks, favors, chores, Facebook-time, texting, messaging, designing, shopping for plants, going to business meetings, forming new business opportunities, pitching new ideas, hosting dinner parties, and nurturing and growing our little family.

so when my dr tells me that i have to be on moderate 'bedrest' mode from hereon out (or until this baby pops out), this is something that i absolutely cannot comprehend. do nothing all day long? with my feet up, or laying down? with zero stress?

where most people would relish at the opportunity to be told to have to rest and not work- i am instead, panic-stricken and filled with more stress then i feel on a normal day-to-day basis! why-  i have things to do! i have to buy plants, plant plants, finish off projects, have people to see, meet with and plan with, i have to get up and go!

but i just can't.

so here i am- forcing myself to lounge, with my laptop, getting to the things i wouldn't normally be able to do- being my mobile self. like blogging! sourcing out great furniture and garden accessories, putting ninth grade keyboarding class skillz back to work by actually replying to emails on a normal size keyboard instead of a miniature Blackberry one- and learning to embrace this calm before the work and new baby storm starts again.

and in the meantime- succumbing to (temporarily) trading my crazy "oak tree identity" instead, for the like of the still towering redwood sequoias of Northern California...grounded- but at least happy and calm.

wish me luck!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

growing a business and a baby down an alley

funny to think that in january of this year, we were ringing in the new year with close friends in our party-famous backyard- under towering fishtail palms, oversized monstera and alocasia- donning our best robot costumes and challenging friends to robot dance offs (don't ask).

to four months later in may, opening Pots and Plants down an alley in the miami design district- without pomp, or circumstance.

while happily stacking our inventory of ecoLITE pots, we continued to figure out how to attract people into an alley (which in many other 'urban' cities have fabulous appeal- think San Fran's Chinatown Alleys)- and really get this business 'out of the ground', 'growing' (excuse the puns) and exposed in our year-round, foliage-dense, yet urban garden-challenged Magic City of Miami.

despite a long hot steamy Miami summer (and being pregnant!)- we have successfully attracted the target market we hoped for- with the help of friends, social media, and a great little summer open house event we hosted in July.

now in most 'normal' peoples' eyes- starting a business and getting pregnant at the same time could be considered an oxymoron- but I have remained quite equally excited, not only about having baby #2- but also about my other baby, Pots and Plants.

though I have not been able to physically and mentally move at my normal impulsive, fiery, passionate break-neck speed- I am happy that we have finally managed to get the shop into a routine and in a little closer to order. our Woolly Pocket display is up;  our plants are growing happily; our pots are selling and more people are catching on...

so as this baby grows- Pots and Plants will do the same- getting modern Miami folks excited about urban gardening.  introducing them to the concept of expanding living areas into their too often-neglected outdoor spaces with simple elements we offer including, modern planters, easy-care plants and vertical gardens by our very favorite San Francisco treat/brand- Woolly Pocket...

...and growing for Miami- an alley way worth discovering!