In celebration of Small Business Month, we’re shining a light on small businesses, bringing you an inspiring look at their unique stories and expertise.

In vibrant Houston, Texas, nestled among its diverse neighborhoods, lies a stylish and welcoming oasis of design and greenery. The Flora Culture, a plant shop owned by the dynamic husband and wife team, Jemine and Matthew Oakes, has not only captured the hearts of plant enthusiasts and plant amateurs alike but has also expanded to two successful locations. Their journey is a testament of hard work, dedication, and a shared love for design and all things green.

Plant the Dream: From Shared Passions to Business

“I grew up in Nigeria with a Nigerian father and a Romanian mother. They were dreamers and entrepreneurs who established a clinic that still stands today. I have a deep love of nature and floral design and, over the years, I was blessed with various opportunities to work with florals for special events,” explained Jemine. “Matthew has an unwavering passion for horticulture. In fact, he studied Latin for years to become fluent with plant names. He attended a competitive design school and was recruited by an architectural firm in Houston. We both had full-time careers, but there was always a shared heart tug to combine passions and start something of our own. In December 2017, we started dreaming and taking action. By May 2018 we established our business and began with pop-ups and focusing on fostering customer relationships.”

Navigating Unexpected Challenges

In November 2019, The Flora Culture opened their first Galleria location. The heart of the store is biophilia, defined as the innate human desire to connect with nature. The couple’s essence is embedded into every facet with each plant, container and decor products representing their unique aesthetic.

“Our vision embraces intentionality with integrating plants into your space. It doesn’t have to be forceful or overwhelming, but rather something beautiful and purposeful,” shared Jemine.

While the business was warmly embraced, the early years were not without struggles. In 2020, Jemine abruptly lost her father, and greatest cheerleader, during the COVID pandemic. The weight of COVID’s impact was challenging coupled with the boom in houseplant popularity. Together, entrepreneurial struggles and the grief of her father’s passing were palpable.

“In the midst of a sorrowful season, hope rose. I discovered we were expecting a baby. It felt like God’s way of telling me I couldn’t stay in sorrow forever, because life was coming,” shared Jemine. “COVID evolved into a pivotal chapter of our business as it catapulted us into the forefront. We were established before the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. As a black and female owned business, we received an outpouring of support. We’re grateful for the relationships built in those challenging, yet formative years.”

A Second Start

As word spread and their customer base grew, Jemine and Matthew found themselves open to expansion. A chance conversation with a customer helped open the door of possibility.

“One of our customers reached out with details on the Midtown location. It was the most perfect corner spot with south and west facing windows – a plant’s dream! We loved that it was situated within a smaller community. Everything lined up and we just simply walked through the door.”

Jemine credits their combined focus on relationship nurturing and reputation building for helping secure their second location.

Flourishing Together: The Keys to Their Success

In addition to an authentic love of plants and design, and forging meaningful relationships with customers and their community, the success of The Flora Culture can be attributed to several key factors:

• Customer Education & Services: Experiential workshops and personalized advice offers have cultivated a loyal customer base. “An educated consumer is the best kind of consumer,” explained Jemine. “We offer free potting and container drilling for all plant purchases. Additionally, we offer advice on design, overall plant care, a plant clinic for struggling plants and monthly educational workshops.”

• Community Engagement: Jemine and Matthew believe in the power of integrating and supporting their local communities. They’re exploring more connection points and seeking to establish educational scholarships for lower income groups in partnership with other businesses and groups to further the mission.

• Social Media: The Flora Culture’s Instagram presence illustrates glimpses of the people behind the business, allowing for greater connection with their customer base. From family features, behind-the-scenes store operations, and spotlights on their offerings, social media is viewed a destination for connection versus sales.

• Saying “No”: After a few years in business, there is less stress and dwelling on things that don’t unfold as planned. Simplifying matters, establishing boundaries, and saying “no” make all the difference in stress management.
  
  

Heartfelt Advice

To fellow small businesses, Jemine offers sage advice. “Treat others with the same respect and kindness as you wish to be treated. When we have small vendors in our shop, we love to support and promote them. We give them a space to display their work without pressure on sales and performance. Shine a light on someone else! We are all fighting to stand – help another person or business whenever you can.”

Stay up-to-date with The Flora Culture via their website and @thefloraculture.

To shop Accent Decor’s wholesale decor and wholesale pots and vases along with new and flower, plant and home products, visit accentdecor.com. 

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