Conversations with Candice Gomez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Gomez

Hi Candice, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Years ago I started making succulent planters of all shapes and sizes to display in my home and give as gifts to my friends and family. I’ve always really enjoyed being creative with live and artificial plants and people really seemed to love them and would ask if I sold my planters anywhere. I didn’t at the time, but the idea seemed intriguing to me and the thought of having a beautiful display in a gift shop or market sounded really exciting. So I started working on a diverse inventory to be able to show a wide variety of my work and I started checking out a few retail locations around town. I met Tony and Elaina at The Ultimate Gift DiTorr in Hillcrest and they were so kind and encouraging and gave me the opportunity to put Infinity Succulents onto shelves and into action. The response has been amazing and I’m so happy people are excited about my products and are able to enjoy them in their homes, offices, or giving them as gifts. I have been able to display and sell my products at four other locations here in San Diego and am so thankful to people who support small business.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I think anyone who starts their own business looks back at some point and says, “I wish I had done this or that differently.” But as always, hind sight is always 20/20. Initially I had the goal of getting Infinity Succulents into as many locations as possible and as soon as possible. I wish now I would have taken things a bit slower and not overwhelmed myself with creating more inventory. I started out doing this purely as a hobby that I really enjoy and it’s amazing when hobbies turn into actual businesses but they should always remain fun. For a bit there I was so busy with Infinity Succulents, my regular full time job, and being a full-time Paramedic student, so things became very stressful. I just had to get really disciplined with my schedule, set more realistic goals for myself, and accommodate for time to actually sleep.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work as an EMT and Fire Science Instructor at Southwestern College. I love my job and being able to help students start their careers, but I have always wanted to explore my more artistic side. I started experimenting with making cool designs with colored sand to try and make my planters really unique. It took a lot of practice but I was able to come up with very detailed and colorful patterns of sand that show through the glass planters. Of all the types of planters I sell, I would say that my hand poured sand designs are the most popular because people can choose colors that fit with their personality, life style, and decor.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
When people see my work, I think they assume that my sand pattern vases are manufactured in some way. Customers are usually shocked that I hand pour the sand into a very precise pattern using nothing more than a tablespoon, a paint brush, and a lot of patience. On a more personal note, I think people are also surprised to learn what my regular job is. I have a picture of myself in uniform on my display and I’m sure people don’t expect to see that my career and my hobby couldn’t be more different.

Contact Info:

• Email: infinitysucculents@gmail.com
• Website: infinitysucculentsandgifts.com
• Instagram: @infinitysucculents
• Facebook: Infinity Succulents