Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Dodds.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lauren. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
The Cacti Mama started as a hobby that grew into a passion that bloomed into a business. I started out making arrangements for myself from succulent clippings I’d steal from my parent’s garden. It was a fun creative outlet for me. My boyfriend Riley grows cactus from seed and is very talented at grafting so our collection of plants over the last year has really taken off. I decided to start The Cacti Mama Instagram account about a year ago, at first it was just an account I posted all my cacti content to but I quickly began to meet and network with wonderful plant people and we started buying, selling and trading plants online. I also host workshops creating drought-tolerant arrangements and vend at events like Earth Day and Maker’s Markets around San Diego where I sell my concrete and pallet planters as well as my collection of plants.
Has it been a smooth road?
I’m a full-time mom and have a full-time job so finding the time to dedicate to The Cacti Mama can sometimes be a challenge. Overall though, I feel blessed with how everything has flowed from the beginning. From reconnecting with nature to leading workshops to discovering rare variegated plants around San Diego to forming friendships with others in the cacti community – it has all felt organic and effortless.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the The Cacti Mama story. Tell us more about the business.
The Cacti Mama specializes in drought-tolerant plants and arrangements. I’m most proud of our success with growing our cactus from seed. I think that’s what sets us apart from others is the time we put into the growing process. We take pride in providing our customers with plants we’ve grown and propagated ourselves.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I definitely think more and more people are starting to get into plants and learning more about caring for them. In San Diego, we’re fortunate to have the perfect climate for cactus and succulents and I’ve noticed a lot of people making the switch to drought-tolerant plants in their gardens. It’s exciting to see more people finding their connection with nature.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thecactimama.com
- Email: thecactimama@gmail.com
- Instagram: @thecactimama
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Cacti-Mama-1208078152708282/
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