Daily Inspiration: Meet Hannah Sanchez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Sanchez.  

Hi Hannah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My story as a small business owner and entrepreneur truly starts when I was a young teen! I have always been very creative and business minded. Growing up, I watched my parents run several businesses together, and I always knew I wanted to be just like them and own my own. I got my work ethic from my immigrant dad who would always take me with him to work for his landscaping business. I started my first business making jewelry when I was around 14 named after my nickname from my dad, “Nefita’s Handmade”. I would sell the jewelry to my mom’s coworkers as well as family and friends. I even did my first pop-up at 15 with my jewelry business. 

At this time, I was still too young to be hired at a regular job, but I also started developing a passion for houseplants. In the fall of 2019, I made a propagation station out of wood and copper and posted it in a plant Facebook group. Immediately people wanted to buy them from me, so I created an Etsy shop which blew up during 2020. I think the pandemic resulting in people shopping almost exclusively online and houseplants really becoming a trend on social media at the same time really helped my shop explode. My parents let me use their shed in the backyard to set up a little studio in. That year I made almost as much as my mom in sales! I was 16 and able to purchase my first car all on my own and make the move to Wilmington when I turned 18. At first, I was renting out a storage unit to use as my making space and working a second job to get by, but this year I was able to get my own very first legit production space in the Coca-Cola bottle works building located in downtown Wilmington. Now I am a full-time artist and do pop-ups all around NC as well as sell my products online and in a few local shops! 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was definitely not a smooth journey to start my business. During 2020 when I really was getting serious with my business my mom was diagnosed with kidney failure, my dad had to be separated from our family for 2 years to fix his legal status, and I was a teenager during COVID. While all of these obstacles definitely made it harder for me to pursue my passion, I would still almost consider my business as a coping mechanism at that time, and it got me through all of the chaos in my life. 

I would also mention that I was selling my propagation stations before anything similar was on Amazon, which since has since taken a toll on my online sales with almost identical mass-produced items now offered by huge retailers. I have pivoted into doing markets and selling my things in local shops, which has worked out so far! 

In addition to these obstacles running a small business and getting it off the ground is just very difficult in general. Working long hours daily, even when you sometimes won’t see the results of that work until weeks or months down the road, and still showing up every day to fulfill all of the roles for a business by yourself can be exhausting. When small biz owners say it really is 24/7 job, they are not joking! I remind myself that it is worth it to show up for future Hannah, and I would rather be pursuing my passion than anything else. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My brand is called The Plant Committee, and I make all sorts of houseplant accessories. I originally blew up on Etsy for the propagation stations that I make, but now my most popular items are the body-shaped planters that I make out of cement! I am most proud of my recent move into my new production space, which has opened the doors of possibilities for me. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to risk it and take the leap, but even only 3 months later, I am so glad that I did. I think what sets me apart from others is that I stick to my niche with just a curated selection of houseplant accessories, though I am frequently advised to expand to making other products. 

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
The role of luck has definitely played into my business with catching onto the houseplant trend while covid was happening. I had no idea what I was really doing, I was just a 15-year-old who knew I liked plants and making stuff! While I definitely was not dealt the best hand of cards, I am grateful for the trials I have gone through as they make me stronger and show me that I can get through anything with my personal life and with business. 

I also think that I also really lucked out with having parents who were supportive of me going an unconventional route by allowing me to complete my education online so I could have more time to pursue my creative dreams. They also were supportive in giving me all of the rides to hardware stores and the post office, and I am grateful to my dad for teaching me how to use my hands to create art and giving me confidence to do anything I set my mind to. 

Contact Info:

• Website: theplantcommittee.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/theplantcommittee_
• Facebook: facebook.com/theplantcommittee