Meet Eliza Blank of The Sill
This year we're highlighting fellow small businesses we admire, and today we are so excited to feature our first "Small Business Tatturday" interview of the year! Meet Eliza Blank of The Sill, our go-to retailer for healthy, shipp-able plants.
Eliza founded The Sill out of a co-working space in 2012 as an online retailer local to New York City. Just eight years later and this healthy small business has bloomed to shipping nation-wide, with shops in New York and California that provide healthy plants and workshops for new "plant parents."
We recently visited Eliza at one of her shops where she modeled some Tattly from our new collection! Including this cute new Pilea by Claudia Pearson. Scroll down to see and learn more about how Eliza got her start.
Our founder Tina was inspired by the saying don't complain, make things. What problem were you hoping to solve with The Sill?
I - like many founders - chose to tackle a problem I had myself. I wanted to surround myself with greenery in my small and drab New York apartment but didn't know where to start. In the city, there were only big box retailers or florists. There wasn't a single brand or retailer that had the selection of plants or planters I was looking for, or the education that I needed to keep anything alive! I knew then there was an opportunity to create a brand to help connect people to plants.
What problems did you end up solving by chance? That you didn't know existed?
At the start, The Sill was local to New York City. It was here that I felt people needed plants the most. It turned out, The Sill resonated with people all over the country. And soon we were trying to figure out how to ship plants nationwide. It isn't an easy task! But we managed, and began shipping plants nation-wide in 2015.
Who was an early advocate that got you through some of the early days of your business?
Some of my early advocates were members of my family - my parents, and my brother who is also an entrepreneur. My boyfriend (now husband) was tremendously supportive as well. In fact, he was the one who introduced me to (Tattly founder) Tina! Tina herself was an early cheerleader and a tremendous supporter since we first connected.
What's your current favorite gift-able item from The Sill?
My favorite gift to give from The Sill is a plant subscription - "Plants for Beginners". It's truly what I wish existed back when I discovered a need for The Sill. You receive an easy-care plant hand-potted in one of our small 5" earthenware planters every month! The gift recipient can between four planter colors and the plant variety is switched up each month. We take the guesswork out completely and the result - a monthly surprise that you actually look forward to!
Thank you Eliza!
Want your own botanic sleeve? Shop plant Tattly.