GARY: Next on Start Up.

we head to Miami, Florida, to meet up with Nathalie Valdez and family, the founders of Creations By Nathalie, a company that sells high-quality DIY terrarium kits.

All of this and more is next on Start Up.

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♪ GARY: My name is Gary Bredow.

I'm a documentary filmmaker and an entrepreneur.

As the country continues to recover from extraordinary challenges, small business owners are showing us why they are the backbone of the American economy.

We've set out for our 11th consecutive season, talking with a wide range of diverse business owners to better understand how they've learned to adapt, innovate, and even completely reinvent themselves.

♪ This is Start Up.

♪ Often kept as an ornamental item, a terrarium is a sealable glass container containing soil and plants that can be opened for maintenance to access the plants inside.

The first terrarium was developed by botanist Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward in 1842.

Ward had an interest in observing insect behavior and accidentally left one of his jars unattended.

A fern spore in the jar grew and germinated into a plant, becoming the first known terrarium.

The trend quickly spread in the Victorian era amongst the English.

Today, I'm going to Miami, Florida to meet up with Nathalie Valdez, the owner of Creations By Nathalie, a company that sells and ships high-quality DIY terrarium and custom floral arrangements.

From what I've heard, Creations by Nathalie began as a hobby and quickly took off when she realized that there was a significant demand for beautiful, high-quality arrangements and terrariums inspired by the world around us.

I'm very excited to meet up with Nathalie and learn more about her business.

♪ Tell me a little bit about your background history, where you're from.

NATHALIE: I'm born and raised here in Miami, Florida.

My parents are Cuban.

They were born in Cuba.

GARY: What is it like growing up in a Cuban family?

So that people watching this can understand a little bit more about your culture.

NATHALIE: Yeah, it's very loud, but very loving.

(Nathalie laughs) You know, we have a lot of warmth within the family.

We're a very loving group of people, and we love to keep the family together.

Everything's a big production, so we always get together, any excuse to get together and play dominoes.

(Nathalie laughs) GARY: Nice.

NATHALIE: And drink Cuban coffee and just have loud music and dance.

You know, we love that.

GARY: Tell me about your husband and your family.

NATHALIE: We've been together since I was 17.

GARY: Wow.

NATHALIE: Yeah.

We dated for seven years, and then we got married.

We're going on 14 years now.

GARY: Awesome.

NATHALIE: And, you know, we've pretty much grown up together.

My husband does IT, so he's my technical guidance.

(Nathalie laughs) GARY: Mm-hmm.

NATHALIE: We pretty much complement each other, so we are a team.

We do everything together.

RICARDO: We met at a 15's party.

I love to dance, and she loved to dance, so we met at one of these parties.

GARY: At a quinceañera.

RICARDO: We just hit it off.

At a quinceañera party.

That's right.

So we met there, and it was just something that I felt like was meant to be.

You know?

GARY: Yeah.

Tell me about the very first time that, you know, Nathalie started dancing around with this idea.

Did she come to you?

Did she approach you with the conversation like, "Hey, I'm thinking about maybe doing this?"

RICARDO: It was a hobby that we have here at the house, it was something that we like to do.

Plants is something that we like to do.

And she's very artistic, and she has a vision for seeing things and creating things.

Right?

So, we started doing this at home, and how can we do it for ourselves?

And then I think one time we saw something online, and it just clicked, like the epiphany moment, right?

GARY: Yeah.

RICARDO: "Hey, "I think we could put something together "about what you're doing "and maybe have somebody else do this, build it, see how it goes."

And from there, it just started, you know, learning more.

And it was a fun thing to do.

GARY: Yeah RICARDO: And then it just turned into something, "I think we could probably do something with this, you know, maybe."

And we took a shot, and it's kind of working out.

GARY: Why terrariums?

NATHALIE: I love them.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: Terrariums, I feel, are so interesting, and not a lot of people know about what they are.

GARY: Mm-hmm.

NATHALIE: So, it does spark that interest.

And really, it creates, like, a little ecosystem for the plants.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: So, yeah.

It sparks more interest in them, really.

GARY: What were the initial first steps of turning this from a thought into an actual business?

NATHALIE: Building things here at home, experimenting.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: And then showing it to friends and family, taking it out to maybe coworkers, and seeing interest.

GARY: Mm-hmm.

NATHALIE: And really playing with what sparks interest in other people.

GARY: Mm-hmm.

NATHALIE: And building upon that, really.

GARY: Proof of concept was going out, showing people.

NATHALIE: Right.

Trial and error and learning from feedback from other customers and the public to see how we can improve.

GARY: How much, I guess, experimentation did you have to do in the early days?

NATHALIE: Learning how to package them, that was definitely a challenge.

Seeing what plants worked in shipping.

So that was something we had to learn from and really play around with what works and what doesn't.

Listen to what the customers were saying so that we can obviously produce a good, high-quality product.

RICARDO: I think the first test for us, since a lot of these products are kind of like handcrafted and handmade.

GARY: Mm-hmm.

RICARDO: We tested out in Etsy online, right?

And that started getting some good feedback.

I figured, "You know what?

"I think we should make our own website.

"I know how to do this.

I've done websites before.

"I think we've got some good pictures, and we could create some good content."

I told her, "You know, I'm going to try this.

"Let's see what happens.

"I mean, we'll lose couple hundred bucks, we'll create a website."

GARY: Yeah.

"We'll see if we could bring in some people with Google Ads," and then, it started working out.

Then we started getting into larger marketplaces, like Amazon.

NATHALIE: What I started when we started looking into was, how can we get into e-commerce sites so we can sell at a larger... and be more exposed to more public?

And that definitely helped us.

GARY: Talk about, I guess, those first initial moments when you started to feel like this could work, this might actually be a viable business.

NATHALIE: Yes.

When we started getting quite a bit of orders around Valentine's, Mother's Day, and, you know, it continued.

Right?

So, we knew that there's something here, we can build on.

GARY: Was there ever a time that you started to feel a little overwhelmed or dare I say, scared?

Like, what if the volume becomes too much and we can't handle it?

NATHALIE: No.

GARY: And what were you doing to prepare for that?

NATHALIE: We've built different processes, so we do a lot of pre-prep to put our kits together.

And before, we would just customize everything.

Every order was custom.

And now you still have a sense of custom because you get to choose the color combination that you want.

But we have four different presets of colors.

GARY: Got it.

NATHALIE: So, it's easier for us just to grab a kit and fulfill an order versus before it would take us a lot longer.

So, you build efficiencies as you grow, and you scale.

So, I mean, everything comes with a problem, but you figure out the solution.

♪ ♪ GARY: How do you approach the creative process when it comes to putting together a well-executed terrarium?

What goes into it?

NATHALIE: It's color balance.

I really do put it together with what drives me or what brings me joy.

So, I feel like I put a lot of myself into these color combinations and these creations.

So, you're getting a piece of me when you buy our terrariums.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: And it's basically the combinations that I like.

I like to fuse different things together.

I think it also comes from my culture.

Right?

So, we have a lot of vibrant colors.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: And so I really pull from that.

I like shiny glitzy.

So we have amethyst included, gems.

So, all of that is included in there.

Makes it nice and beautiful.

GARY: What does your product line right now look like?

NATHALIE: We have orchid terrariums.

We sell succulent kits.

We have different vessels.

So, we'll have the glass collection, which is we have a teardrop, we have a chalice, and we have a globe.

And then we move into what are the geometric shapes.

And that also has similar type of shapes, but they're geometric.

It has metal and glass.

♪ NATHALIE: What you're going to do first is grab your rocks.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: We're going to put a very thin amount at the bottom.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: And this helps when you water it, in case you over water it.

GARY: Like a filtering.

NATHALIE: Yes.

GARY: Yeah.

Awesome.

NATHALIE: It gives you that little wiggle room.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: That next step is your soil.

GARY: All right.

NATHALIE: Feel free to grab your tools if you want to use those.

GARY: I just think these little mini shovels are so cute.

I don't know if I'm actually going to use it, but I'm... NATHALIE: Yeah.

GARY: I'm going to play with it.

NATHALIE: Yeah.

GARY: That's for sure.

NATHALIE: Try it out.

This is a lot of fun for kids when they have these tools.

Scoop it in.

Or you can dump it in.

Squeeze the bag.

So now you get your moss.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: And you're going to open your packets.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: And you can do it in any pattern that you like.

I've seen where they've done it all around.

I like to keep it to dress the back.

GARY: This is fantastic.

NATHALIE: Feel free to...

There's no wrong way to make these.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: Let's just let your creative juices flow.

All right.

So, once you have your arrangement set up, then you're ready for the succulents.

GARY: All right.

Okay.

And then just put it in and... NATHALIE: Plant it in.

GARY: Just like planting anything else?

Just pack it?

NATHALIE: You pack it in.

Use your fingers.

Situate it where you want.

Place it there.

GARY: This is so cool.

NATHALIE: Yeah.

And it really makes it come to life.

And then your... GARY: Couple of decorative stones?

NATHALIE: Your decorative stones.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: So, the stone that it came with.

Yeah.

There you go.

Or your amethyst.

GARY: And that's it?

You just put them in?

NATHALIE: You put them in.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: You situate them where you'd like.

You put in your little figurine.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: And then you're done.

GARY: That's it?

NATHALIE: That's it.

Let me see yours.

Wonderful.

I love it.

GARY: Beautiful.

Oh, my God.

I'm so in love with this right now.

(Nathalie laughs) Awesome business.

NATHALIE: Thank you so very much.

GARY: I mean, truly.

Congrats on this.

This is really freaking cool.

Wow.

NATHALIE: Thank you.

GARY: How competitive is this industry?

NATHALIE: I haven't seen a lot of plant kits, honestly.

And especially something so vibrant like what we have put together.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: It's very unique.

I haven't seen something to match it, really.

And we bring what we have in our kits really does give you the healing crystals.

It gives you those gems, the succulents.

It gives you the colorful moss and other decorative figures.

So, it's a pretty complete kit.

I haven't seen, like, there's other companies out there, but I don't think they matched what we have.

GARY: So, it's not a crowded space at all.

NATHALIE: It's not crowded, no.

GARY: Which gives you a lot of room to grow.

NATHALIE: Right.

And to invent and recreate and improve upon.

Yes.

♪ GARY: Tell me the first time that you heard about Creations by Nathalie?

MADISSON: So, I saw them online, and I was looking for some unique gifts to give some friends.

GARY: Yeah.

MADISSON: It was great.

Everything comes, like, wrapped and tagged.

There's instructions.

You don't need anything else.

You just open it up and you just start getting creative and getting your hands dirty.

It's really fun.

GARY: Should anybody be intimidated when getting the product and assembling the kit, putting everything in properly?

MADISSON: Absolutely not.

GARY: Okay.

So, anybody could do this.

MADISSON: Anybody can do my girls did it.

GARY: Okay, awesome.

MADISSON: Great.

GARY: And what would you say to somebody who might be interested, thinking about getting it?

Possibly for a gift or for themselves?

MADISSON: I think they're fantastic.

Super unique.

Great gift ideas.

GARY: Do you have other family members that are involved in the business with you as well?

NATHALIE: Yes.

My mother helps us.

She helps prepare the kits and put all the components together.

And we also have my brother that helps fulfill the orders in the background.

And my brother-in-law also helps us pre-prep what is the glass.

GARY: As the business continues to grow, do you foresee your husband becoming full-time or any other family members becoming full-time to expand?

Or are you thinking about hiring employees from the outside?

What's your growth strategy?

NATHALIE: I want to keep it family.

GARY: Good for you.

NATHALIE: I want to keep it family.

I hope to be able to bring them all on board and pay them their full salary.

Right?

I feel like family, although sometimes it's challenging to work with family.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: But I feel like they have your best interests, right, at heart, and they will work ten times as harder because they're all pulling towards the same goal as you.

GARY: With a family business, what do you think are the main top challenges that you have to contend with?

NATHALIE: We don't want to break relationships, so, as a boss, sometimes becomes- it's easier when you're talking to somebody else that's not family, because you also have to see them after the nine to five.

GARY: Right.

NATHALIE: That's a challenge, I feel.

But you also have that confidence in being able to have that relationship and that being straight out with them.

So, that helps.

We try to have a good work-life balance.

♪ GARY: So, Nathalie, where are we heading right now?

NATHALIE: Oh, we're headed to Isaac Farms is where I pick my succulents to incorporate into my kits that I sell.

GARY: Okay.

And why specifically do you like to use that farm?

NATHALIE: I like that farm because it's a family- owned business, just like we are, and so we're really helping each other.

Two small businesses.

GARY: Nice.

NATHALIE: And growing together.

GARY: On a personal level, emotional level, what is succeeding with this... You did it.

NATHALIE: Right.

GARY: You've created a business that's getting attention, that's doing well, that people love.

How does that feel on a personal level to you?

NATHALIE: I am so proud to be able to do this, especially, you know, coming from, a Cuban American, you know, Cuban family.

My parents immigrated here from Cuba before I was born.

They really had that struggle.

GARY: Mm-hmm.

NATHALIE: And they pushed for us to live the American dream, and I feel like this is a way to repay them.

GARY: Over the last ten years, you see the businesses that are in it just because they like the idea of entrepreneurship, or they think they're going to make a lot of money or have all this time.

But you have a deep personal meaning for why you're doing this.

NATHALIE: Yeah, I do want to also build something that my kids can see.

You know?

Because just like the example that I saw from my parents, you know, working hard to achieve something better and bigger for your family.

Right?

I want to give that same example to my kids.

♪ GARY: Tell me a little bit about where we are right now.

JANIA: So, we're in the Redlands, Florida, started by my mom and my dad about 20 years ago... GARY: Oh, wow.

JANIA: When we migrated from Columbia.

What started it was my mom's passion for plants, and it started very young.

She started in Columbia.

It was her hobby.

GARY: Oh, wow.

JANIA: And when we got here, they decided that this could be a very good business for them, and that's how it started.

GARY: All right, so, tell me about the relationship with Nathalie and when you guys first started kind of doing business together.

JANIA: So Nathalie has been coming to the farm and working with my family for around four years.

What Nathalie is doing is a very special creation, and we love that she has been able to grow with us.

Like, together.

Buying our plants, doing her business.

We're very proud of her and what she's been able to accomplish.

GARY: Let's talk succulents.

What is a succulent?

NATHALIE: Yeah.

Succulents are desert plants.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: And they are wonderful to have around the house because it's very friendly for people that don't have a green thumb.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: So, they're very, they're not sensitive at all.

GARY: Yeah.

Are they hard to kill?

NATHALIE: They're very hard to kill.

GARY: That's a perfect plant for me.

(both laugh) NATHALIE: It takes a lot for them to wither down.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: The only thing that they don't like is over watering and constant watering.

GARY: Ahh!

Okay.

NATHALIE: Because they're desert plants.

So they like to have a nice, dry, humid environment.

GARY: What is your draw to succulents?

And tell me about some of your favorite plants.

NATHALIE: I absolutely love them because of all the colors and varieties.

These are echeverias, and they are very, very easy to work with.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: They come in all colors.

And interestingly with them is that when they have the right conditions, they will flower.

GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: And they change colors.

If you see here, there's very, like, a lot of varieties.

GARY: Yeah, yeah.

NATHALIE: And sometimes when you put them in the sun, they'll change into a brighter, orangey red.

♪ GARY: Oh, man.

These are so incredible.

NATHALIE: Yeah, they're gorgeous.

♪ GARY: What's the ultimate goal?

Where do you want to see this business go to?

How far can it go?

NATHALIE: I want it to get very large.

(laughs) GARY: You do?

Okay.

NATHALIE: I do.

I really want to dominate what is this area in the United States.

And then, I eventually want to also go into the Latin America countries.

I want to sell in Canada.

Across the pond.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: So, figure out different creations or different things so we can offer that there.

I also want to build the sector of the business that is, you know, team building.

This came because of after the pandemic where people are working remotely.

GARY: Mm-hmm.

NATHALIE: We started getting an outreach for using our product to do that, to do kits and an activity to bring the whole team back together and have that team morale.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: So, I want to grow that.

I wanted to continue to tap into that and offer it as activities for parties, but also activities for corporate events.

GARY: There's so many people out there that have a dream or a vision to start a small business, but they almost sometimes mentally create their own barriers of entry.

"Oh, that's too expensive.

"Oh, I don't have the credit, "I don't have the knowledge.

I don't have the experience."

How can we sort of break down that facade, if you will?

Like, what did it take for you to get into this?

NATHALIE: Just start.

GARY: That's it.

NATHALIE: Start moving and figure out the problems later.

(laughs) GARY: No upfront capital required?

NATHALIE: We used our own money that we've had saved up and we just started building on it.

Little by little, saving towards it and buying our own components and building upon it.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: Yeah, just go for it.

There's always going to be problems that come and stop you, but you just have to have that mental drive to continue and figure it out as you go.

Nobody has it figured out.

You just have to keep going.

GARY: And a lot of people get decision paralysis.

NATHALIE: Right.

GARY: They have to know everything in advance.

And I don't know if entrepreneurship or small business ownership is for them.

NATHALIE: Also, for that, I would say get yourself a good partner because I also... GARY: Okay.

NATHALIE: Suffer from... You know, I'm indecisive.

GARY: Decision paralysis?

NATHALIE: Yeah, sometimes I do.

GARY: Right.

NATHALIE: And so, your partner, my husband, knocks me out of that and says, "No, this one works."

And so, we bounce off each other.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: And when you have that somebody else to give you that support or my mom or my brother or my family that I... GARY: Mm-hmm.

NATHALIE: Pull that from, that gives you that sense of propelling you to move forward.

GARY: Yeah.

How important do you think it is to support a spouse when they have a dream or a vision for something that they want to do?

RICARDO: Why would I not want the best for the person that I love most in this world?

GARY: You're right.

RICARDO: I mean, I feel like if I... give her what she needs and allow her to make her way to wherever she wants to go, that's my role.

That's what we're here for.

GARY: Are you proud of her?

RICARDO: Yeah, I'm very proud of her.

I mean, I think that she still has more to do.

GARY: Yeah.

RICARDO: You know?

And I'll be more than happy to be right next to her, beside her, behind her, wherever I can fit... GARY: Yeah.

RICARDO: The need that she requires.

GARY: Yeah.

RICARDO: That's my job as her husband.

GARY: Just in your opinion, what do you think is the number one reason why people hesitate to pursue their dream, their passion?

RICARDO: It's just a matter of content.

People feel like they're happy where they are, but they also have that need but don't want to take the risk.

Right?

I mean, I believe that there are no shortcuts.

You have to grind it out, you have to push through.

GARY: Yep.

RICARDO: And you have to keep going and believe that there will be adversity.

But from that comes learning.

GARY: Yeah.

RICARDO: You learn what to do and what not to do.

Like, let's throw this way, let's pivot, let's change it around.

And I think that that work is what leads to that success.

GARY: It can show you what you're made of.

RICARDO: I mean, try to take a risk.

Like we said, you miss 100% of shots you don't make, and if you keep swinging for the fences, eventually you'll get it.

But you have to swing.

You have to try.

GARY: What advice do you have for somebody out there that has a dream, has a vision, and just might be you know, too scared to start it or too stuck in their own routine?

Something like that?

NATHALIE: I say find something that you love and go for it.

If it brings you joy and you think that that's something that would spark joy in other people, definitely go for it.

You have to find something that you like in order to build it, because if not, any job will feel like a job.

GARY: Yeah.

NATHALIE: Right?

So, it's not really work when you're enjoying it.

So, just go for it.

Figure out the problems as it comes.

Nothing is ever perfect, and there's never a right time.

GARY: Meeting Nathalie and her family was truly an honor, and I'm absolutely amazed by what she's accomplished.

What initially began as an artistic outlet to cope with stress, has blossomed into a genuine family business with the potential to create prosperity for generations to come.

For Nathalie, family is everything, making this business a dream come true in every sense.

This story serves as a powerful reminder of what's possible when we're willing to take a chance.

Sometimes, ideas emerge from our favorite hobbies or activities, and inspiration surrounds us constantly, just waiting for us to seek it out and recognize its true potential, even in the seemingly insignificant aspects of life.

Who could have imagined that arranging succulents in a glass container as a stress relief method would completely change the trajectory of their lives?

Always remember that if you find joy in doing something, chances are others will, too.

Perhaps that something holds the key to unlocking an extraordinary future.

So why not give it a try?

For more information, visit our website and search episodes for Creations by Nathalie.

♪ Next time on Start Up, we head to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to meet up with Dre Wallace, the founder of Opnr, a national entertainment marketplace for booking talent for live performances.

Be sure to join us next time on Start Up.

Would you like to learn more about the show or maybe nominate a business?

Visit our website at startup-usa.com and connect with us on social media.

GARY: (gasps) What happened?

PASCAL: I put the bird strikes on.

GARY: Oh!

WOMAN: Yay.

(laughs) GARY: Thank you so much.

WOMAN 2: You're welcome.

WOMAN 3: Next on Start Up.

(laughs) WOMAN 4: Gary Bredow, superstar.

Okay.

GARY: With no nose.

♪ GARY: Gonna go tell all his buddies, like... ANNOUNCER: Spectrum Business is a proud supporter of Start Up.

Providing connectivity for small businesses with internet, phone and mobile solutions available.

Information available at Spectrum dot com slash business.

ANNOUNCER: At Florida State University, entrepreneurship and innovation are core values.

The FSU Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship offers bachelor's and master's programs taught by entrepreneurs willing to share their knowledge and connections.

FSU is a proud supporter of Start Up.

ANGUS: Being able to come to work every day and be passionate about what I'm doing and take what I learn in the garden and bring it to the marketplace is really enjoyable to me.

ANNOUNCER: More than 60% of sales in Amazon's store come from independent sellers like Angus at Garden Tutor.

Amazon, a proud supporter of Start Up.

ANNOUNCER: Wearing a lot of hats can bog you down.

Thryv, the all-in-one small business management software can help you manage every aspect of your business, from a single screen with one log in and one dashboard.

Thryv is a proud supporter of Start Up.

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MAN: We just got an order from Dinosaur, Colorado.

ANNOUNCER: Build a website to help reach more customers.

WOMAN: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, one more.

ANNOUNCER: Learn more at GoDaddy dot com.