08/29/2026
A little behind-the-scenes honesty from a small business owner. 🌿
I’m sharing this TED Talk because it hit on something I think people don’t always see: what it actually takes to run a small business while also doing the work of the business.
I care deeply about Amy B Gardening. I care about your gardens, your projects, my employees, the quality of our work, and whether people feel taken care of.
And I also want to be transparent about what happens behind the scenes.
On any given day, I may be answering emails, scheduling consultations, creating designs, ordering and sourcing plants and materials, I have driven over 700 miles this season to get the exact materials I needed for certain clients. I'm writing work plans, coordinating employees, answering questions from the crew and clients estimating jobs, following up on projects—and then putting on my work boots and doing physical landscape work right alongside my team.
There are a LOT of tabs open in my brain. 🫠
I am always looking at where I can do better. If I miss an email, forget to circle back, or let something sit too long, I want to take responsibility for that. I’m working on better systems because my business has grown, and the way I managed everything when it was smaller simply can't always keep up with what Amy B Gardening has become.
But I also want to ask something of my clients and potential clients:
Please follow up with me.
If we talked about doing something in the spring and now it's fall, send me a message. If you're ready to move forward after a consultation, tell me. If you're waiting to hear from me and it's been longer than you expected, give me a nudge.
I will never be offended by a respectful follow-up. In fact, I appreciate it.
Small-business relationships work best when communication goes both ways. Your garden matters to you—and I want it to matter to me, too—but no one can keep every client's project at the front of their mind every day while simultaneously running an entire company.
I'm not sharing this as an excuse. I'm sharing it because I think there's value in understanding what happens behind the scenes of the small businesses we choose to support.
Amy B Gardening isn't a giant company with separate departments for scheduling, customer service, sales, design, purchasing and operations.
A lot of those departments are me. And some days that same person is also hauling mulch. 💪🏼🌿
I'm incredibly grateful that enough people trust us with their homes and gardens that managing it all has become a challenge. That's a good problem to have—and one I'm continuing to learn how to handle better.
So I'll keep working on my end. The joy this work brings me is priceless and making my clients happy is a feeling I'll never get tired of. 💚
And if you need me? Please don't be afraid to raise your hand again.
With Gratitude,
Amy B
Amy B Gardening
