MEET THE COUPLE WHO STARTED THEIR GREEN CHAPTER WHILE THE WORLD WAS AT A STANDSTILL
INTERVIEW
GROWTH IN THE TIME OF CORONA:
WORDS BY EMILY KIMBER
Sarah Mills and Piers Pavey share their story on how they launched their online plant shop, Green Leaf Jungle, during a global pandemic.
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ovid-19 had a devastating impact on the economy, with small business owners being some of the worst affected. Many faced huge adaptations and even closures. However, on the brighter end of the spectrum, with millions of workers being furloughed, a large proportion of the nation found that they had more time on their hands than ever before. So when life gives you lemons you make lemonade, and when life gives you a global pandemic you may well use the opportunity to start your own business. This was the case for Sarah Mills, 28, and Piers Pavey, 29, who found themselves in a similar situation to the rest of the population. Sarah was furloughed in March 2020 from her job as cabin crew and Piers found himself working from home. This completely unanticipated situation gave the pair the unique opportunity to create their online houseplant shop, Green Leaf Jungle. With a shared interest in nurturing houseplants and Piers’ parents being horticulturists themselves, it seems as though that time was all they needed to launch their business - and they were given buckets of it. “When we found out about the positive mental health benefits of growing plants indoors, that was our wow moment,” Sarah says. The shift towards nurturing off-screen household pastimes has lent itself to the success of Green Leaf Jungle. “The plant industry has exploded in the last year as people are realising the importance of connecting back to nature. People are learning that if they spend more time in nature, in or outside their homes, it will make them feel a whole lot better both mentally and physically. Seeing your plants grow and flourish is very rewarding, and our cus-
Sarah Mills carrying Ficus Tineke. Photo by Piers Pavey.
tomers and friends have expressed their joy when they get their watering schedule spot on,” Sarah says. Not only are their customers reaping the rewards of the beneficial effects of houseplants, but starting a business has allowed the duo to establish a routine during lockdown - something which many of us had previously taken for granted. “Starting the business in September was such a good move for us, and I wish we had started it sooner. It’s provided purpose and has given us a structured routine throughout these darker months.”
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Enviable by many, Sarah and Piers are kept on their toes by their new business. “Even when we have posted all of our parcels, we have to concentrate on social media, our accounts and the plant care itself,” Sarah says. Starting a business is daunting at the best of times, no less than in a global pandemic. The changing world, however, presented many people with an opportunity to reflect on what they truly want from life and the time in which to turn these dreams into a reality. And this is exactly what Sarah and Piers did. 09
