Garage to Green: How a 44-Year-Old Grew a $12,400/Month Plant Business

In 2017, Leena Pettigrew received her first houseplant, a golden Pothos, and promptly killed it. Fast forward five years, and her passion for plants has turned into a lucrative side hustle that brings in an average of $12,400 a month, replacing her husband’s income.

Key Takeaways of Leena Pettigrew Houseplant Side Hustle

• Leena Pettigrew’s side hustle generates an average of $12,400 per month.
• The business operates from her garage, which has been converted into a greenhouse.
• The side hustle has allowed her husband, Marquise, to step back from his full-time job.
• The couple manages the business together, along with five contract employees.

The Birth of a Green Thumb

Leena’s journey into the world of houseplants began in 2017 when she was gifted a golden Pothos. Despite its reputation for being easy to care for, she managed to kill it. However, her interest in plants was reignited five years later when she and her husband were redecorating their home in Houston. They bought a couple of succulents to fill empty corners, and what started as a hobby soon turned into an obsession.

Lenna Pettigew: From Hobby to Side Hustle

As her home became overrun with 8-feet-tall Monsteras, Leena looked for ways to sell her extra houseplants online. She discovered Palmstreet, a home décor marketplace, and began auctioning off her plants on livestreams. From July 2023 to July 2024, she brought in nearly $148,600 in revenue, averaging $12,380 per month. She now stores up to 1,000 plants at a time in her garage.

Balancing Act

Leena works about 20 hours per week on her side hustle, in addition to her full-time IT job, where she earns roughly $90,000 a year. She also serves as a paid consultant for Palmstreet, helping to train new sellers. The side hustle has become profitable enough to replace Marquise’s former full-time income. The couple now runs the business together, along with five contract employees, from their garage-turned-greenhouse.

Growing the Business

To develop her green thumb, Leena spent a lot of time on YouTube, watching plant-care videos. Selling her houseplants proved to be more of an administrative process. She spent hours tracking every purchase and expense in spreadsheets. At PlantCon Houston, she met another seller who convinced her to try Palmstreet. The platform offered two options: a traditional online store and a livestreamed auction system. Leena found success with the livestream feature, especially when Marquise joined her on camera, making jokes and lightening the mood.

Future Plans

Today, Leena sells roughly 100 houseplants per livestream. With an established audience, she can charge more per plant, starting at $30 and going up to $115 for larger plants. The extra income has allowed Marquise to step back from his full-time job running an auto repair shop. The couple now has five streams of income: Leena’s IT job, Palmstreet selling and consulting, the auto shop, and a virtual mechanic gig Marquise picked up.

The money helps keep the auto shop open and has funded a couple of weekend trips around Texas. If the side hustle ever outpaces her full-time salary, Leena plans to sell the auto shop, move to Florida, open her own greenhouse, and hire enough staff to only need part-time work. They’d spend their remaining time on other passions, like volunteer preaching work.

Conclusion

Leena Pettigrew’s journey from killing her first houseplant to running a successful side hustle is a testament to the power of passion and perseverance. Her story serves as an inspiration for anyone looking to turn a hobby into a profitable business.

Sources

• 44-year-old’s garage side hustle brings in $12,400 a month—it replaced her husband’s income – NBC10 Philadelphia, NBC10 Philadelphia.
• 44-year-old’s garage side hustle brings in $12,400 a month—it replaced her husband’s income – NBC Connecticut, NBC Connecticut.
• 44-year-old’s garage side hustle brings in $12,400 a month—it replaced her husband’s income – NBC Los Angeles, NBC New York.
• 44-year-old’s garage side hustle brings in $12,400 a month—it replaced her husband’s income – NBC 7 San Diego, NBC 7 San Diego.