Interview with Cait Khosla
Introduce yourself!
My name is Cait, I’m 27 and a new resident of Santa Monica, CA! I’m an expert in horticulture, social media and have a strong focus in digital media marketing. Before starting Botany Box, I began my career in strategic social media marketing at venture backed startups. After moving to NYC, I began to grow Botany Box and was inspired to find a resolution for reasonably priced plants that anyone can keep to motivate them to grow their green thumb. In 2020, I will be expanding all around California, where I’m in proximity to my plant distributors, and launching additional merchandise, box options and more!
Introduce Botany Box - what is your mission and how did you begin?
I created Botany Box so everyone can easily have & care for their own collection of plants delivered to their doorstep, repotted and ready to give your indoor space that pop of energy and color. When I moved to NYC back in 2017, the idea for Botany Box really took off. I realized I couldn’t build my own green oasis in my apartment without it costing me an arm and a leg. It was so frustrating going plant shopping and coming home with a $13 succulent, so I decided to get serious about creating a solution to a problem. My mom actually named the company Botany Box, which was so sentimental, because she grew my love for plants at a really young age. Starting this company gave me a little peace; it was like I was in my front yard again with my mom growing the garden as we always did.
How have you all adapted to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? How is life at home? How has running your company changed during this time?
Honestly, unpopular opinion, but working from home during COVID instilled a little more of a routine and organization into my life. Living in NYC is always go, go, go. I never slowed down to reap the benefits of my work, or acknowledge any mistakes I could be improving on. Running Botany Box at home has only given me the ability to save money, slow down, and really focus on what the company needs.
What would you say is your biggest accomplishment? Personally and work-wise?
Personally, a big accomplishment was building my social presence on Botany Box. I really enjoyed creating a community there, and interacting with people all day (and honestly people all over the world). It built the confidence in me to launch products for Botany Box that people would actually be interested in. Work-wise: I just created my 2nd LLC (Botany Box is LLC’d) and now my name is, too. I’m an independent contractor and I’m really proud to say I work for myself and for some incredible female entrepreneurs helping their social strategy and content planning.
What does self care mean to you? How do you take care of yourself?
Self-care is SO important, and highly underrated. I really enjoy journaling. After work I usually watch some sort of mindless show (helllllo Bravo TV) and end with either journaling my thoughts of the day, what frustrated me, what made me happy and things I wanted to remember. I find it to be relaxing and a sort-of “brain-dump”. Additionally, since COVID I’ve been reading WAY more than I ever have before, I didn’t realize how therapeutic reading could be!
Who inspires you? Do you have any role-models in your lives?
People who support my professional growth are my family, my closest friends, my boyfriend, my coworkers (old and new), my business partner (Vonn) and my two incredible managers who work with me on PR, brand partnerships and messaging, Taara and Hannah!
The most important city question: what is your go-to coffee shop order?
SUCH a good question, I try not to drink coffee (I know, crazy) but if I go to Starbucks I get the strawberry acai refresher (it actually has more caffeine in it)
How does your cultural identity & heritage influence you & your business?
As a female founder, and a bi-racial POC, I want to attack two current problems. 1. Being a bi-racial POC in a DTC plant company is - for the most part - non-existent. I wanted to embody that and showcase it as much as possible, and it’s important for other Asian American women to see that it can be done (at such a young age). 2. Being a female, in Indian culture, running your own business is again - pretty rare, although very up and coming and exciting to see!
What do you think are the biggest issues Asian American women face today?
I think racial bias is huge, not only do we have a ‘disadvantage’ in the eyes of powerful (probably, perhaps, white men) because we are women - we are also largely overlooked and ignored and face discrimination because of our race. Being taken seriously in business meetings, pitches or any type of brand promotion to other companies has always been a struggle, either because of my ethnicity, age or gender.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Honestly, it’s something I’m still telling myself right now. Everything does NOT have to execute perfectly. You don’t have to have everything done right the first time. If we didn’t understand how to persevere as a human race, we probably would have given up when we were all learning to walk, right? I wish I told myself sooner that everything didn’t need to be done right now, in the moment, or else it wasn’t going to be a success. Another big thing is that you have to stop everything else you’re doing to start a business. While it’s no walk in the park working with my clients and running Botany Box, I think it’s a common misconception that you can’t do both and you have to commit to one.
What is next for you & for Botany Box?
There are SO many exciting plans we have for 2020. First, we’re launching new Botany Box options to give people variety. This was first on my to-do list and we’re almost done and ready to go! People will be able to shop for plants, tote bags, enamel pins, and more! Another big goal for 2020 will be launching a newsletter, I want it to relate to more than just plants, and focus on sustainability/eco-friendly products and brands (which I’m passionate about).
Cait Khosla is the founder and CEO of Botany Box - a company created in 2018 with one goal: to make it easier to bring green life indoors. She is an expert in horticulture, social platforms, and digital marketing.
After graduating from Roanoke College in 2015 with a BA in psychology and communications, she began her career in strategic social media marketing at venture backed startups before founding Botany Box. After moving to NYC, she started to grow Botany Box and was inspired to find a resolution for reasonably priced plants that anyone can keep to inspire them to grow their green thumb. With her recent move to LA, she is working to expand operations in proximity to plant distributors, launch additional merchandise, houseplants, and more. And she continues to host virtual plant workshops in both NYC and LA communities through corporate partnerships!
