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10 Years of Urban Spikes

10 Years of Urban Spikes

The Early Days

Ten years ago, Urban Spikes looked very different than it does today. What started as a passion project in my home has evolved into a full interiorscaping company creating large-scale botanical installations for commercial, hospitality, and residential spaces. In the early days, customers would come directly to my home to pick up arrangements and have to dodge barking dachshunds and kids. My dining room and living room were filled wall-to-wall with succulents, vessels, sand, driftwood, and product. It was messy, exciting, creative, and completely consuming.

Because Urban Spikes started in my home, my kids have always been deeply intertwined with the business. They helped staff farmers markets, create designs, unpack shipments, and, admittedly, waste plenty of product along the way. They grew up around creativity, entrepreneurship, and controlled chaos. Even today, one of the reasons I chose our studio location was because of its proximity to my children’s school. It allows me to be present when needed, and they still often stop by the studio after pickup. I love that they’ve been able to witness the evolution of something that started at our home and slowly grew into a real company.

Before we ever had a studio, most of our sales came through Instagram, home shows, and farmers markets. 2017 and 2018 were especially filled with several-day home shows and weekends spent at markets throughout Dallas. We would rapid-fire design arrangements leading up to events, then carefully load my SUV to the brim, strategically packing each piece in hopes of a successful sales day. Those weekends were exhausting, but they were also foundational. They taught me how to connect directly with customers, refine our aesthetic, and build Urban Spikes one conversation and one arrangement at a time.

At the time, Urban Spikes was heavily centered around low-maintenance tabletop designs and cut succulents. I was fascinated by the idea that plants could feel artistic, sculptural, and elevated without requiring constant upkeep. The ability to create layered sand designs, texture, and clean compositions using cut succulents opened up endless creative possibilities for me. That design philosophy—creating botanicals that feel intentional, approachable, and visually impactful—still sits at the core of the company today, even though the scale and complexity of our work has grown dramatically.

The Studio Years

A major turning point for Urban Spikes came in 2019 when we moved into our studio. Having a dedicated creative and production space completely changed the business. For the first time, we had room to truly build, experiment, collaborate, and grow in a way that simply wasn’t possible working out of my home.

The studio became more than just a workshop—it became a place where customers could experience the brand firsthand, shop designs, gather inspiration, and create. It elevated Urban Spikes creatively, operationally, and professionally, while also helping shape the community aspect of the business that has become so meaningful to me.

Over the last decade, Urban Spikes has grown alongside me. What began with tabletop arrangements slowly expanded into moss walls, large-scale plant installations, maintenance programs, hospitality projects, and full biophilic design strategies. Along the way, I’ve learned far more than how to design with plants. I’ve learned how to run a business, lead a team, navigate uncertainty, advocate for myself, manage people, and build relationships within an industry I’ve come to deeply respect.

Building a Team and Culture

One of the things I’m most proud of is the team we’ve built over the years. Some of our employees started working with me when Urban Spikes was still operating out of my home. We’ve always been small but mighty, and I think that’s helped create a culture where people genuinely know and care about one another.

In a small business, everyone has to be willing to wear different hats at times, and our team has always embraced that mentality. Whether it’s designing, loading trucks, helping install projects, organizing product, assisting customers in the studio, or jumping in wherever needed, there’s a shared sense that we’re building something together. That flexibility and willingness to support one another has been a huge part of our growth.

We also genuinely enjoy being around each other, which I don’t take for granted. We celebrate birthdays, work anniversaries, engagements, babies, and major life moments together. There’s a lot of hard work behind the scenes, but there’s also laughter, creativity, collaboration, and a real sense of connection. I’ve always believed that if you want people to invest in your business, you need to invest in them too.

As Urban Spikes has grown, it’s been important to me to offer real opportunities and meaningful benefits to our team members—things that are often uncommon for a business of our size and within our industry. We provide PTO, health benefits, and 401K matching because I want employees to feel supported, valued, and able to grow within the organization long term. Building a healthy company culture has become just as important to me as building beautiful spaces. 

Milestones and Industry Evolution

There have been milestones over the years that felt especially meaningful because they represented how far the business had come. In 2024, Urban Spikes completed its first out-of-state project—infusing faux botanicals throughout a three-story sports and agave bar in Detroit. Seeing our work expand beyond Texas and contribute to such a large, immersive hospitality environment was an exciting moment for both our team and the evolution of the business.

Other milestones have been equally rewarding in different ways. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach continuing education classes on biophilic design and speak about the growing role plants play in architecture and interiors. We expanded into dedicated plant maintenance programs, allowing us to care for and sustain the environments we create long after installation. We’ve also had the chance to work on highly creative projects, including designing botanicals for a birthday celebration for a local celebrity—moments that remind me how versatile and experiential this industry can be.

Building relationships and partnerships within the design community has also been an important part of Urban Spikes’ growth. Collaborating with businesses like Stanley Korshak and Scout Design Studio has been especially meaningful, allowing us to align with brands and creative teams that share a strong appreciation for thoughtful design, aesthetics, and customer experience.

Personally, I’ve continued investing in my own education and growth within the interiorscaping industry as well. Attending trade shows, participating in industry organizations, and joining membership committees has exposed me to incredibly talented leaders and deepened my understanding of both horticulture and business. The interiorscaping industry is constantly evolving, and staying connected to that evolution has been invaluable both personally and professionally.

One experience that was especially meaningful was traveling to Holland to visit the farms and growers we purchase from while scouting new vendors, product, and pricing opportunities. Seeing the horticulture industry at that scale firsthand was incredibly inspiring and gave me an even greater appreciation for the craftsmanship and logistics behind the products we work with every day.

It’s also been incredible to witness the evolution of the interiorscaping industry itself. What was once primarily viewed as a business centered around maintaining accent plants has transformed into an industry that actively influences well-being, experience, and the overall aesthetic of a space. Plants are no longer treated as an afterthought or accessory—they’ve become a focal point in architecture and design.

Today, botanicals help shape how environments feel, function, and connect with the people inside them. They soften architecture, create visual rhythm, improve atmosphere, and influence the way people move through and experience a space. Watching that shift happen while Urban Spikes was evolving alongside it has been incredibly rewarding.

The Reality of Entrepreneurship

Being an entrepreneur is incredibly rewarding, but it’s also incredibly hard. There have been moments where I’ve felt frustrated that the business wasn’t where I imagined it would be by now. You pour enormous amounts of energy, time, creativity, and emotion into something because you believe deeply in what it could become. The dreams are big, and the sacrifices are real and in front of you. There are times entrepreneurship has left me feeling depleted, especially knowing how much time building a business pulled me away from my young kids and their milestones, playdates and volunteer opportunities.

And then there are the mistakes—countless large and small mistakes along the way, more than I could probably count. I’ve hired both incredibly helpful and completely unhelpful consultants, but every experience taught me something about myself or about the business. I’ve invested in technology that improved operations and technology that ended up being a waste. I’ve had incorrect pricing models, had to rewrite contracts after being stiffed by customers, created plans and processes that were never actually utilized, and gone into years without a clear budget or roadmap. I’ve ordered product I couldn’t sell because the quality simply wasn’t there.

Entrepreneurship has forced me to learn constantly, adapt quickly, and become more resilient than I ever expected. Over time, I’ve realized that every mistake—no matter how frustrating in the moment—has ultimately made me a better business owner. Usually because once you make a painful mistake, you work hard not to make it twice.Ten years ago, I measured success mostly by growth. Today, I measure it just as much by the people, relationships, culture, and opportunities we’ve built along the way.

Because despite all of the challenges, what Urban Spikes has added to my life is immeasurable. I feel incredibly lucky to have built something that has connected me to so many talented people, meaningful relationships, and creative opportunities. This business has challenged me, humbled me, inspired me, and shaped me in ways I never could have anticipated.

Gratitude and Looking Ahead

What has meant the most over these last ten years are the relationships that have come from building this business. Many of the customers and partners who supported Urban Spikes in its early years are still with us today, and I never take that loyalty for granted. Every purchase, review, referral, collaboration, and recommendation has helped Urban Spikes continue to grow and evolve. Our customers are so much more than clients—they are part of the Urban Spikes story.

Community involvement has always been an important part of who we are as well. Over the years, we’ve proudly donated products and support to local schools, educators, nonprofit organizations, and community events. Whether contributing to silent auctions, school fundraisers, or charitable initiatives, it has always been important to me that Urban Spikes gives back to the community that has supported us.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the interiorscaping industry and the leaders within it who have been generous with their knowledge, encouragement, and support over the years. This industry is filled with incredibly talented, hardworking people who genuinely care about design, horticulture, and creating environments that improve how people live and work. I feel fortunate to be part of it and grateful to have grown alongside an industry that continues to evolve in such meaningful ways.

Looking ahead, I’m excited for what’s next for Urban Spikes. We remain committed to creating spaces that feel thoughtful, inspiring, and connected to nature while continuing to strengthen the relationships and community partnerships that have shaped who we are today.

To everyone who has supported Urban Spikes over the last ten years—thank you for growing with us. Your encouragement, trust, and belief in our vision have made this journey possible, and I truly cannot wait to see what the next chapter holds.

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