GROW EARNINGS: Creating a thriving profitable business in the horticulture industry can be very challenging- be it a plant shop, garden design business, landscaping services, plant growing operation, you name it - especially if you don't know how the industry, or it's customers, operate from the inside. I love the horticulture industry and have spent more than 30 years discovering its nooks and crannies. That means I know my way around most of its moving parts and how to grow profits. It also means my extensive expertise and experience can be put to use in a variety of ways to help you grow your practice, be it personal or professional.
If you need targeted strategic guidance to start, grow, or SAVE your plant-based business, brand, or marketing, I can help. Improving perception of value is key and we all want to earn more for the important services and products we provide.
GROW PLANTS: I'm also here for you when you need expert horticultural consulting to support commercial design, install, or maintenance projects and properties. I also provide limited residential consulting, and anyone can book a virtual consultation with me.
"As a multi-passionate horticulturist with many irons in the fire, I was working for a more clear focus and vision for my small niche business…but was just stuck. That’s when I connected with Leslie Halleck through a private consultation. Leslie listened while I spoke about my business and the unique work that I do. After hearing my thoughts and looking through the work I shared with her, she offered constructive feedback that affirmed my strengths and teased out opportunities that I wasn’t yet seizing on and was even overlooking. Leslie’s smart perspective, straightforward approach, and mentoring support is informed by her years of varied experience in the horticulture industry, and I trust her input. It was helpful to run my ideas by someone like Leslie and get her outside perspective. Leslie is part horticulture maven, part counselor, part cheerleader/advocate. Inspired by our conversations, I was able to recenter myself, refocus on my primary goals for my business, eliminate elements of my business that weren’t serving my main vision, and even pursue additional credentialing that will strengthen my skills and push my business’ momentum forward. Connect with Leslie soon!"
- Susan Morgan, Owner, horticulturist, and social & therapeutic horticulture practitioner Eat|Breathe|Garden thehorticulturallink.com
"The career counseling process taught me to focus on the value of my experience, knowledge, and skills and not the value of the job. Whether you are just starting your career or 20 years in, Leslie will give you the tools to help you work through short-term and long-term career goals with a focus on work-life balance. Often the fear of change will keep an employee stagnant in a job that he/she no longer finds rewarding. In other cases, the fear of rejection when seeking a promotion or trying to validate the monetary value of your skills. Whatever the case may be for you personally, I found this process to be invaluable in the next phase of my career."
-Kristen Kennedy, Branch Manager YC Nursery
* For larger or commercial horticultural consulting projects, I'm happy to schedule a 15-minute get-to-know you call or Zoom meeting to assess if we are a good fit for one another. I do not provide consulting during these calls. Please secure a consulting session in my shop, or contact me about ongoing consulting, rates, and billing terms, if you'd like targeted advice on your business or product.
Let's bloom! I help you start start or grow a new or existing botanical business or brand, or develop a horticultural product, with profit-focused industry-specific business strategic guidance. I work with a variety of botanical businesses from all sectors of the green industry and allied trade: Retail garden centers, plant shops, garden designers, landscape architects, horticulturists, growers, interiorscapers, arborists, florists, and horticultural products) with a focus on small businesses and solopreneurs. I often work on retainer, but also by project, or hourly as-needed. I can coach you (or your staff) on horticultural business structure, marketing, budgeting and buying strategies, inventory control, recruiting staff and training...all specific to plant-based businesses. Guidance for product development specific to grow lighting, controlled plant culture, growing media, and related gardening products is also at the top of Leslie's skillset. Inquire about upcoming group coaching opportunities.
You can secure individual Botanical Business & Career Consulting sessions or Green Industry Horticultural or Business & Product Consultations as needed.
BOTANICAL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP GROUP COACHING Waitlisting for Winter 2025: BUDS Group & BLOOMS Group
I'm a seasoned session and keynote speaker, and writer for industry, gardening related print, podcast, TV and radio interviews. If you're looking for a confident and empowering speaker to energize your conference, event, or staff training, Leslie provides keynote addresses and break out lectures on horticultural, green industry business, and marketing topics. As the author of the book "Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers", and "Plant Parenting: Easy Ways to Make More Houseplants, Vegetables, and Flowers", and "Tiny Plants; Discover the joys of growing and collecting itty bitty houseplants", I also provides related programs for large consumer events - as well as programs on a wide variety of horticultural and industry business and marketing topics. As a freelance writer I provide expert quotes, features, regular content, and photos for your industry or consumer horticulture & gardening publication.
To view upcoming and past speaking events and topics, click HERE
Dig Deeper with expert instruction and one-of-a-kind courses for both gardening hobbyists and horticulture professionals. I've taught countless classes and courses over my career. These days, I build and teach intensive horticulture courses through UCLA Extension. My current courses in Botany and Indoor Plants Maintenance are accessible to anyone who wants to register (not just UCLA students), and are online so students anywhere can grow their plant skills as well as transition and transform their career. Leslie is skilled at training green industry staff in a wide variety of horticultural topics as well as green industry business skill development. My new Horticulture Business courses will debut through UCLAx fall 2024.
View current and upcoming courses HERE
As a degreed and Certified Professional Horticulturist (ASHS), I provide horticultural consulting services primarily to commercial clients such as greenhouse growers, landscape architects, design & build firms, landscape maintenance companies, plant breeders, nurseries, garden centers, and companies that create horticultural products. I support your work with site and plan review, plant recommendations, design enhancements and adjustments, maintenance recommendations, technical copywriting, and product development support (virtual consultations available). Consulting can be as-needed or with ongoing monthly retainers.
I also offer virtual consulting for both commercial and residential homeowners, with limited availability for on-site inspections in the DFW area. Please contact for on-site availability.