Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Castellano.
Hi Nicole, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Thanks for having me. I am St. Louis, Missouri, born and raised. Attended Webster University and received my Bachelors in Public Relations in 2013. In 2014, I moved to Denver, Colorado where I lived for almost six years moving through various marketing roles.
From a marketing coordinator for an online music platform for DJs to a social media specialist for a foodservice equipment eComm company, ending with playing a major role in marketing a successful medicinal and adult-use cannabis dispensary.
My green thumb and plant collection grew and I longed to make my passion my job.
Quite honestly, I left Denver was a sour taste in my mouth for marketing. It was the last thing I wanted to get into for my next role. I moved back home in Winter of 2019 before the world got turned around. I worked at Leopard Boutique for a few months and then found Maypop in February of 2020.
I made my way to Greenhouse Sales Lead after working my way up from Plant Care, all while assisting our previous Marketing Director with social media and the monthly e-newsletter. In August 2021, I accepted the Director of Marketing position and now have full reign on all things marketing and branding with Maypop. Which is funny to think about since I was so ‘done’ with marketing after Colorado. Finally, I was able to mesh my passion for plants with my digital marketing and social media knowledge. I hate to sound cliche but, work doesn’t seem like work when it’s your passion.
I love helping our fan base build their own plant collection and it’s been wonderful to see the uptick in houseplant parents. I also own about 170 houseplants and counting…
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Looking for that passion-filling job can be tedious at times. But I was and am very lucky to have found Maypop. Last year was a wild time to start a new position whilst moving through a life-changing and at times challenging lie-happenings. But it really gave me a chance to help the business pivot and expand in a way that made sense for us.
I’m most proud of myself honestly. I went from refusing to work in marketing after a stressful, overly demanding job in Denver to being back at it again, within the matter of a year. Being able to marry my knowledge of marketing and passion for plants with a dash of love for customer service, truly sets me apart from the rest of the marketing mavens out there.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
This position also allowed me to have the opportunity to speak at the 2021 American Hort Cultivate Conference in Columbus, Ohio earlier this year. The topic was How to Maximize the Use of Instagram as a Powerful Sales, Marketing, and Customer Relationship Tool.
Be on the lookout for other fun upcoming events that I’ll be planning for Maypop in the months to come.
How do you think about happiness?
Happiness is truly important, but there are different layers to it. Happiness with ourselves, our day to day, our jobs, our partners. I try to find the happy in each day. For me it’s coming home to my people (partner and dogs) after a long day. Finding a new leaf or babe on a plant. Hugging a friend after a long absence. Seeing my dogs wiggle butts greet me. Live music. Spending time in nature, whether it be my own garden, a hike or strolling through MoBot or Tower Grove.
I found happiness this summer working in my first veggie garden. If you haven’t delved into that world, do it. It is so rewarding to see the bounty of your hard work and care.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maypopshop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maypop_shop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maypopshop
Image Credits
Laura Caldie
