THE STORY OF ALICE ÖZSERIN AND THE PLANT BOX
The Plant Box founder talks budding entrepreneurship, single motherhood and the value of a strong support system
BY SHIRLEY ERSKINE-SCHREYER
In the first instalment of our new series featuring some of our incredible Wunderhaus members, we sat down with Alice Ozserin, one of the founders of the Berlin-based The Plant Box and mother to Alma (8).
Wunder Stories Let’s start with talking a bit about The Plant Box...
Alice Ozserin At The Plant Box we create imaginative and pre-arranged balcony plants. Clients can select from a wide variety of plant creations on our website, that arrive on their doorstep in an organic plant sock made of sheep’s wool and are balcony-box ready. From March 2021 we will also be selling our own custom Plant Box made of 100% recycled vegetable oils and is produced just outside of Berlin. The combination of our Plant Box and our subscription gives clients a green balcony in an instant, with no dirt and little effort.
WS When did your passion for plants and gardening begin?
AO My grandfather was a gardener. As a child I would always see him in the garden, but I was never really into plants. As I got older I tried keeping plants on my balcony, but was never successful at keeping them alive. After Alma was born I decided to study horticulture at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and my passion for plants grew. I’ve worked with plants now for five years, first growing vegetables in a community garden, then plants on my terrace. As my passion for my plants continued to grow I started building my own business planting terraces and indoor jungles for my clients.
WS This is the launch of your first business venture. How did it feel to bring this project to life?
AO Exciting and frightening.
WS What have been the highs and lows of running your business so far?
AO The highs are seeing that people like the product and hearing positive feedback from customers. Also, just seeing how far we’ve come in the last year...and I get to learn something new every day! The lows are that I never feel like I can clear my head and really relax. Even when I’m not working, my head is still at work.
WS You are a young single mother to your lovely daughter. How has it been balancing motherhood and work?
AO It’s not always easy, especially this year as Alma didn’t have proper school for almost six months thanks to COVID-19, and I had just started my business. So I constantly live with the feeling that either my work or Alma isn’t getting enough attention.
WS Do you have a support system to help you juggle motherhood and your career?
AO Yes I do. I have an amazing support system. My family lives in town and they are always around to help me out. Since Alma was an infant my parents have taken Alma once a week to give me some time for myself. Alma’s father also takes care of her as much as he can, but he does have a rather demanding job. I’m also lucky to have really great neighbors and friends who have helped a lot this year, especially during the first lockdown. Without all of this help I could not possibly juggle everything.
WS Who is your favorite mom role model?
AO My mother, although she died when I was young, I still feel the love she gave me.
