7: The Importance of Customer-Centric Thinking in Growing a Successful Plant Business

📺 Watch, Subscribe, Follow on YouTube & Spotify

Thanks to Our Sponsor

Harnois Greenhouse

Website - https://harnoisgreenhouse.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerresHarnoisGreenhouses

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/harnois.ghs/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/serres-harnois-greenhouse/

“My goal is not to be the biggest. My goal is to be the best houseplant vendor here, especially here on the west coast in the North Pacific Northwest,” says Andrej Suske, owner of Cascade Tropicals, who joins Greenhouse Success Stories to share how relentless focus on quality, efficient systems, and deep-rooted passion for plants fuels his thriving business. From selling cut flowers on Berlin street corners at age ten to leading a cutting-edge, lean-driven greenhouse operation, Andrej Suske reveals a journey filled with hard-won lessons, innovations in forecasting and logistics, and insights on surviving both booms and market contractions. For anyone curious about what it really takes to build a standout horticulture business—and why a sense of ownership and love for growing are the keys to long-term success—this episode is not to be missed.

Key Takeaways

1. Know your customer and forecast demand relentlessly—success hinges on meeting needs at the right time with the right product.
2. Prioritize lean principles—train your team to eliminate waste and boost efficiency, so every hour and every square foot counts.
3. Obsess over top quality—if your plants aren’t best-in-class, level up or step out; average isn’t good enough.
4. Embrace mistakes as growth—screw up, learn fast, and adapt, but never repeat errors. Progress comes from curiosity and self-ownership.
5. Make ordering and fulfillment seamless—streamline your system until retailers think of you first, every single week.

Memorable Quotes"My goal is not to be the biggest. My goal is to be the best houseplant vendor here, especially on the west coast in the North Pacific Northwest. When a store needs houseplants, the first thing I want them to think of is, 'I place an order with Cascade, and I have it by Friday before the weekend.'""I found out when I was a kid that I love growing plants and I love looking at plants. If I can do what I like doing, then I'm already having a big piece of being successful.""Screwing up is something that needs to happen—if we do a lot of work, we’ll also mess up a lot. We shouldn’t be making the same mistake over and over, but otherwise it’s okay to fail, learn, and get better."Connect with Andre

Andre on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrej-suske-22060a201/

Cascade Tropicals LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cascade-tropicals/

Website - https://www.cascadetropicals.com/

Instagram -