Family Ties: Introducing Eliza Blank
Eliza Blank is the Founder & CEO of The Sill, the first direct-to-consumer houseplant brand. If you didn’t catch the resemblance in her last name, she’s also our cousin. Like us, Eliza is an entrepreneur and small business owner who, like us, has made it her mission to enrich life through connection and community. She believes in the power of plants to bring this mission to life and, though we’re a little biased, it seems to be working. Eliza is wise and insightful and has accomplished many amazing things, including being a partner to her husband Steve, and most recently, a mother to her daughter, Faye.
Tell us about The Sill— what inspired this conception?
Both my mother and our paternal grandmother are incredible gardeners who tend to huge houseplant collections, so plants were the backdrop to my childhood. When I moved from Massachusetts to New York for school I was overcome with a need to get back to nature. This often meant long walks through midtown just to spend a couple of hours in Central Park. It also meant buying houseplants for my tiny apartment at Home Depot or the corner bodega. It was clear to me as I started my career in brand marketing that there was a huge opportunity to create a world-class brand experience in houseplants.
What has been the most surprising (pleasant or unpleasant) thing about owning a plant business?
In a “slow” business like houseplants (i.e. it takes 6-12 months to grow, 15+ minutes to pot and package well, etc.) it’s difficult to keep up with the fast pace of brands around us. We do our best to balance moving fast and delivering a great experience, but it’s almost impossible to do both. Some of our customers get that but some don’t, so I suppose that’s the unpleasant surprise. That said, on the pleasant side, most plant people are absolutely the best people on the planet. I love our customers and the community we’re building. I can’t wait to take it to the next level.
How would you describe our family dynamic? How has a lineage of entrepreneurs shaped you and your professional life?
My parents both worked in medicine and many of our family members, including your dad and our grandfather, had private practices for at least part of their careers. Witnessing that kind of independence set a foundation for a generation of entrepreneurs to come. My brother started his first business in college and has worked for himself since. I started The Sill shortly after when I was 26. You two left your respective jobs in law and fashion to start Blank Studio just a couple of years later. We all have different businesses but we can all relate to the challenges of being an entrepreneur.
What has been the most pivotal moment in your life or career?
I generally believe that things — decisions, actions, outcomes — add up over time and that a single moment is never truly pivotal. However, there are certain moments in my life that changed its trajectory: the day I met my husband, the day I raised my first dollar for The Sill, the day my daughter was born. In all cases though (with the exception of my happenstance meeting Steve) there was a ton of thought and preparation that went into those moments). I don’t live in a world with a lot of surprises, and I’m okay with that.
What words of wisdom do you have for balancing a growing business and a growing baby?
Ha! I can’t even pretend to have wisdom on this topic. I’m still so new at trying to balance both, whatever that really means. All I can say is having both is amazing. I love The Sill and having Faye didn’t detract a single ounce of energy I had for my business. All of a sudden I just had twice as much to love.
What can caring for plants teach us about caring for ourselves and each other?
This sounds like bullshit, but plants teach us everything about caring for ourselves and each other. Plants are a catalyst for personal growth. Learning to care for and nurture anything outside of ourselves teaches us to take care of ourselves and others. I wouldn’t be in this business if I didn’t believe that. Our mission isn’t just to sell plants, but to enrich life through a connection to plants and to a community of like-minded plant parents. The first time my mother taught me how to pot a plant it just unlocked something in me — it made me realize that you can always learn new things (and master them) no matter how foreign the topic might seem.
If you had 12 hours and free rein in Blank Studio —what would you do?
Can I take a nap? Just kidding. Blank Studio is the perfect blank slate for so many amazing projects. I would probably start with a photoshoot, then host an offsite meeting or workshop, and go straight into an evening event like a plant swap or female founders mixer. The Sill has done all of these successfully in the space — not to mention we’ve hosted a baby shower and movie night there, too.
What are 5 of your favorite resources right now?
If you’re a new parent I highly suggest “Eat, Sleep, Poop” — don’t laugh, it’s my go-to.
Harvard Business Review is full of great content that’s immediately useful.
Instagram is cliché, but I find so much inspiration there, it’s hard not to give it credit.
Walking to work. It helps me clear my head, like a walking meditation.
Faye! If we’re talking people, she’s taught me so much about living in the moment. Nothing like a baby to keep you off your iPhone, am I right!?