The heart behind Gold Leaf Botanicals

cgoucher
Dec 2
5 min read

Bryan and Mike of Gold Leaf Botanicals turned a shared love of plants into a thriving community hub. What began as a way to decompress after long shifts in healthcare quickly became something more, a place for connection, learning, and creativity.

They talk about how the shop grew from a single Facebook post, the joy of helping first-time plant parents, and how choosing a slower, more intentional life changed everything.

Let’s go back. What planted the seed (pun intended) for Gold Leaf Botanicals? Was there a moment you knew you wanted to turn your love for plants into a business?
Mike and I first got into houseplants just before the pandemic. At the time, we were both working in a long-term care facility on secured units with residents living with advanced dementia. As you can imagine, it was an incredibly demanding and emotionally draining job that took a serious toll on both our physical and mental health.

We turned to plants as a way to decompress and ground ourselves—a kind of therapy, really. I accidentally stumbled into selling plants after I bought a couple of String of Pearls—one for myself and one for a coworker. She let me know she already had one, so I posted the extra on Facebook Marketplace just to recoup my costs. That single post got about 30 messages from people wanting to buy it. I went back to the shop and asked if they could bring in a full case...and it snowballed from there.

It was actually a close friend and former business partner who helped us see that this could grow into something bigger. That’s when the seed of Gold Leaf Botanicals really started to take root.
Your shop isn’t just a place to buy a plant. It’s a full-on experience. How did that approach evolve? Was it intentional from the beginning or something that blossomed over time?
When we started, we thought about what kind of plant-shopping experience we would want. We were frustrated with the lack of clear, reliable care info available at most nurseries. Big box stores were even worse—staff often couldn’t even tell you the name of a plant, let alone how to take care of it properly. On top of that, there was little variety. It was the same basic plants over and over.

We knew we wanted to be different. We were inspired by plants and wanted to inspire others to love them too—not just sell them. That meant offering better information, unique and healthy specimens, and creating a space where people felt welcome to learn and grow.
What’s your favourite kind of customer interaction? The nervous first-timer? The rare-plant hunter? The person who names every pothos? What makes your day?
I really enjoy the seasoned plant collectors—the ones you can geek out with over specific species and share in the excitement of rare finds. It's fun to speak the same “plant language.”

Mike, on the other hand, loves the newbies. He lights up when someone discovers a plant they’ve never seen before. Their curiosity and joy are contagious—it’s a big part of what keeps him passionate.
You’re not just running a plant shop. You’re also creators. Your social content is clever, helpful, and feels genuinely you. How do you decide what to share?
Funny you mention that—what you see is 100% us just being ourselves! We’re not super polished people by nature, and honestly, we don't try to be. Anyone who knows me knows I have no filter, and neither of us take ourselves too seriously.

Mike usually needs a few takes when recording videos or making posts. I’m more of a “one take and done” kind of person. Most of the photos are taken by one of us, and I’ve always had an eye for design and composition. We just try to keep it honest and relatable.
Running a business, especially a creative one, has its moments. What do you do when things feel overwhelming or stuck? Any rituals, routines, or reminders that help you reset?
You're absolutely right—it’s come with way more challenges than we ever anticipated. Leaving secure, well-paying jobs with benefits and pensions was terrifying. But when we made the leap—during a global pandemic, no less—we realized we could get by with less.

Our priorities shifted. We put our mental health ahead of financial stability. Sure, we pay ourselves much less than we made in healthcare, but the difference in our stress levels and overall wellbeing has been dramatic.

What keeps us going is the sense of community we’ve built. We’ve had so many people tell us we’ve changed how they view and care for plants. Some say we’ve even inspired them—and that’s an incredible feeling. Being able to do what we love and share it with others is something we’re deeply grateful for every day.
Plants have this sneaky way of teaching us things. Have you learned anything surprising about yourself through running Gold Leaf or through caring for your own plant collection?
My perspective has definitely evolved. Early on, I was very emotionally attached to each plant. But after years in the industry and countless conversations with customers, I’ve learned to let go of that guilt. Remember, Plants are considered perishable goods. They are grown and distributed just like fruits and vegetables and flowers. There is no significant difference. We just perceive them differently. I never understood why we tend to assign more value to some things than we do others.

Plants should make us happy, not stressed. If a plant is no longer thriving or sparking joy, it's okay to part with it and bring in something fresh. Plants clean our air, beautify our spaces, and connect us to nature. They remind us to slow down, be present, and appreciate the little things we often overlook.

And Mike constantly surprises me—he's memorized so many botanical names and discovered a real creative side through terrarium building that he never knew he had.

Bonus question: If your business had a signature scent, what would it be?

Great question! I’d say it would be earthy and fresh—with hints of citrus and a sprinkle of cannabis, haha. I’d call it Eau du Inspiration by Gold Leaf Botanicals.

Sometimes what starts as therapy becomes transformation. Gold Leaf Botanicals shows how creativity and care can grow from hard seasons, and how building something joyful can be an act of restoration.

To find out more check out the Gold Leaf Botanicals website: www.goldleafbotanicals.ca

This series grows through word of mouth and the creative people who nudge me toward the next conversation. If someone comes to mind whose creativity inspires you, send them my way.

If something here made you smile, pause, or think, share it. Tag a friend. Leave a note.

Until next week, Christine