Meet Linsay Chavez | Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Linsay Chavez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Linsay, what do you attribute your success to?
I actually think about this question all the time. I really believe that the main reason that our small business is growing is because of the tremendous support from family, friends, and community members that have rallied behind us. I’m always amazed when I’m out in public and I see a stranger wearing a Four Arrows Garden t-shirt or one of our stickers on somebody’s water bottle. I feel humbled by the support from the community and am thankful that so many people out there understand the need to support and promote small businesses to help them succeed. It’s the reason why we continue to focus on creating a brand that is “home grown” and neighborly. We want everyone to feel at home in the garden and we want to help our community succeed in their gardening efforts. We give back all year long to the local school district, community events, and local non-profits. We also offer a free succulent to every kid who comes in the garden. We hope that when people hear about “Four Arrows Garden” in our local community, that its not just a place to buy plants, but a fun experience for the whole family.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a college dropout. I’m not proud of that decision, but I’m proud of overcoming that poor choice and creating a life that I love. I was never the personality type to pick one thing to do for the rest of my life. There are so many things that I love to do, it was hard to pick just one. My first job was for a start-up company in Los Angeles where I worked my way up to Marketing Coordinator. I got my first taste of marketing at that company and continued to work in operations and marketing for small businesses and start-up organizations as we made our way to Vail, AZ. I love the social strategies involved in marketing but as my husband and I started our family, I always dreamed of having our own family business. I just never imagined where that dream would take us.

Originally from New England, my love for plants didn’t really become clear until we moved to the desert over 15 years ago. There’s something about the splendor of a cactus in bloom and the resilience of desert flora that captured my attention…and my heart. What was first just a hobby has now become my passion and I’ve never been more inspired! I now spend most of my days taking care of plants and learning more about them. I’m currently enrolled in the Desert Landscape School and have earned my certificate in the Desert Plant Palette.

The garden has been a dream come true in many ways. You always hear the term “family business” and it sounds great…but seeing it in action is something that makes my heart happy. Our oldest daughter Nathalia works on our website and updates our inventory weekly. She loves being our plant photographer and has even created greeting cards with photos of plants from around the garden. Our second daughter Elliana helps in the garden on the weekends and works at our kids planting station. She’s wonderful with people and is not afraid of a challenge (like repotting cactus). Our 2 younger children, Daniella and Marco, are proud to tell their friends about the garden and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for them in the garden as they grow.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is funny because one of my friends from childhood, Kara, just visited the Tucson area for the first time this past Spring. The first place I brought her was to our garden (of course) but then we also visited the Tucson Botanical Gardens and ate at the wonderful cafe there. We’re both plant moms, so that was definitely a fun day! We also visited Charron Vineyards in Vail and had a beautiful time watching the sunset with a wine flight. We drove around Tucson and took photos in front of a few beautiful murals and we grabbed coffee at Blackhawk Coffee Shop down the street from the garden in Corona de Tucson (Vail area). She hiked the trails in Corona de Tucson and had her first Cholla experience (ouch!). I can’t wait for her to come back so we can visit my other favorite places in our small community! Next up is Vail Coffee Stop and Rincon Valley Farmers Market.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without a doubt, I would have to say my husband Manuil is the reason the business continued to make it through the obstacles we face (and continue to face) as we grow. He’s the one that encouraged me to start the business and was supportive of my choice to quit my full-time job to grow the business. While we do hope that within a few years he’ll be able to dedicate all of his time to the family business as well, right now he still works at his full-time job AND manages to train staff, organize planting jobs, and is the main point of contact for many of our vendors. Without his help and encouragement, I know I wouldn’t have been able to get over the hurdles thrown in our path. He definitely puts the “family” in our family-business.

Website: www.fourarrowsgarden.com

Instagram: @four_arrows_garden

Facebook: facebook.com/fourarrowsgarden