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

Hi Michelle, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I really didn’t start the business, more took it over. Summer of 2020 was rough. Two of my uncles died within months of each other. It put a huge strain on the family as we are extremely close. At the same time, my Uncle Mike was struggling with medical issues; in and out of the hospital with surgeries and whatnot.
My Uncle Mike and Aunt Mary Pat have owned Plantender for over 45 years. Aunt Mary Pat was running from here to there; tending to her husband’s medical needs and keeping up the business. Her daughter had expressed Mary Pat’s stress. We came up with a plan to help….
My husband, Bradin and I offered to take the business over. Mary Pat and Mike were pleased with the idea and here we are!
I think the initial thought process was: can we do this? will this be a good fit for us? can we pull this off? of course, all the nervousness of starting a new venture. Then the confidence: we got this! it is a great fit for us! we can do anything we set our minds to! But, at the end of the day, we were helping family, so….. it just felt right…..

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.
My truest answer to all of those questions is simply this: Resilience is key…. every struggle, every adversary, every wall, resilience. Make mistakes, learn from them, and move forward. Barrel through tough times. Be resilient when you get knocked down, come back stronger. “Just keep swimming” ha ha.

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?
Arrowhead Grill! Best food, great service, very chill atmosphere. CB Live Downtown! Such a blast with live entertainment and great drinks.
Any or all: Cardinals, D-backs, Suns games.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mother – she is the one who brought me into the ‘artificial plant world’ back when I was a kid. She worked for a craft retailer for years. During the holiday seasons, I would work with her creating faux plant decor to sell in the store. The company had us in a secluded back area where we would assemble everything. We were able to be together and talk about things while we worked. When I look back now, it was time that was really important. I will always cherish those times.

Website: https://plantenderofaz.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plantenderofaz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plantender

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.