To celebrate our birthday, we’re looking back at the slow and steady growth—just like a plant—that happened over the past nine years.
"Hello fellow plant people! It’s The Sill’s 9th Birthday, and some of you are new here. So I thought I’d take a moment to share a bit about myself and the story of how The Sill came to be.
My Mom came to the U.S. from the Philippines in her 20s, earned a second nursing degree and an MBA and spent over 30 years working for the same hospital in western Mass. In her free time, she cultivated a beautiful garden and tended to her houseplants. She is the driving force behind my appreciation for plants (and my role model for hard work).
When I left home for New York City, I attempted to fill my first apartment with plants, but I was disappointed in the experience of “urban gardening”. You could say I had a hunch (Plants Make People Happy) and the hustle, and sometimes that’s enough.
What started as an idea to connect people with plants, has since become an online storefront, a subscription, 6 brick-and-mortar stores in 4 major cities, and a global community of plant parents—all powered by The Sill’s talented team.
It hasn’t been easy (find the nitty-gritty details here). From living off PB&J sandwiches to surpassing $1MM in revenue while bootstrapped, a feat only 2% of female-led businesses achieve. But every milestone is a part of our story, one that is far from complete.
So, thanks so much for finding yourself here—and for supporting, celebrating, and growing with us."
- Eliza Blank, Founder & CEO
2012 Eliza quits her job—launches The Sill in her brother’s office at 26 years old. Pays rent to her brother in bagels.
2013 The Sill team designs our first line of ceramic planters while working out of that same office space, now under 1" of potting soil.
2014 Our first shop opens in New York City. A 100 sq ft urban oasis next to a dollar slice pizza place.
2015 The Sill starts hosting in-store plant care workshops to connect with our customers. People actually show up.
2016 Still bootstrapped, we surpass $1MM in annual revenue for the first time—a feat only 2% of female-led businesses achieve.
2017 After 5 years, Eliza begins to fundraise. Dollars invested in sole female founders at that time represent <2% of venture funding.
2018 Eliza, now pregnant with Faye, is featured alongside The Sill in the New York Times—immediately goes into labor (adds “Mom” to her resume).
2019 The Sill goes west—taking in the sunshine and opening shops in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
2020 We partner with The Metropolitan Museum of Art for their 150th anniversary on art-inspired planters. A big apple dream.
2021 2020 changes our perspective on the spaces we inhabit—we learn the importance of cultivating these spaces through plants and biophilic design first-hand.
Always growing, we open our biggest store to date in Chicago.
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Words By The Sill
Empowering all people to be plant people—a collection of articles from The Sill's team of plant experts across a variety of plant care topics to inspire confidence in the next generation of plant parents. Welcome to Plant Parenthood™.
