BAYSIDE — You always want to root for the person taking a chance on their dream and pursuing their passion. And when it all works out, you can't help but be happy for them. That's exactly the case for one Bayside woman who now has her dream job.
“Oh I’m so happy. So happy," Liza Redlin said.
She is the owner of Milwaukee Terrarium Company. She sells terrariums, which are essentially plants, soil, rocks, gravel, and sand, ornately designed inside a glass container.
“I’ve always loved plants, and I’ve always loved all kinds of crafts and art projects," Redlin said.
She decided to take the leap of faith into entrepreneurship after making some terrariums for her friends’ fundraiser in the fall of 2020. They sold so well, Redlin, who was beginning to loose interest in her longtime career as a strategy consultant, left her job.
"My work product was insights, and reccomendations, and, strategies, and plans, all ephemeral, vaporous stuff. And so now, to actually make a thing a physical thing that people are excited to see, and buy, and have it's so rewarding."
At first, her new gig paid her about 25 percent of what she was making before. However, she had some savings that she could rely on. And more importantly, she felt truly fulfilled.
“100% worth it. First of all, I get to have my hands in dirt every day, which gives me endless joy.”
She makes open-air terrariums with a variety of succulents and enclosed terrariums with tropical plants. They are all layered delicately with sand and soil to create artistic arrangements. Each terrarium also incorporates what Redlin likes to call a 'doo-dad'.
“Even for someone who considers themselves not a plant person, people who joke that they have a black thumb, you’ll absolutely be able to keep this alive for years to come," she said.
Redlin makes about 20-40 terrariums a week. To keep up with demand, she has a propagation station in her basement filled with succulents and tropical plants.
Her terrariums cost anywhere from $60 - $250. Unfortunately, they don’t ship well. Any tipping of the terrarium would mean plants, sand, and gravel would shift, and the design wouldn’t be ruined. She sells most of her terrariums at art shows. Redlin also hosts terrarium-making workshops. Find more info at her website.
“Being able to interact with people and teach them about it, and see people's faces light up when they see them and hear about them, I mean, there's so much joy. So soul fulfilling," Redlin said.
While she is pursuing her passion, that doesn’t mean it has been easy. But when you find something you love as Redlin did, it makes all those hardships worth it.
Watch the story to see more terrariums...
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