Duos We Admire: Cait Khosla

Cait Khosla, Founder of Botany Box, embodies everything about what it means to be a true HarperSage "Duo." She is soft, yet strong, business-minded, but an incredibly creative marketer, and barely even blinked when picking up her NYC-based business to move out to California (to be closer to the plants, of course!)

She created Botany Box so that everyone can easily have and care for their own collection of plants delivered conveniently to their front door (and at an affordable price point). This commitment to accessibility is one of the things we admire most about Cait and her company, which encourages people that may not have a green thumb to try their hand at some light gardening. Read on to learn more about her day-to-day as she navigates life, work, and style as a Duo We Admire!

Where did your love for horticulture come from? 

From both my mother and my grandmother -- they both have fantastic green thumbs! My mom is more of an outdoor herb/flower garden chick, and my grandmother is excellent with succulents, dried flower arrangements, and plants I didn’t even know existed. They both are huge inspirations for my love of plants and the creation of Botany Box. 

Describe the path that led you to launching Botany Box. Did it have any twists or turns? 

Oh, definitely! It’s so easy to say, “I woke up one morning and decided this was the best idea yet.” but that’s not the case - at all. 

I thought about the idea well into 2 years before executing it. When I moved to NYC, I really started getting serious about starting it. I felt so trapped in this big concrete jungle, and desperately needed an escape. Most of the twists and turns came from finding the money to do this and finding the right people who could help me bring it to life!

What are the highs and lows of your workday? 

Lows for me are retaining the focus and concentration on one topic, I like to switch back and forth on what I’m working on, so it’s different every day. Highs are definitely my ability to be creative, come up with new ideas for BB and execute them when it makes the most sense!

Compare yourself now to what you thought you might be doing. Is it different? 

Absolutely, funny enough - I majored in psychology, and I REALLY wanted to be a psychologist, one of my first internships was with a small rehabilitation center outside of DC where I worked with an Occupational Therapist to help adults in with their memory, everyday tasks, and communication skills after traumatic accidents.

How do you relate to the “Duo” concept of being both soft and strong, and how do you embrace that in life?

I look at it as having both a powerful masculine and feminine energy (GASP you can have both!) 

I think I’m assertive in my business and powerful in the way I carry myself, and what I believe is morally right. On the flip side, being soft is in my true nature (I’m a Pisces if you’re into astrology), and I like to create a warm, disarming atmosphere in my personal life.   

Do you feel the pressure to fit into an “outdoorsy” mold? How do you balance this with being a businesswoman? 

Hmmm this is a great question - so funny because I wouldn’t put myself in the outdoorsy mold at all, even though I work with plants every day. I’m not into running outdoors or hiking by any means, but I do love to surround myself with nature. Being a female entrepreneur comes first, and I think my personality shows through my business!

What word summarizes your week-day? Your weekend?

Week-day: Hustle.

Weekend: Decompress (although I find myself working on the weekends, too!) 

What’s the next thing you want to try outside of your comfort zone? 

Oh I love this! We’re breaking into email newsletters, which launch so soon! This is definitely out of my comfort zone because I know very little about email marketing, so it’s learning a new skill that will be helpful for the biz!  

Name an iconic duo (someone or something that is both soft and strong).

Unpopular opinion probably - but Tom & Jerry are SO iconic, they are the epitome of soft and strong, they hated but loved each other haha 

To keep up with Cait, follow her on Instagram and visit the Botany Box website to get your first box delivered straight to your home! The "Sage" side of us is absolutely loving how accessible she makes it to grow your green thumb and create an urban (or suburban) oasis. 

Feeling inspired to not just build the garden but wear the garden? Shop our Harper Zen Dress to match your plants or enjoy a floral moment in the Harper Flora Dress!