It was gardening that first taught me how business really works. Over the years of planting from seed and tending to edible plants, I’ve seen countless parallels between growing food and building a business. Both require patience, consistency, and faith in the process.
In this post, I want to share a fresh perspective on running a business—one rooted in timeless principles that are often overlooked. Business advice can feel complicated, trendy, or even contradictory, but the truth is: the fundamentals haven’t changed.
I’ve personally experienced all of these lessons, sometimes the hard way, but I chose to keep moving forward. I encourage you to do the same. With that said, let’s dig into what planting seeds for your business really looks like.
1. Sending Emails (Direct Sales Outreach) and Hearing No Response
We live in a world of instant communication. When we send a text, we expect an immediate reply. Naturally, we carry that expectation into email outreach.
But here’s the truth: you may send hundreds of emails and hear nothing back for weeks—or even months. I’ve personally sent more than 300 emails in a year and didn’t hear back from the recipients within the timeframe I had hoped for. But months or even years later, some of those same businesses came back to me when the timing was finally right for them.
Garden Wisdom: Just like seeds don’t sprout the moment you plant them, some emails don’t “sprout” until long after you’ve hit send. Keep planting.
2. Launching New Products With Low or No Sales
Sometimes you launch a product you’re sure will take off, and it doesn’t. I’ve been there. Some of my pet products sold immediately, while others sat untouched for months before customers caught on.
The lesson is simple: a useful product that solves a genuine problem will eventually take root. Some ideas require more time in the marketplace—or a more creative marketing approach to catch on.
Garden Wisdom: I’ve planted exotic seeds that never sprouted right away, but persistence paid off when a few eventually grew. Others never grew at all, but that didn’t stop me from planting again the next season.
3. Posting on Social Media With Little Engagement
Spending hours creating the “perfect” post, only to get a handful of likes, can be discouraging. I’ve been there. Even with a background in graphic design, photography, and social media strategy, I used to spend a lot of time creating content for every platform: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube—only to see little engagement and zero sales.
It’s frustrating, but here’s the lesson: social media isn’t the only way to grow a business.
- Some posts may never “sprout” into sales, no matter how much time you invest.
- Social media engagement doesn’t always equal revenue.
- The key is finding the channels that actually produce results for your business.
That was my turning point: instead of chasing likes, I looked for platforms where my ideal customers were already active, and where my investment of time and money would actually generate ROI.
Garden Wisdom: Not every plant in your garden thrives or produces abundantly. Some consume time and resources with minimal return. When that happens, redirect your energy toward what grows best. For me, that’s tomatoes; I dedicate most of my energy to growing them abundantly compared to other vegetables and fruits. In business, identify your “tomatoes”: the marketing channels and strategies that consistently deliver results, and prioritize those.
4. Pitching for Press Features With No Response
Pitching journalists, bloggers, or media outlets can be discouraging because you might never hear back. But this doesn’t mean your pitch failed; it just means the timing wasn’t right.
Pitching to the media is a numbers game. If you send enough pitches, you will eventually land features. And even if you don’t, you’re still putting your brand in front of editors, producers, and writers who now know your business exists. That awareness alone is valuable. In fact, I’ve had employees from media outlets become customers simply because they noticed my pitch. Don’t interpret silence as rejection. Keep pitching, stay consistent, and remember that timing is everything. Every pitch has the potential to generate new opportunities and revenue.
Garden Wisdom: I often buy more seed packets than I can realistically plant in a single season. Not every seed gets planted right away, but over time, I work through the entire collection. Press pitching works the same way—you may not see immediate results or get picked in the first few rounds, but with consistent effort, your persistence will eventually pay off.
5. Responding to Business Inquiries That Lead Nowhere
One of the most frustrating parts of business is when a potential client reaches out, asks questions, even seems excited—and then ghosts you.
I’ve learned not to take this personally. Not everyone who inquires is a serious buyer. Some people are curious, some are gathering information, and others simply aren’t ready to make a decision.
What you can do:
- Respond professionally to every inquiry.
- Provide the information requested.
- Follow up once or twice, then let it go.
If they’re serious, they’ll come back when they’re ready. And if they don’t, at least you left a positive impression of your professionalism.
Garden Wisdom: I give the same care to difficult plants as I do to easy ones. If a plant refuses to grow, it’s not because I didn’t do my part. Likewise, with potential clients, your responsibility is to nurture the relationship, but you can’t force it to bear fruit.
6. Developing Partnerships That Don’t Produce Instant Success
Partnerships are one of the most effective ways to grow a business, but they don’t always produce immediate results. You may collaborate with an organization or business and see little movement at first, but that doesn’t mean the partnership isn’t worthwhile.
Successful partnerships are built on:
- Trust – both sides need to know you’ll deliver value.
- Patience – results come with time and consistency.
- Mutual Benefit – partnerships thrive when both parties benefit.
Don’t confuse partnerships with “building a team.” You don’t need a team of employees to grow; you need the right collaborators and strategic allies who connect you with your target audience.
Garden Wisdom: I’ve learned valuable tips from other gardeners. Even if their advice didn’t bring immediate results, it still helped me grow in the long run. Partnerships are the same; you need others’ perspectives, networks, and knowledge to grow.
7. Telling People About Your Business (Networking)
Many business owners say, “I hate talking about my business because I don’t want to sound salesy.” But sharing what you do isn’t pushy; it’s simply informing people that you exist and that you have something valuable to offer.
The real challenge is overcoming pride. Most people want to be pursued by customers rather than doing the outreach themselves. But waiting for clients to come to you is like waiting for seeds to plant themselves—it won’t happen.
The more you talk about your business:
- The more confident you become.
- The better you refine your message.
- The more opportunities you’ll create.
Garden Wisdom: The more I talk about gardening, the more I realize how much I’ve learned and the more confident I’ve become in sharing that knowledge. Talking about your business works the same way.
8. Expanding Your Digital Footprint Despite Low Sales
Which comes first, the clients or the digital presence? My answer: both.
Don’t wait for a flood of clients before building your online presence. Build while you grow. Create a website, set up a Google Business Profile, list your business in directories, create online profiles, attend networking events, and host workshops. Each of these becomes another “arm” extending your reach to potential customers.
Garden Wisdom: I don’t only grow from seeds; I also buy seedlings. Both methods work, and both help me learn. Your digital presence is the same: use multiple approaches to expand while you grow.
9. Building a Portfolio Without Consistent Clients
When I ran my food photography business, I didn’t wait for paying clients to build a portfolio. I created my own projects, collaborated with chefs, styled dishes, and directed photo shoots myself. Those projects became proof of my abilities, and future clients didn’t care whether the images in my portfolio came from paid or unpaid work.
By taking initiative, I was able to showcase creativity, attention to detail, and versatility, qualities that prospective clients could immediately see. This approach not only helped me develop a portfolio but also allowed me to experiment, refine my techniques, and explore new ideas without the pressure of client expectations. Building a portfolio on your own terms can be empowering because it demonstrates your commitment, creativity, and professionalism, making it easier to attract paying clients in the future.
Garden Wisdom: The same principle applies to gardening. I didn’t wait for someone to teach me. I bought seeds and started. Don’t wait for permission or perfect conditions. Plant the seeds yourself, nurture them, and watch your portfolio and your business grow.
Business, like gardening, requires patience, consistency, and faith in the unseen. Every email, pitch, post, or conversation is a seed. Some will sprout quickly, others will take longer, and a few may never grow at all.
Keep planting, watering, and nurturing your efforts, and eventually, you’ll reap the harvest. Stop digging up your seeds daily to check their progress; trust that the roots are taking hold and that results will appear in their own time.
Are you finding the tips helpful? Click the link to support the blog and keep helpful content coming your way.
What's Trending Sage 