Before Street Leafs was even a conceivable thought, I always had a passion for cooking and growing food. You could've found me on any day - rain or shine - doing either of those two things.
Around July of 2016, I found myself wondering if there was a way to start a business around either. I had to find out. Unfortunately at this moment in time, I was an accountant. It's what I studied in college, it's what my parents did, and it's what I expected (and even convinced myself) I should be doing. The only problem was that I was miserable doing it. I wanted to be outdoors, creating, adventuring and exploring the world, if not myself.
What seemed like a daunting task would soon unravel naturally in ways I couldn't predict. A friend had told me about this urban farming-accelerator called Square Roots, that one of the Musk brothers was starting. Of course it was crazy but I figured I'd at least apply. I sent in a video application and the rest was history.
A week later I was taking a phone interview, and two weeks after that I went for an in-person interview. They liked my grit and vision and gave me a massive opportunity to step into the world of start-ups, and most importantly REAL FOOD to build my own business. I was now 1 of 10 urban farming entrepreneurs, the first cohort, and way out of my league.
To make this possible, Square Roots slapped down ten shipping containers and rented us our own, each with a farm inside. LED lights, hydroponic watering systems, and a handful of other tech I knew nothing about. It would be the beginning of a year-long endeavor of which I'm currently halfway through.
As you read the rest of these episodes, you'll get a unique live perspective of the person actually going through this experience. No candy-coating, just the pure entrepreneurial experience of a small NYC startup, with a massive future.
JB