Meet Kate. After more than three decades in nursing, Kate never imagined she would one day build a business rooted in flowers, soil and seasonal rhythms. What began as a personal passion steadily grew into something more.<\/p>\n
Kate cares for others as a nurse practitioner and, at the same time, finds her own sense of peace in a very different kind of work.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always loved being outside and working in the yard,\u201d she said. \u201cEverywhere we\u2019ve lived, I\u2019ve made it a priority to create something beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2021, Kate and her husband moved to a 7.5-acre property in Concord. Almost immediately, she began transforming the land. What started as landscaping quickly evolved into growing flowers.<\/p>\n
By 2023, she was planting more intentionally, and in 2024, a conversation with their tax advisor sparked a new idea.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started talking about what we could do with the property to make some extra income,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s when we decided to make it official.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kate formed an LLC for The Zin Garden in 2024 and began growing flowers with purpose. At first, she gave them away to friends and neighbors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just sharing them,\u201d she said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t really thinking of it as a business yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
That changed in 2025, when she set up a simple roadside stand at the front of her property. Customers could stop, scan to pay and take a bouquet.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the flowers are gone, I take the flag down,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd then I started seeing people come back again and again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kate also began creating small arrangements and selling flowers for events like bridal and baby showers. She uses recycled jars and mason jars, keeping the process simple and sustainable.<\/p>\n
Zin Garden reflects not only her creativity, but also something deeper.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s my therapy,\u201d she said. \u201cI just enjoy being in the dirt. It\u2019s grounding and stress-relieving.\u201d<\/p>\n
She describes the experience as a return to something familiar and simple.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like being a kid again, before the internet, just outside using your imagination,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
As the idea of turning her passion into a business grew, Kate knew she needed guidance. She discovered the Retail Lab through social media and decided to apply.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it might be helpful,\u201d she said. \u201cNeither my husband nor I had ever owned a business before.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kate and her husband joined the Fall 2025 cohort together. Retail Lab is a six-week business boot camp hosted at the Cabarrus Center and powered by the Small Business Center at Rowan-Cabarrus and the Flywheel Foundation. The program helps retail-based entrepreneurs refine their brand, strengthen operations, and pitch for a small business grant.<\/p>\n
For Kate, one of the most valuable takeaways was clarity around her customer and what makes Zin Garden unique.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe focused on who we\u2019re selling to and what makes our product stand out,\u201d she said. \u201cOur flowers are locally grown and pesticide-free. That\u2019s not what you typically find in a grocery store.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also found unexpected value in the relationships built during the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can be intimidated by business ownership,\u201d she said. \u201cBut being around other people who are building something too, it makes a big difference. They understand your challenges and your wins.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the end of the program, Kate and her husband pitched together for a grant. She talked about the flowers, and he talked about the numbers. They were awarded funding, which Kate is now using to build a greenhouse on their property. Constructed from antique windows collected from old homes, the greenhouse will serve multiple purposes throughout the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the winter, it will be used for growing,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd during the rest of the year, we can use it as a storefront or even host small events or workshops.\u201d<\/p>\n
The greenhouse addition will also allow Kate to extend her growing season. After focusing primarily on summer blooms in her first year, she has already started seeds earlier this year to create a longer harvest window. She has also invested in perennials, including planting 100 peony plants that will begin producing in the coming years.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, Kate hopes to gradually shift her time between nursing and The Zin Garden.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal is to work part-time as a nurse practitioner and spend more time doing this,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
For now, she continues to grow thoughtfully, learning each season and building a loyal customer base along the way.<\/p>\n
The Zin Garden may have started as a personal outlet, but it is steadily blossoming into a business rooted in simplicity, consistency, and a genuine love for the work.<\/p>\n