As one of California’s foremost greenhouses, OC Succulents offers an extensive variety of plants to both our retail and wholesale customers. Today, we’re excited for you to meet Cesar, the Operations Manager of our Irvine location, who keeps our team having fun while also offering top-notch customer satisfaction.
Q: Tell us about yourself and your role at OC Succulents. How long have you been a part of the OC family?
A: I am the operations manager for California Greenhouses’ Irvine location. We’ve been open here for close to seven months, and I’m in charge of the daily operations. I’ve been with the company, though, for a little over seven years now.
Q: What makes you proud to work with OC succulents? What do you like about working with the company?
A: Well, I didn’t have a green thumb before I started with this company, but I certainly picked one up while working here! I also love working with people and thrive working in a group. Our camaraderie here is great, and when everybody is working hard but getting along, you have a good work environment. That’s what I love. I take pride in my work here; to me, It’s not just a job—it’s a part of my life. I’m also excited that my nephew has recently joined the company, so I hope to teach him everything I have learned!
Q: Do you have any unique projects you’ve worked on for the company? Anything you’ve initiated and followed through on for the benefit of the business?
A: I consider myself the person that makes sure jobs get done. Even if it’s something as simple as watering plants, I make sure to follow up with my staff, so I suppose I’ve initiated a sense of personal responsibility within my team. As far as projects go, we’re going to be building some greenhouses to add more space for exterior plants, along with a few shade houses, so I’m looking forward to learning how to build those.
Q: You said that you’ve developed a green thumb working here. Are there any specific succulents that you’ve come to love? Are there any particular plants you recommend to customers more than others?
A: Some people think plants are really hard to maintain, but they’re really not. For me, my favorite plants are the echeverias. They have beautiful rosettes, they kind of stay low to the ground, and they come in all kinds of different colors, which is what I really love about them. There’s not a color you could think of that they don’t come in!
Q: Do you find there are some common challenges or issues that customers deal with when growing succulents?
A: The problem is usually water, either too much or not enough. For succulent care, I tell customers they have to neglect them; if you give a succulent too much love, you’ll kill it! Give them a good soak, and then just let them dry all the way out. Depending on where you have your plants, you can sometimes go weeks without watering them, but people don’t always know that. If a succulent is indoors and not in direct sunlight, it won’t need as much watering, either.
Q: Do you do anything or read anything outside of work to stay up to date on gardening trends?
A: We get some gardening magazines that come in with the mail here that I always take a peek through. It’s nice to see the inspiration of what other gardeners are doing!
Q: Have you ever read anything in a magazine that you’ve talked later about with customers?
A: Not directly, but I love helping them solve any problems they may have and answering their questions about maintenance or general care. If I happen to have read something about the subject, I will certainly share that knowledge! For me, it’s important that customers know what they’re buying and how to take care of it. That’s where I like to focus on the help I offer our customers. We also help customers with plant rehabilitation if we can, and sometimes we’ll replace their plant entirely to get them back on track with their gardening goals. Those are the things that keep people coming back and help strengthen our relationship with them.
Q: In your opinion, what are the greatest benefits of gardening and having plants in your personal space?
A: I think gardening gives you peace of mind, like you’re going to your “happy place.” I am also a huge dog-lover, but being around plants is a close second to being with my dogs! I know it relaxes me, personally, and even when I go to my parents’ house, I’ll go outside and water the garden. I used to do it as a kid, too. I remember they used to have this tomato plant with grasshoppers always after them; I was the kid responsible for trying to catch them, so for me, gardening also has childhood memories attached to it.
Q: Do you have anything else you’d like to share with us?
A: When I first started working for this company, I was just looking for a job, but over the last seven years, that job has turned into a career. I’ve grown a lot in the shop, but I’ve also grown as a person walking his path.
Some of our professional clients work with celebrities, so it’s cool knowing you helped a customer who will be putting your plants in a famous person’s house. I remember one time I made a delivery to Ricky Martin’s house and didn’t know it until I arrived! We also sent plants over to Sofi Stadium, the Rams Stadium, when they opened, and we also had some of our plants put into the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios! We are a company that feels like it’s a part of something much bigger, and I really take pride in being a part of that. Working with OC Succulents has definitely made the gardening industry an important part of my life.
Come visit Cesar and the rest of the team at OC Succulents’ Whittier location today for great advice, honest service, and the best celebrity-worthy plants in Los Angeles!
