We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrea Vilorio and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrea, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The concept of Planting Positivity, LLC came about as a way to expand people’s concept of what plants are, what they bring to our lives, and to show that there is a certain artistry to plant care. Society teaches us that artists are those who paint, who build things with their hands like carpenters, those who write lyrics and sing them. I became disillusioned in not being seen as a Latina woman, a plant business owner, AND an artist. I believe there is a certain artistry of keeping and maintaining plants and I want to help others see that, too.

I created Planting Positivity, LLC as a place for all gardeners, from novice to expert. This shop is a place for gardeners to learn how to be an artist in the plant world. It is a place for gardeners to build a community of people who love working with their hands and slowly seeing the fruit of their labors come through in a new leaf. The greatest achievement is to see the joy in someone when they realize that they are a plant person and an artist, too! My goal is to form connections with people who are curious, who want to learn, and who persevere despite the plants dying – because it is only when plants die, new ones grow – like a phoenix, rising from the ashes. Join me on this wild ride to learn more about plants, won’t you?

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, a country that has an abundance of foliage and tropical weather, settled in Latin America between Guatemala and El Salvador. I came to America during my second year of bilingual school at the age of 8, where I quickly realized I didn’t look, sound, or come from a similar background to my peers. Speaking English and being a shy, timid Latina didn’t help – I struggled with my identity, often feeling not Latina and not American enough. I had the lightest skin complexion and eyes of my siblings – even within my own family, I stood out. As I got older, I understood that my unique experiences and background gave me opportunities to connect with others in my own way.

My dad completed his Peace Corps service in Brazil, my brother in Panama, and I followed suit in Ethiopia. I lived in a rural community in Southern Nations, Ethiopia as an English teacher and I was engulfed in the beauty of mountains and trees. I found peace and solace living in the mountains – it was the tranquility and the connections I formed with my fellow teachers and community members that made my 27 months of service pass with grace. After my Peace Corps service, I lived in D.C. for three years and I worked at Peace Corps Headquarters. At HQ, I worked with nurses who loved to nurture indoor plants and had joy in taking care of them. They each gifted me a plant and with that, I don’t think they realized the ripple effect those moments would have on my life. Their optimism, their excitement in telling me about the care of each plant, and their faith that I could take care of them – I started to believe it, too. It was at that moment that I went from “I kill everything I touch; I don’t have a green thumb” to “anything is figureoutable.” I went home and started doing research about the plants in my care – their care, the proper lighting, the right soil, pests – I went down a rabbit hole and I was excited at learning something new.

As I went through my public health career, eventually landing in Atlanta, Georgia for my Master of Public Health at Emory University in 2019, I looked for opportunities to connect with my fellow peers. During my first year, in the second semester of graduate school, classes went from in-person to virtual. As an introvert, I reveled in the fact of being at home, but after a few weeks, I grew anxious. Again, I found solace and peace in plants, and I soon started to post on the Emory University Facebook page about plants – each post would inquire about favorite plants and why, their care expertise, opinions on certain plants, what they wished they could get their hands on, and many more. One day, I took a leap of faith and decided to list some of my plants on the Emory page – they no longer brought me joy, but they didn’t belong in trash. I was hopeful that something good would come out of it. I am happy to inform you that people reached out because they were excited about that plant and wanted to have it. We bonded over how to care for it and the rest is history – a fire had been started. I began looking for opportunities outside of Emory to see if I could connect with anyone else. I couldn’t be the only one with a plant hobby, could I? I wasn’t wrong.

In 2024, I partnered with @southeastplantshow for one of the biggest plant events in GA and will continue to partner with them in the future. I’m currently looking for community spaces to hold plant workshops for 2025 and become more involved with outdoor plants like herbs, vegetables, and flowers. I’m excited to learn more about working with plants and wish to share that education with others.

After 16 years, I had the honor to head home to Honduras, reconnect with my family, and see my beautiful country. It was wonderful to be back and see how far Sampedranos have progressed. I had forgotten how green and lush the country is – I was excited to be able to recognize several plants and know how to care for them. 2,619 miles away from my home in Georgia and I could feel the connections between the two cultures. I had found something that binds across various cultures, and I feel so lucky to be a part of the plant community.

In my spare time, I am a babysitter and a pet sitter. I am an open water diver, and I volunteer with horses at Little Creek Horse Farm. I am working on becoming a volunteer diver with the Georgia Aquarium.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
You should first hit the Georgia Aquarium, one of my favorite places to visit, and the Human Rights Museum – both provide such unique experiences. When you’re done, head to Centennial Park to try Ruth’s Chris Steak House for dinner on Marietta St. Afterwards, head to the Botanical Gardens, another one of my favorites, and Piedmont Park, a large urban park for beautiful views of the Atlanta skyline. If you’re feeling a little hungry, head to the original Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q for the best barbeque in the city with their famous mac and cheese. Make sure you check out the free, but impactful Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site to be a part of history. I highly recommend attending an Atlanta United soccer game or an Atlanta Falcons football game at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, an Atlanta Braves baseball game at Truist Park, and/or Atlanta Falcons Game at State Farm Arena as all these sporting events are popular in the area and is a really great way to cheer on the Atlanta sports team. S.O.S. Tiki Bar in Decatur has a phenomenal vibe in the city where drinks are served with palm trees and flamingos. For lunch, head over to see Kevin Ramirez at The Optimist for some delicious oysters, hit up the Beltline and Ponce City Market in Old Fourth Ward (O4W). For plant lovers, I would suggest The Viridian in O4W, Flora/Fauna in Reynoldstown, and Lush Plant Co. in Inman Park. If you’re a beer enthusiast, Avondale Estates has a great selection of breweries like The Lost Druid, Little Cottage, Wild Heaven, Three Taverns and a weekly Sunday Farmers Market.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family and husband, who first looked at me as a little nutty when I started my plant obsession and turned my living room into a jungle – thanks for letting me talk about plants, for growing with me, and for being curious. Thanks to my friends who have supported my business and contributed ideas, time, and sweat equity into building a successful business. I also met a couple of people through the Georgia Plant Trade and Sale who were starting to do some plant sales and swaps across Georgia as this got me invested in becoming a vendor at those events. Since then, I have partnered with several local businesses and artists who are setting up community spaces to connect with the public – @bossup_events, @communityfarmersmarket, @communitymarketatlanta, @sudnat studios, @cryptidcreatives, and many more.

I’m currently reading “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth and “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain. These two books have been an inspiration to me and a motivating force to keep pushing through as an entrepreneur who is living authentically and as a plant artist/mom.

Website: https://planting-positivity.com

Instagram: @planting.positivity.com/@dreainethiopia

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-vilorio/

Other: TikTok: @planting.positivity.llc

Image Credits
Eddie Wedman.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.