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

Hi Kristy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I always felt my background in psychology and love for helping others learn would make teaching a perfect fit for me. For 10 years, I worked as an elementary school teacher. Although there were many rewards in seeing my students make progress, the long hours and stress of the job made it difficult to balance my home and work life. I put a lot of time and effort into my career as a teacher, but it wasn’t as fulfilling as I thought it should be. After some soul searching, I realized I needed to make a change. I had to find what truly made me happy while still allowing me to flex my independent and creative muscles.

Since I was a young girl, I always loved being outdoors. Growing vegetables with my grandmother and designing and planting flower beds with my mother brought me a great deal of joy. I carried this hobby with me into adulthood. After I stopped teaching, I spent hours working in my garden and volunteering at community gardens. I began to think of the possibility of turning my hobby into my new career. I poured my energy into research, course work, and books, and those efforts resulted in a Residential Landscape Design certificate. I was ready to begin a new chapter in my life.

I didn’t want to simply design yards, though. I wanted to help others feel nature’s inspiration by creating outdoor spaces that foster creativity, encourage relaxation, and promote happiness. I also wanted to teach others how to grow their own vegetable gardens. In doing so, I would be a part of making our environment a little greener, one yard at a time. With this vision, I took my experiences, knowledge, and dreams and began my journey as an entrepreneur as owner of Nealscape Landscape Design.

Life often takes us down paths we never imagined we would travel. When those paths turn out to be the right fit for us, they can open up an exciting world for us. As a landscape designer and an entrepreneur, I am on a path that allows me to share my knowledge and inspiration with others while creating a greener environment. I am able to help others find joy in appreciating nature, as my grandmother and mother did for me. I believe I am exactly where I am supposed to be, and I look forward towards where this journey will lead me in the future.

What should our readers know about your business?
Although starting a business from scratch can be a daunting task, I did not mind the hours and work that was needed to establish Nealscape Landscape Design. Loving what you do helps provide the necessary energy for the challenges of owning a business. As a designer and an entrepreneur, I also have the opportunity to be as creative as I want while guiding my business in the best direction for my clients and myself. Nealscape has given me the platform to make my visions and dreams into a reality.

Nealscape is client focused. I believe open communication with my clients is important in designing individualized yards tailored to their styles and needs. The clients are part of the design process, and I help guide them towards options based on their aesthetic tastes and maintenance practicalities. I enjoy collaborating with my clients to ensure they have contributed to their design and hopefully gained more appreciation for plants along the way. These extra steps help avoid cookie cutter designs and allows me to provide more personalization for each unique situation.

I have faced many of the challenges other entrepreneurs encounter in starting a business. There have been exhausting and difficult days, and I have made my share of mistakes along the way. But as long as you learn from those difficult times and mistakes, you are able to grow and move forward. I believe persistence, recognizing your setbacks, and focusing on how to improve in the future are vital in becoming successful.

On this journey, I have met many wonderful people and am lucky to be able to work in a field I love. Helping my clients create their own outdoor spaces where they can appreciate nature is rewarding to me. I am proud of what my hard work, vision, and determination have created. It is exciting to think about the possibilities for the future of Nealscape and hope to help many more people moving forward.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta has some wonderful parks and beautiful scenery. Some of my favorite places to visit are the Swan House/Atlanta History Center and surrounding gardens, The Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Woodlands Garden, and Olmsted Linear Park.

Downtown Decatur also has some great restaurants and bars. I really enjoy eating at Iberian Pig and grabbing a drink at Brick Store Pub. Of course, there are always some fun ice cream flavors to try at Jeni’s, a couple doors down from Iberian Pig.

The North Georgia Mountains are beautiful. My family and I enjoy spending time relaxing and hiking in the woods. Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge is definitely worth a visit- it is an outstanding apple farm and has a large store filled with all kinds of goodies. There are also many nice wineries in the area- Three Sisters and Frogtown Cellars are some of my favorites

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my Shoutout to my husband, Ray. His ongoing encouragement and virtues have provided a solid foundation for me. He is the first one to lend a helping hand when needed and he brings so much joy to my life. Ray’s support and guidance have especially helped me change careers and launch Nealscape, and for that I am exceptionally grateful to him. I love you, Ray, and thank you for all you continue to do for me!

Website: www.nealscape.com

Linkedin: Nealscape, LLC Landscape Design

Other: Nextdoor- Nealscape, LLC Landscape Design

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