BWH Plant Co.
Entrepreneurship is alive and well at BWH Plant Co. With an origin story right off the pages of Entrepreneur, Fast Company, or Inc. magazines, the company has catapulted from pop-up to a multi-million-dollar e-commerce enterprise. What began as a weekend side-gig created by three recent UCF graduates has grown into a multi‑million‑dollar e‑commerce brand shipping rare and unique houseplants nationwide. With rapid growth, however, came operational challenges. To sustain this growth and take their business to the next level, founders Carlie and Jason Paluzzi, along with former partner Kyle Kroeplin, turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) for guidance and support.
BWH Plant Co. specializes in growing and shipping distinctive houseplants directly to customers across the U.S. “Our whole aim is to make gardening fun for the next generation of plant lovers,” shared Carlie. Jason added, “We grow hundreds of different varieties, multiple different genus, and we’re always exploring the best and newest products.” Carlie emphasized their commitment to quality and service: “We’re very proud of the quality, consistency, and variety we offer, as well as the accessibility and affordability. No matter what happens in transit, we’re going to take care of you. When you’re shopping with BWH Plant Co., you’re going to have the best quality, the best price, and the best customer service.”
The tale of the company’s launch is as modern as it is entrepreneurial. “As a side‑gig opportunity, we decided it would be fun to do a little pop‑up shop, but something different in the market,” Jason recalls. “There are a lot of floral pop‑ups, so we said maybe plants. You don’t see those too often.” The pop‑up became a mobile trailer, then a website. When they launched online in October 2019, they sold out in three hours. Months later, as people sought to brighten their homes during COVID lockdowns, demand exploded. “That was the trigger that turned what was a passion project and side hustle into a full‑fledged e‑commerce business,” Carlie affirmed.
With success came complexity. Managing live inventory across multiple greenhouses proved challenging. “Because we were having operational challenges with our live inventory, the idea of connecting with our alma mater and possibly working with consultants to help us investigate and problem solve introduced us to the FSBDC,” Carlie explains.
BWH Plant Co.’s FSBDC journey began with the Small Business Institute® (SBI®), where UCF MBA students – guided by FSBDC consultants – conducted an in‑depth inventory management project. From there, Carlie was encouraged to join the FSBDC’s CEO XChange, an executive roundtable program for growth‑oriented business leaders.
“I have been a part of the CEO XChange for a little over a year now and it has helped us in so many ways,” Carlie highlighted. “It has been such an amazing network and community and resource for me and for our business.” Jason agreed: “Carlie’s involvement in the CEO XChange has brought a lot to the table. There’s been a lot of relationships she’s made and resources that have really helped us drive and grow our business.”
“The Florida SBDC has really benefited us,” Carlie concluded. “Mainly for mentorship—having someone to reach out to for things like contract agreements, business valuations, questions about really anything in terms of business.” Through no‑cost consulting and programs like SBI® and CEO XChange, the FSBDC has helped BWH Plant Co. evolve from a pop‑up passion project into a thriving national e‑commerce brand. “The SBDC truly has been an amazing resource for our company.”
For information about BWH Plant Co., please visit https://bwhplantco.com/ .
