5 Minutes With … Ashleigh Munro
Ashleigh Munro will be taking over ownership of Kiwi Garden Centre in Alberta, Canada, this year.
Can you share a little about your background?
I have worked full-time at Kiwi Nurseries since 2011, helping evolve the business from a landscaping company with a small sales yard into a garden center. I oversee the day-to-day operations, and this year I am stepping into ownership of Kiwi Garden Centre, continuing to lead and grow all aspects of the company while my parents work on retiring.
For a long time, I avoided the family business and tried many other jobs because I didn’t see it as a “real” career, it felt more like something you did to help your family out. Eventually, my mum asked me to help implement a P.O.S. system because all of our invoices were still done by hand and it had become unmanageable. What was supposed to be a short-term summer project turned into something more. Since landscaping wasn’t my passion, I focused on growing the nursery side of the business and gradually transforming it into a full garden center with multiple annual events.
What do you love about your job?
One of my favorite parts of my job is helping teenagers and young adults get their first job and discover a love for horticulture. I remember how hard it was to find work when I was younger; everyone wanted experience, but you couldn’t get experience without a job. Because of that, I’ve made the garden center a safe and supportive place for youth who are new to the workforce. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how eager they are to learn and grow, and even more special to see where they end up years later.
What’s the worst advice you ever received?
The worst advice I hear often is, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” That mindset hurts small businesses. If you’re not willing to take risks or try something new, you can quickly get left behind by someone who trusted their gut and tried something new.
What’s something that few people know about you?
I took a full year-plus off to travel after experiencing burnout. After years of pouring everything into the garden center, community involvement, event planning, business growth, staff training and constantly raising standards, I couldn’t do it anymore. I had lost my passion and wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to go in. I sold my house and almost everything I owned, bought an RV, and went traveling with my husband and dogs, not sure I would ever come back. It took several months of stepping away to reconnect with myself and rediscovered my love for plants and for teaching. It didn’t matter where I was in the world, I still always ended up at a botanical garden or garden center looking at the plants and missing it.
Favorite plant to grow? Why?
Orchids. I love how long their flowers last and the incredible variety available. I also appreciate how low maintenance they can be! My first orchid was a housewarming gift, and I still have it 15 years later. Even when I’ve tried to neglect them, they still bloom or surprise me with new pups.
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