Quick Take: Rachael Carter, a former student of Garden Coach Academy, is the owner of Floraculture, a successful Metro Detroit garden coaching business. She now helps families grow beautiful, thriving kitchen gardens of their own.

Meet Rachael, One of Our Garden Coach Academy Success Stories

I love this part of my job. Every so often, I get to introduce you to someone who came through Garden Coach Academy and built something real with it.

Rachael Carter is a garden designer, installer, and coach based in Metro Detroit, Michigan, and the owner of Floraculture, where she helps families grow beautiful, productive kitchen gardens that actually fit into their lives.

She brings a background in soil testing and environmental toxicology to her work, which gives her a unique perspective into why certain growing approaches work better than others. But turning that knowledge into an actual business was a different challenge entirely, and that's exactly where her Garden Coach Academy training came in to fill the gap.

I wanted Rachael to share her journey in her own words, so I interviewed her to talk about how she got here.

What Made You Want to Become a Garden Coach?

"When I started growing my own food, I realized I could draw on everything I already knew about soil science to become a much better gardener than I would have been otherwise. That clicked something into place for me. I started seeing results that first-time gardeners usually don't see, and I wanted to share that approach with other people. I genuinely believe that growing your own food changes the way you connect with your health, your seasons, and your home, and I wanted to help more people experience that."

What Almost Stopped You From Starting?

"Honestly, the biggest thing was not knowing if I could actually build a business around this. I knew I could grow a garden. I had no idea how to turn that into something sustainable. I was hoping Garden Coach Academy would give me a framework and a community of people who got it, so I didn't have to figure everything out alone, and that is exactly what it did."

What's a Lesson From Garden Coach Academy That Really Stands Out?

"The community aspect was everything for me. Being able to talk to other people who were doing this alongside me, drawing from their experiences, asking questions without feeling lost or embarrassed, that was invaluable. When you are building something from scratch, the hardest part isn't the skills. It's the mindset. Having people around me who understood that and could say keep going, this is normal, it gets clearer, that made all the difference."

How Did It Prepare You to Actually Run a Business?

"It helped me understand that building a coaching business is its own skill set, completely separate from being good at gardening. I came in knowing a lot about soil and plants and growing food. I left with a much clearer sense of how to package that knowledge, who I wanted to serve, and how to actually show up as a business owner."

What Was the Moment When Everything Clicked for You?

"Watching first-time gardeners have a successful first season using my approach was the moment everything felt real. These were people who had never grown anything before, and they were harvesting food from their own backyard and feeling genuinely proud of it. That is when I knew I wasn't just teaching gardening. I was helping people feel connected to something that really matters."

When Did You Realize the Impact Went Beyond the Vegetables?

"It happens in small moments, honestly. When a client texts me a photo of something they harvested and cooked for their family. When someone tells me their kids are finally interested in where food comes from. It's never really about the vegetables. It's about the relationship people start to build with their food, their outdoor space, and their seasons."

What Does a Successful Season Look Like Now?

"When I started, I had no idea what my capacity was or even what I wanted to offer. I dabbled in landscape design early on before realizing quickly that wasn't where my heart was. Now I am really clear on what I do and what I don't do. A good season for me looks like building about 15 new gardens, helping around 30 families plant and maintain their gardens, and working with about 10 new gardeners through one-on-one coaching. That feels like the right size for the business I want to run."

What Has the Return on Investment Been, Beyond the Numbers?

"The return has been both financial and personal. Financially, I built a real business with real clients and real revenue. Personally, I found a community of people who understood what I was trying to build at a time when I really needed that. That part is hard to put a number on."

What's the Hardest Part of Owning a Business?

"The mindset is the hardest part of owning a business. Full stop. The gardening I can do. The uncertainty of building something, wondering if it's working, pushing through the slower seasons- that is where it gets hard. Having a community around me through Garden Coach Academy who could offer reassurance and perspective was what kept me going in those early days."

What's Your Advice for Anyone on the Fence?

"Owning a business is hard, but it's rewarding because you get to do it your way. I have built a life I love, sharing exactly what matters to me: good food and nature. This program will give you the tools to be successful, and it will challenge you in ways you probably won't like. But a successful business is possible on the other side."

Interested in Starting Your Own Garden Coaching Business?

If Rachael Can, So Can YOU

Rachael's story is one I hear pieces of over and over. Someone has a genuine love of gardening and growing food but no clear map for turning their passion into a business. That's exactly the gap Garden Coach Academy was built to close.

If you've got the same spark Rachael had, you can apply to Garden Coach Academy here.