I Finally Did It: I Left My Job to Grow Plants Full Time
- Jonny Balchandani
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
For the past six years, my life has looked a little bit ridiculous.
During the day I worked my normal job.
Then in the evenings, when most people were winding down, I started my second shift.
Packing plants.
Answering messages.
Writing blogs.
Filming videos.
Building a jungle.
Learning everything I possibly could about houseplants.
Most nights I slept five hours. Sometimes less.
Not because anyone forced me to.
But because I had a dream that refused to leave me alone.
And now, after more than six years of building this strange, beautiful plant world in the evenings…
I’ve finally done it.
I’ve taken the leap.
I’ve left my job.
And The Bearded Plantaholic is now my full-time life.
From Side Hustle to Full Time Plant Life
When this started, it was never meant to become what it is today.
It began the same way many plant journeys do.
With curiosity.
One plant turned into five.
Five turned into twenty.
Twenty turned into a jungle.
Then people started asking questions.
How do you care for this plant?
Why are my leaves turning yellow?
What soil do you use?
How do you propagate that?
So I started sharing what I was learning.
Slowly at first.
A few videos.
A few posts.
A few plants for sale.
And something incredible happened.
People connected with it.
The humour.
The honesty.
The obsession with leaves.
The community began to grow.
The Truth About Chasing a Dream
From the outside, people often see the fun bits.
The jungle.
The plants.
The videos.
The shop.
What they don’t always see is the grind behind it.
Six years of evenings.
Six years of weekends.
Six years of finishing one job and immediately starting another.
Six years of believing that if you keep watering something long enough… eventually it grows.
There were plenty of moments where it would have been easier to stop.
But something inside me kept saying:
Keep going.
And slowly, piece by piece, the dream started turning into something real.
The Moment Everything Changed
Recently I sat down and did something that felt both terrifying and exciting.
I wrote the email.
The one that says you are leaving.
The one that removes you from the system.
The one that makes everything real.
And when I pressed send, that was it.
No going back.
No safety net.
Just faith.
Faith that if you pour enough love, work and stubborn determination into something… it might just carry you.
The Bearded Plantaholic Is Now My Full-Time Life
Which means something very simple.
I now get to spend my days doing what I love most.
Growing plants.
Sharing knowledge.
Helping people build their own indoor jungles.
And most importantly…
Being completely myself.
For anyone who has followed this journey, bought a plant, sent a message, read the book, visited the shop, or simply watched one of my ridiculous videos…
You have played a part in this.
In your own way, you helped make this dream possible.
And I will never take that lightly.
New Opening Hours for the Plant Shop
Because this is now my full-time focus, I’m opening the doors much wider.
If you’ve ever wanted to visit the jungle, get plant advice, or hunt for something unusual, the shop is now open far more often.
Monday to Friday
9:00am – 9:00pm
Small break:
4:30pm – 5:30pm (school run)
Saturday
10:00am – 12:00pm
4:00pm – 7:00pm
Sunday
Closed
Even plant people need a day to recharge.
If you want to come explore the jungle, talk plants, or find something special, you’re always welcome.
The Dream Continues
Walking away from a stable job to follow a passion is not a comfortable decision.
It’s exciting.
But it’s also terrifying.
Because now everything depends on you.
Your work.
Your ideas.
Your community.
But if there is one thing plants have taught me, it’s this:
Growth never happens inside comfort zones.
Sometimes you have to repot your entire life.
Put yourself somewhere new.
And trust that the roots will figure it out.
Thank You for Helping Grow This Jungle
If you’ve ever:
Visited the plant shop
Bought a plant
Shared a post
Sent a message
Read the book
Watched a video
Then you’ve helped water this dream.
And I cannot thank you enough.
The jungle continues to grow.
And now…
I get to grow it with you full time.
Visit The Bearded Plantaholic Plant Shop
If you want to experience the jungle in person, explore rare houseplants, or get expert advice on indoor plant care, come and visit the shop.
The doors are open.
The plants are thriving.
And this is only just the beginning.
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