This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Danny Trejo, an insurance agent who started a home citrus growing business Through citrus fruits in 2020.
Where did you find inspiration for yourself? side hustle?
I started working at Via Citrus shortly after moving to New York City, inspired by nostalgia for the citrus groves of Central Florida. I grew up in a large citrus grove filled with the sights and smells of orange blossoms – a vibrant part of my life childhood that I have always loved.
While I had always wanted to be a part of the citrus nursery business, I wanted to contribute in a different way that would not only bring value to the business, but also meaning for myself. The distance from my roots, along with the longing for the familiar scent of orange blossoms, sparked the idea to share this part of my home with others. That's when I realized I could educate others on how to grow citrus trees – no matter where they were – by opening an online store.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Via Citrus
What were some of the first steps you took to get yours side hustle from the ground? What were some challenges?
Starting out, I was faced with the daunting task of creating one e-commerce platform. With no prior experience in websites, I had to start from scratch, learning all the ins and outs of online retail, from design to development.
Simultaneously, I tackled the important step of defining our product line. Given the wide variety of citrus varieties ranging from oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines and grapefruits, I had to make decisions for which to bid. This involved researching citrus growing habits and the unique selling points of each type of citrus to curate a selection that will appeal to a wide audience.
Equally important was determining the size of the plants that Via Citrus would offer. This decision was a delicate balance. On the one hand, offering plants that were too small can lead to customer disappointment, as they may not immediately appreciate the beauty or potential of their purchase. On the other hand, larger plants, while more visually appealing and closer to fruiting, would have high shipping costs, making them less accessible to a wider audience. This required careful consideration of the growth stages of citrus plants, transport logistics and customer expectations to select the sizes that provide the best value for our customers and the business.
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly income? How much did the side hustle earn?
The first two months saw under $1,000 each thanks to family and friends supporting the launch of Via Citrus. However, it wasn't long before we were averaging about $7,000 a month in revenue, with May (Mother's Day) and December (Christmas) being our busiest.
What does the average monthly income look like now?
We see $36,000 a month in sales. May and December continue to be our best sales months.
What do you like most about it? side hustle?
It keeps me in touch with my roots – gaming-wise – working on this project with my dad. Growing up surrounded by citrus, to which my father devoted over 40 years of his life, has profoundly influenced my appreciation of citrus cultivation and care. Now as the person behind Via Citrus, I am able to maintain and strengthen this bond despite being six hours away from the farm. Via Citrus serves as a vital link to my father and the work he continues to do. He's not just the grower – he's out there selecting and packing every citrus plant we ship to our customers. it hands in His approach ensures that every plant we deliver carries a piece of our family's dedication and love for citrus growing.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Via Citrus
As you consider the future of the business, what are you most excited about?
The burgeoning plant industry and the important steps we are taking gROW next to her it excites me. As our world becomes more digital, people are turning to gardening and indoor plants for both hobby and home decor to take a break from their screens. This trend presents a promising opportunity for Via Citrus, as our unique offering of citrus plants matches this growing interest.
What is particularly exciting is our recent acquisition of new land for the development of additional greenhouses. These new greenhouses will have the capacity to increase the variety of our citrus offerings, improve our cultivation process and ensure we can meet growing requests from our customers.
What is your advice to others hoping to start their own successful businesses?
Don't worry about making everything perfect, start your idea and listen carefully to your customers. For me, I wanted to get everything right the first time: perfect looking website, variety, size, packaging, images, etc. I was spending too much time perfecting. excellence it's kind of a double-edged sword. No one was viewing my website or buying my citrus plants. Therefore, my quest for perfection limited my ability to get any feedback from the customer to make something better. Finally, after years of planning and perfecting, I launched the website. The few customers who engaged became invaluable sources of feedback. Their insights helped us refine our offerings in ways I hadn't anticipated.
It's important to get your product out there, even if it's a limited use of your product. Early reactions provides incredible insight and can guide yours side hustle in a direction that better meets the needs and preferences of the market.