November/December 2024 - 50

5 MINUTES WITH ...
5
MINUTESWITH
By Teresa McPherson
Heather Rollins is marketing director at
Fairview Greenhouses & Garden Center
in Raleigh, North Carolina.
What brought you to the green industry?
My interest started to grow when I took a horticulture
elective in high school and got involved in agriculture-related
competitions through Future Farmers of America.
Before applying to college, I attended a career fair at North
Carolina State and had the chance to speak with professors
and students from the horticulture department. At 18, it's
hard to know what path you want to take for the rest of
your life, but I decided to give horticulture a try - and I'm
so glad I did. The community in this industry is incredible,
something I quickly discovered in college. From researchers to
nurserymen to landscapers, everyone works together in such a
collaborative and supportive way.
A fun twist to my journey: I met my now-husband
through the Horticulture Club at NC State - a true plantnerd
love story! After earning my degree in horticultural
science and Spanish, I launched into a career in wholesale
nursery sales, agritourism and marketing. Today, I have the
privilege of working alongside my husband and his family in
their third-generation family business.
What's the best part about your job?
The best part of my job is the opportunity to express my
creativity every day. Like many in this industry, I wear several
hats. As marketing director, I love collaborating with our team
to brainstorm fresh marketing ideas and exciting social media
projects. As the merchandiser and buyer for our gift and
pottery department, I get my shopping fix by exploring the
latest trends and finding unique items for our customers. And
as manager of our installation team, I get the joy of getting
my hands dirty, overseeing planting jobs and crafting custom
container gardens. I truly love every aspect of what I do, and
I'm incredibly grateful to be surrounded by family every day.
What's your biggest goal for 2025?
My biggest goal for 2025 is to strengthen team
communication across all departments and streamline our
in-store signage and " silent sellers " to create a more cohesive
customer experience. Additionally, I'm focused on improving
inventory control and increasing product turns to boost
GIMROII in our gift department.
We're also excited to host a large tour group as part of
The Garden Center Group Fall Event in 2025. It's a fantastic
opportunity to ensure our facilities are in top shape; while
we always prioritize maintaining our space, the prospect
of several hundred discerning garden center professionals
visiting certainly adds extra motivation.
If your career had gone a different direction,
what do you think you would have done?
I'd still be an avid gardener or devoted houseplant
parent - that passion runs deep! However, I also have a
huge love for travel, and I'm always the go-to planner for
family trips, couples' getaways or girls' weekends. I think
being a travel agent would be a dream job - or maybe
it's a side hustle in the making!
Favorite plant to grow?
It's tough to pick favorites when you're surrounded by
plants every day! While I don't have a specific favorite plant to
grow, I absolutely love designing custom container gardens. It
feels like being an artist with a blank canvas and a paintbrush.
Mixing colors and textures to create a unique masterpiece is
such a rewarding process - it's like designing a one-of-a-kind
display garden, just on a smaller scale.
50 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024
Heather
Rollins
November/December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2024
