DelGrosso Launches Steel City Plant Co. after Lehigh Valley LaunchBox StartUp Bootcamp

DelGrosso Launches Steel City Plant Co. after Lehigh Valley LaunchBox StartUp Bootcamp

With ideas for her new business simmering for over a year, Angela DelGrosso was spending a long summer weekend solo retreat fleshing out her business plan when a friend called to tell her about the LaunchBox Bootcamp. That was the incentive she needed to finish the business plan for her one-stop urban plant shop and apply for the Bootcamp program.

DelGrosso said she always wanted to be a business owner, and whenever there was something she would complain about, she made a mental note to see if there was some business she could start to fix it. She loves plants and had them all around her growing up and now has them in her own home. She likes to think of herself as a “plant parent.” And as a plant parent, one of her growing frustrations was access to a greenhouse closer to home in Bethlehem.

After much thought and research, she decided that her retail plant shop will have a completely different vibe than a greenhouse – with plants in pots ready to go, LED grow lights, ceramics sourced from local artists, handing planters and more. She is looking to create a community of plant lovers and plans to hold community events around plants, like potting nights, ceramics, yoga, and photography. She has completed her online library for plant care plant care and will have QR stickers on the bottom of each plant to access the online care instructions.

Bootcamp came at a perfect time for DelGrosso. She had her business plan, she was able to talk through every piece of it and run it by the experts. But after the Bootcamp, she decided to try some pop-up shops for test marketing before she opens a retail location.

“I have a marketing brain, but I needed help with the accounting and legal aspects of my business. Now I don’t feel so overwhelmed because Bootcamp provided resources that helped me. I encourage anyone who’s planning to start a business or writing a business plan to attend the next Bootcamp and find resources that can help. It’s really taken the stress out of the process for me,” DelGrosso said.

Breakout rooms during Bootcamp gave her an opportunity to network with presenters and other business owners. As her business grows, she feels like she could reach out to any of the experts she met at Bootcamp to serve as resources when she needs them.

DelGrosso’s retail business, Steel City Plant Co., launched on Facebook and Instagram in early October, and the website (https://steelcityplantco.com/) went live in November. For the first three weekends of November, Steel City Plant Co. is launching a pop-up shop at the Huts on Main Street in Historic Downtown Bethlehem. For the longer term, DelGrosso is talking with Clark Home Group about partnering on a brick and mortar retail location in Downtown Bethlehem.

“Steel City Plant Co.’s mission is to make purchasing and caring for plants a quicky, easy and accessible process while bringing together a community of plant lovers,” DelGrosso said. Her business is giving her the opportunity to pursue her passion for plants and further engage with the Bethlehem community she deals with daily during her full-time role as Senior Vice President for Bethlehem Initiatives with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.