We had the good fortune of connecting with Matthew Payawal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matthew, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Our brand is successful because we’ve always aimed to help people, not just sell product.

When our business started in July 2020 people were having difficulty being quarantined in their homes for so long. While a lot of them wanted to keep plants, they were hesitant because they didn’t know where to start. We knew we wanted to provide a service that not only brought joy to people’s lives, but also taught them how to care for their new green friends. Human connection is what resonated with so many and is what sustains our business today.

Many people want to keep plants in their home, but are hesitant because they don’t know where to start! By making Care Cards with detailed plant care info in addition to providing personalized plant options based on customer’s homes, we turn something intimidating into something so simple and fun.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
One thing that sets us apart from other plant shops is our fun and quirky branding. We like to use colorful blobs, shapes and squiggles to accent our social media posts & merch. It’s eye-catching, happy and fun, which expresses to the customer, “We’re not plant snobs! Come learn about plants with us–they’re pretty neat!”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We’re fairly new to Costa Mesa so we’re not too experienced with all that OC has to offer, however, we’re huge coffee lovers so we can speak on cafes we’ve been to!

Here’s our short list for your next coffee crawl:

– Nook Coffee: baristas will become your best friends; try the Spanish latte and New Orleans cold brew
– Lion & Lamb Coffee: huge study space and great ambience; try the Butter Toffee latte and the Strawberry Matcha w/ oatmilk
– Work in Progress: coffee & natural wine shop with the cutest interior; try the Hojicha latte & Espresso tonic

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shoutout my wife, Sandra! While I may be the face of our brand, she’s definitely the brains behind it all. Sandra has been the best business partner because of her entrepreneurial spirit, love and support. Plant Matter wouldn’t be where it is today without her.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/plantmattershop

Facebook: www.facebook.com/plantmattershop

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