Conversations with Erika & Zach Moreland

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika & Zach Moreland

Hi Erika & Zach, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
We are a husband and wife team from the suburbs of Kansas City who share a love for organization and gardening, especially when it comes to hosta plants. We currently have over 160 different types in our garden! As our passion for these plants grew, so did our frustration with needing an easy way to keep track of our inventory and identify our plants quickly. After trying various solutions that were not durable or affordable, we designed and created custom acrylic plant stakes. These stakes are simple, practical, and modern. It was the perfect solution for gardeners like us. It was from this product that Made By Moreland KC was created!

From there, we began to expand our business to offer planters, orchid planters, plant stands, garden accessories, and different color plant stakes. Each item had been carefully selected or designed for longevity and outside use in gardens.

As we continue our journey, we have created and offered unique items that are a nod to our interests and daytime professions. We continue to strive to provide high-quality, unique products in an online and local setting! It has truly become a family adventure!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are obviously others who are doing similar things to what we are in the market. We never envisioned Made By Moreland KC to become a business, but rather an affordable solution to other plant enthusiasts. After speaking to many people, it always came back to affordability, durability, and customer service. When we set out listing our plant stakes on Etsy, we made sure to communicate with the buyer from the get-go, knowing that they are entrusting us with a custom item to be a part of their garden for years to come. We wanted our products and customer service to set us apart from others!

After purchasing other 3D printed planters online ourselves, we found we were not satisfied with the quality. We wondered if we could improve upon this and add this to our own business, as an addition to the slower times of the year. We have found that there is skepticism around the quality of 3D printed goods, and that is a continual battle we will face with other lesser quality items in the market. But, as one reviewer recently put it: ” If you’re hesitant as I was at all about buying a “printed” item DON’T! It’s absolutely NOT cheap looking and is very high quality. Will definitely buy again from shop.”

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Zach currently oversees IT for a business in North Kansas City. He has been with the company for over 12 years. He is able to infuse his interest of technology into both work and home.

Erika is an elementary school teacher in Olathe, Kansas. She has been with the district for 13 years. Her passion for helping others is able to be channeled into the customer service and connecting with customers. Her interest for technology stems from wanting to intergrade technology in the classroom as well as having a Masters in Educational Technology.

What sets us apart from others is that we have vastly different careers, but find common ground in running Made By Moreland KC.

Any big plans?
We never anticipated Made By Moreland KC to become a stable business, but now that we have seen it come into fruition, our goals and dreams have continued to expand!

By the end of 2024, our hope is to have had over 2,000 Etsy sales and have expanded our local footprint in the Kansas City and Midwest area. We currently have had the opportunity to sell our planters wholesale to a new bookstore in downtown Overland Park, Monstera’s Books, and are vendors at West Bottom Plant Co. in the West Bottoms. We would love to grow our local presence in other locally curated shops and throughout the Midwest. We are always looking for the next opportunity to become a vendor or wholesale opportunity!

Pricing:

• Custom Plant Stakes $1.50 – $2.00/each
• Planters $14.00 – $60.00
• Orchid Planters $14.00 – $51.00
• Plant Stands $15.00 – $45.00
• Garden Accessories $9.00 – $38.00

Contact Info:

• Website: https://madebymorelandkc.etsy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madebymorelandkc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095409098901
• LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/madebymorelandkc

Image Credits
Jessica Strom, Zach Moreland, Erika Moreland, Kate Wieners