“Being a young business in a field that not many people understand, I knew it would be difficult to get a loan from a bank and pay their interest rates. I wanted to partner with an organization that would be more manageable and tailored to small businesses. A partnership with Trufund was actually meaningful and not just a faceless relationship with a large bank.”
Eliza Blank, Founder of The Sill
Their Business
The Sill was created by Eliza Blank in 2012 with a simple philosophy: “Plants make people happy.” The business was founded with the mission of bringing plants into people's everyday life by offering stylish plants and pots tailored to the individual’s personal style and budget. To fit the lifestyle of a fast-paced urban setting, all of their products are chosen to be easy-to-care-for plants that thrive in an indoor environment.
TruFund provided the working capital for mobilization and expansion, helping to help pay employees, buy new inventory, and make immediate down payments without high-pressure bank repayments.
Centered in between Chinatown and the Lower East Side, The Sill storefront has attracted foot traffic and created a more welcoming atmosphere for the neighborhood. Residents say that the green aesthetic has helped soften and brighten up their block.
Since their start as a small e-commerce site servicing only New York City, The Sill has now grown to include a retail shop, their own line of stoneware pots, and a plant design and installation business. Their space has grown from 1,000 to 9,000 sq. feet and they have almost doubled the size of their team. Although the company is young, Eliza has been seeing consistent and significant growth in annual earnings. In the 2015 Fiscal Year, their revenue surpassed twice their prior year figures, and they are on track for similar increases in 2016.
