I am the owner and illustrator of Gingiber. I have been an illustrator for 15+ years and have successfully sold my artwork across several categories such as art licensing, wholesale, direct to customer sales, direct downloads, books, teaching, and more. I cannot wait to teach you how to do the same!
In the 4th episode of Art + Audience podcast, Stacie sits down with Nicole Burke, the creative force behind Gardenary. Nicole’s incredible journey from financial stress to growing a community of over a million Instagram followers organically is a testament to the power of passion, persistence, and strategic thinking. Let’s dive into the highlights and takeaways from their conversation.
A Passionate Mission Rooted in Personal Healing
Nicole Burke is not just a gardener; she’s a visionary with a mission to reconnect people with the simple joy of growing their own food. Her passion for gardening stemmed from a personal journey of overcoming food addiction, depression, and anxiety. The garden became her sanctuary, providing a sense of purpose and healing. Today, Nicole’s mission is to make gardening accessible to everyone, believing it should be a human right.
From Homeschooling Mom to Business Owner
In 2015, amidst financial struggles and the challenges of homeschooling four children, Nicole decided to pursue her dream of starting her own business. She launched ‘Rooted Garden’, a service-based business helping people design, install, and maintain kitchen gardens. Using Instagram as her primary platform, Nicole began connecting with a global audience eager to learn from her expertise.
The Birth of Gardenary and a Thriving Community
In 2017, Nicole expanded her reach by founding Gardenary. Through this platform, she teaches people worldwide her gardening methods and trains consultants to help spread gardening joy. Gardenary’s content-rich approach, including daily blog posts, videos, and a podcast, aims to inundate the world with the joy and benefits of gardening.
Nicole’s Approach to Growing an Organic Following
One of the most remarkable aspects of Nicole’s success is her ability to grow her Instagram following organically, without any ad spending. She likens social media to a town, where different types of people are at varying levels of proximity to her “store” (profile). Her strategy involves creating content tailored to four distinct groups:
Nicole ensures she reaches and engages with all levels of her audience effectively by maintaining a balance of 70-80% entertainment, 15-20% educational, 10% showcase, and 5% invitational content.
Real Conversations Drive Real Growth
Nicole emphasizes the importance of authentic interactions and building genuine relationships. Using automation tools like ManyChat, she captures leads by offering valuable free resources in exchange for email addresses or phone numbers. This strategy not only builds her email list but also fosters a deeper connection with her audience, turning followers into loyal customers.
Embracing Imperfection and Taking Action
One of the key messages from Nicole is the importance of overcoming fear and ego to embrace the opportunities that social media provides. She encourages everyone to prioritize their business over their ego and to take advantage of the current digital landscape where organic reach is still possible.
A Generous Offer for Listeners
Nicole has generously offered a free mini-course on creating impactful posts, available at HeyNicoleBurke.com. This resource provides valuable insights into crafting posts that engage and convert, a must-have for anyone looking to grow their social media presence.
Final Thoughts
Nicole Burke’s journey is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved with passion, strategy, and resilience. Her success story is not just about growing an Instagram following, but about creating a movement that reconnects people with the earth and their own well-being. As Nicole says, “We are in a unique time, so we should all take advantage of it.”
For those inspired by Nicole’s story and strategies, be sure to check out her free mini-course and follow her journey on Instagram at @gardenaryco and @HeyNicoleBurke. Let’s all take a page from Nicole’s book and cultivate flourishing communities of our own, one post at a time.
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