Meet Jamille Rodriguez | Online retailer, and seed collector

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

Hi Jamille, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born in Monterey Park and grew up spending a good amount of my time in the clothing district of Los Angeles.  My dad worked there with my uncles, for Umerico clothing on Santee St. I always felt sorry for them that they worked all the holidays and seven days a week., long hours.  But it is a work ethic that I have adopted. I don’t mind working hard, I don’t mind working every day, customer service is sacred to me.  I take negative feedback seriously, and it’s such a good feeling when I can turn around a negative experience, or lack of knowledge into a teaching moment for myself and my customers.
My dad and uncles instilled patience and attentiveness in me.  I learned that it’s as important to listen to what’s being said as it is to listen to what’s not being said.  I understood that by giving my attention and focus wholeheartedly, I would learn a lot about how to create happy customers.  As a kid I would count out an item, and my dad would tell me to count again. I would get get frustrated, but I would do it anyway. I now know that he was teaching me to be careful, accurate, so the customer could be confident that their transaction would be correct. I believe in the products I sell; I have learned most everything I can about them, and I love the idea of sharing my passion with others.

A lot of what I offer is rare and unusual because it takes patience, research and a little bit of luck.  A customer recently shared with me a saying that he learned from his parents growing up on a farm in the Midwest of the 1930s.  “Five seeds.  One for the worm, one for the crow, two to rot, and one to grow.”

It makes my husband crazy when he finds me answering work emails at two or three in the morning, but my business is my life, and that quite simply is what I do, trying to offer something that other seeds shops don’t, I never want to miss an opportunity to turn an inquiry to a customer for life.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I offer rare and exotic seeds from around the world. What I offer won’t be at commercial garden shops, and it may take more effort- cold stratification, scarifiying, etc, the outcome is more than worth the extra effort!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My husband and I went to Seaport Village on our first date, and I still love this place. The shops, the food, the live entertainment, and a carousel! In Ocean Beach, Azucar is an amazing must, anything on the menu is outstanding, but the Cuban sandwhich with homeade Nutella, love!

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?
Thank you to my husband, who is patient and always there to help me, be my sounding board, and make my business a success! Thank you, Bunny, Love you. To my in laws, who work so hard to help pack and label seeds, I couldn’t do this without you. My little sister, who is my touchstone. She knows my heart, and I love her so much.

Website: www.smartseedsemporium.com

Instagram: smartseedsemporium

Facebook: Smartseedsmyshopifycom