The Plant Movement Podcast

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build a global company that competes with the biggest names in the industry while never losing sight of its people? On Episode 97 of The Plant Movement Podcast , Willie Rodriguez sits down with Tony Gonzalez , Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Tire Group International (TGI) , to discuss the journey of building one of the world's leading tire distribution comp...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to turn 25 years of community service into political action? On this episode, we sit down with Martha Vega Hero, candidate for Miami-Dade County Commissioner of District 8, to talk about the urgent challenges facing one of South Florida's most agriculturally rich and underserved communities. Martha shares why she's stepping into the political arena: not...

Send us Fan Mail On Episode 95 of The Plant Movement Podcast, Keith Crouse of Howard and Son Farms returns for his second appearance on the show to share a practical, no-nonsense look at what it takes to build a nursery from the ground up. Keith balances life as a firefighter while growing Howard and Son Farms, a nursery operation focused on liner production, propagation, and continuous improvemen...

Send us Fan Mail On this Episode of The Plant Movement Podcast features Shane Leder, owner of Real Landscape Inc. and Real Landscape Nursery, for one of the deepest and most powerful conversations ever shared on the podcast. What begins as a conversation about landscaping, growing unique plant material, and building a vertically integrated nursery operation quickly transforms into a raw discussion...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Plant Movement Podcast , host Willie Rodriguez sits down with South Florida native and tech-turned-operator Israel Perez-Siam to dive into the evolving world of sustainable aquatic solutions, service businesses, and the future of technology in horticulture . Israel brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare tech and private equity-backed software—but m...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the hustle of Miami meets the mountains of Puerto Rico? In this episode, we sit down with Tito, a Miami-based entrepreneur who just came off working one of the biggest EDM events in the world, Ultra Music Festival, managing a team of 45 hawkers and eight beverage stations serving tens of thousands of people across three days. But behind the grind is a bigger visi...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and eye-opening episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, host Willie Rodriguez sits down with Dr. Robert Cubria of Tecnafert to unpack one of the most urgent—and overlooked—crises in modern agriculture: soil degradation and the hidden consequences of conventional fertilization. With over 17 years of research rooted in a groundbreaking university project from Spain,...

Send us Fan Mail En este poderoso y revelador episodio, el anfitrión Willie Rodriguez conversa con el Dr. Robert Cubria de Tecnafert para abordar una de las crisis más urgentes—y menos discutidas—de la agricultura moderna: la degradación del suelo y las consecuencias ocultas del uso convencional de fertilizantes. Con más de 17 años de investigación provenientes de un innovador proyecto universitar...

Send us Fan Mail On Episode 90 of The Plant Movement Podcast, Willie Rodriguez sits down with Max and Dawson, the founders of Floratrack AI, to discuss how artificial intelligence and AR smart glasses are transforming scouting, IPM, and plant tracking inside modern greenhouses. What started six years ago as a pest identification app has evolved into a full-scale platform built “for growers, by gro...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and unfiltered episode, Willie Rodriguez sits down with Paul Capote owner of PGL, better known as the "Miami Landscaper", for a real conversation about debt, discipline, faith, leadership, and the future of the green industry. Paul has been in the industry for 17 years, and he’s still growing, still learning, and still refining. From surviving the COVID...

Send us Fan Mail On this Episode , host Willie Rodriguez and producer Eddie Gonzalez sit down for one of their most transparent and wide-ranging conversations yet. This episode isn’t about hype — it’s about reality. From rising costs and labor shortages to market saturation, real estate pressure, and the future of nursery ownership, Willie and Eddie openly discuss what’s happening right now in the...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Plant Movement Podcast , we sit down with Bryan Suarez , fourth-generation metal artisan and owner of Toledo Iron Works , to explore how a family legacy forged in 1969 continues to shape luxury construction and design across South Florida and beyond. Bryan shares the fascinating story of how his great-grandfather and grandfather built a business that began w...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, host Willie Rodriguez sits down with Bryan Lloyd and Erin Rogers, Territory Sales Managers with Greenworks Commercial, the all-electric leader transforming outdoor power equipment. Bryan, who covers Central Florida and brings over 15 years of experience in the power equipment world, and Erin, who manages South Florida after years in t...

Send us Fan Mail On this inspiring episode of The Plant Movement Podcast , we sit down with Jacqueline Costa , founder of The Farmer’s Daughter , a luxury garden lifestyle brand redefining what it means to live beautifully, both indoors and out. Jacqueline comes from one of the most respected legacies in the Green Industry, her grandfather was the founder of Costa Farms , one of the largest hortic...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, host Willie Rodriguez sits down with Ara Flink, founder of Propagation Diaries, to explore the fast-growing world of houseplants, creativity, and innovation in plant care. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Ara has built a thriving business around one key idea, houseplants deserve accessories that are as beautiful and functional as the plants...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Plant Movement Podcast , we welcome Alex Barth of Troy’s Tropics Inc. , based in Sarasota, Florida. Alex made the five-hour drive to join us in person and share his story of growth, adaptation, and resilience in the Green Industry. Alex grew up surrounded by plants thanks to his father, a terrestrial biologist focused on wetlands and conservation. That early...

Send us Fan Mail On this powerful return episode, we welcome back Alberti Ortiz of Boca Landscape Designs , who joins us fresh off the Landscape Leadership Summit 2025, his first-ever seminar that almost didn’t happen. With transparency, courage, and faith, Alberti shares how he overcame doubt, fear, and countless obstacles to create an event that impacted nearly 100 people in the Green Industry....

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever thought about starting your own nursery but weren’t sure where to begin? In this episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, host Willie Rodriguez talks with Keith Crouse, a 23-year-old firefighter from the Keys who decided to take the leap and start a nursery in Homestead, FL. Keith didn’t grow up with a nursery, he built one from the ground up on his days off. From buyi...

Send us Fan Mail The Plant Movement Podcast is back in a brand-new studio for a milestone Episode 80, featuring a powerful conversation with Richard Mancias, owner of Buzzkill Pest Control & Fertilization . With over 15 years of experience specializing in outdoor pest control for lawns and ornamentals, Richard shares his journey from starting out at a landscape company in the mid-2000s to buil...

Send us Fan Mail On this heartfelt episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, we sit down with Saul Belmontes, the owner of Belmontscapes, a local lawn maintenance and landscaping company in South Florida. Saul’s story is one of faith, sacrifice, and resilience, a journey that began in his father’s nursery and grew into a thriving landscaping business built with determination and heart. Saul opens up...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, we dive deep into the story behind one of the most trusted names in ag equipment, Chemical Containers, Inc. Meet Sid, the national sales rep with over 20 years of hands-on experience, who’s been part of the company since he was just 15. More than just a business, Chemical Containers is a faith-driven, family-operated company that’s be...

Send us Fan Mail On this illuminating episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, we shine a spotlight on Ariel Rodriguez, the founder of Elighting and Worldwide Distributors, a true industry pioneer in outdoor and landscape lighting. From cold calls at 17 to designing custom lighting systems for luxury estates and commercial properties, Ariel shares his journey, insights, and battle-tested strategies...

Send us Fan Mail On this powerful and transparent episode, host Willie Rodriguez sits down with Alberti Ortiz, founder of Boca Landscape Designs, to explore how landscaping became more than just a business — it became a calling. From mowing lawns at age 13 for $4 an hour to becoming a creative visionary in landscape design, Alberti’s story is one of faith, surrender, and transformation. Willie, wh...

Send us Fan Mail On this Episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, host Willie Rodriguez welcomes Efrain Santos, the 25-year-old founder of Keyscape Landscape and Design, whose journey from job site translator to high-end landscape contractor is nothing short of inspiring. Starting at just 16, Efrain was managing his uncle’s landscape job sites and learning pricing, sourcing, and client communication...

Send us Fan Mail On this insightful episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, we sit down with Mr. Bob, a pioneering entrepreneur who built his career selling workers' compensation insurance to the largest nurseries in Miami-Dade County. Discover how Bob identified a gap in the market and filled it with dedication, expertise, and an unwavering commitment to service. Bob shares his incredible jou...