In this month's edition of YKRA Faces, we’re introducing you to Kata and Mimi, the founders of plante., a Budapest-based slow plant and lifestyle store. We asked the girls all about the ins and outs of running a business, and we also had a look at what they keep in their YKRA bags. Read on to find out more!

Hi girls, tell us about yourselves and the work that goes on at Plante. 

Plante. is a slow plant and lifestyle store in the heart of downtown Budapest, which opened September 2019. Since then, we’ve welcomed anyone inside who wants to refresh themselves in our little downtown oasis. We offer lots of different types of plants and accessories, and we even designed our own line of ceramic plant pots that we’re really proud of - the Earth and Urban collection. One has a base and a hole in the bottom, so you can plant directly into it, while the other is a decorative planter—both are good for replacing plastic pots and dishes. The collection is sold internationally, in Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Germany and England. We also sell macrame decor, scented candles, room sprays, baskets, nutrient solutions, flower seeds, and plant care books in-store. So if you’ll be able to source a lot of different things at plante. We also hold workshops in several themes: indoor plant care, macramé and floralium workshops. Additionally, this summer we’ve added a special feature, the indoor plant care workshop will be held in our greenhouse—it’s where we store and care for our plants, and it’s a real jungle.

How did the two of you meet?

We met through a mutual friend, Alíz Matísz, who sensed that we would hit off. She sat us down for a coffee, without any specific plan in mind, simply just to set up a first meeting between us. There was a spark straight away, and we founded Wild Flow Bar, which then turned into Plante.

How do you spend your time besides your roles at Plante.?

Mimi: I’m at a point in my life where I like to spend a lot of time in Zala, we have a small press house there, and we spend our time renovating and gardening. It’s a little retreat, a house made from wood and glass with a big terrace and a great view, it’s where we go to recharge. We also go on lots of hikes, and we spend time with our dog Duke, a Bedlington Terrier.

Kata: I also really enjoy gardening in my free time, as well as hiking. Being surrounded by nature is always soothing. More recently, I fell in love with Portugal, when I spent 4 weeks there last year on a surf trip, and it’s something I hope to do again this summer. You need a lot of core strength, so I’m preparing hard for the summer session!

What does your typical day look like?

Kata: During the week it's filled with work, and depending on the needs of plante., I’ll fill in the role. If I have to go to the flower market I’ll go, or if I need to upload a post to the website then I’ll do that, but I also like being in the store and meeting our customers. That's where we get feedback in person, and it makes me feel like all our hard work was worth the effort. Another thing I’m into is interior design, so I spend a lot of time finding inspiration, as well as cooking and throwing dinner parties for my friends. I also take my dog Alba for walks every morning, afternoon and evening. You could say my schedule is pretty full! 

Mimi: My weekdays usually start at around 5am, I cook in the morning and then I set the family off to school and work. I have “office days” when I work from home, which means sitting in front of the computer for 8-10 hours, but there are times when I’m also running errands in the city. I go on trips to the flower market, I help with the packing and unpacking, the webshop dispatch, the pricing, and anything physical. I also do most of the communications tasks, including the copywriting and campaign elements for plante. But otherwise, we share all of our tasks, and a lot of the time who does what simply depends on who has more capacity, or who can get the job done most efficiently. We run the company together, in an absolute partnership, so we do the strategy and planning tasks together with Kata. Spring is the busiest time of the year for us, with one celebration after the other—Valentine's Day, Women's Day, Mother's Day, and Children's Day—so the dynamics of the tasks are fast and that’s when we need to have project launch or campaign launch meetings.

In the evenings I try to focus on family time, and the same goes for the weekends, which are spent in the countryside in nature, hiking and cycling. My husband also has his own business in the world of honey, so I also try to support him where I can.

Mimi’s FANNYPACK

When I’m rushing around town all day, this fannypack is just the right size to keep my essentials with me: my phone, store key, business cards, notebook, and invoice pad.

2 Small Stones - These are from the Zalaszántó Stupa, and one is for love and happiness and the other is for health. Zalaszántó is at the tip of the Balaton highlands, and I love spending time there. 

Pine Cone - It’s a symbol of how much time we spend walking, hiking and being out in nature with my husband and dog. 

Nude Nail Polish - I use my hands a lot, potting and repotting plants, wrapping goods etc. so I like to keep my nails looking nice.

Makramé keychain - The girls made me this one at our store.

Flower Seeds - These will go in our garden in Zala.

Ceramic Spoon - It’s a handmade spoon by Reni Zsiga. I often need to taste honey and this is the perfect spoon to do so.

Notebook - For me, my notebook is part of my slow lifestyle, it’s where I write down my feelings, inspirations, and long-term goals, or sometimes just words I want to focus on.

Kata’s SAILOR PACK

I‘m super satisfied with it, it’s durable and I use it all the time.

Notebook - I keep all the important things I need to remember in it.

Keys - I have a lot of keys, but they’re all essential.

Alba’s leash - Alba’s my dog, she’s a German Shorthaired Pointer, and I take her for walks during the day.

Soil Moisture / Ph Meter -  It’s not something I always have on me, but it’s something I often need.

Wildflowers Book - I usually take it with me when I go hiking, I like to know what flowers I see when I’m outside.

Hand cleanser - Since Covid, it’s something that has a permanent home in my bag.

Essential Oil - It helps me relax, and has a nice smell too, it’s a mix of Bergamot, eucalyptus, and lavender.

Glasses - I need them for reading.