Rachel Neighbors did not grow up dreaming of owning a plant shop. In fact, her mom used to say Rachel did not like dirt as a child. Now, she spends most of her days with dirt underneath her fingernails. That unexpected turn is part of what makes her story so special. After COVID, Rachel and her husband, Len, moved to Williamsburg and found themselves in a season of reset. A Christmas gift—a Cricut machine—led Rachel into designing stickers and taking them to weekend markets. She brought plants along as table decorations, only to realize people were more interested in buying the plants than the stickers. So Rachel pivoted. What started with thrifted pots, Campbell's soup mugs, blenders, Crock-Pots, porch drilling, and 100-plus plants packed into the car became the foundation for Ray Ray's Plants, a warm and creative plant shop built around more than greenery. Rachel wanted to create a space where people could feel welcome, find something personal, connect with their homes, and maybe even find community. But the timing was anything but simple. Rachel found out she was pregnant with twins, assumed the plant shop dream would have to wait, and then received an opportunity to open a shop in Williamsburg while she was five months pregnant. She said yes, but she also allowed herself time. Instead of rushing the opening, she had her boys, took the summer to prepare, and opened the shop six months later. Rachel's story is about risk, patience, family, community, faith, and the courage to say yes when one piece of the puzzle finally fits. For any woman wondering whether her dream needs to look perfect before she begins, Rachel's journey offers a gentle but powerful truth: sometimes the right dream grows when you give it room, time, and people who believe in it with you. Key Discussion Points • 00:00 — April introduces Rachel Neighbors, owner and founder of Ray Ray's Plants. • 00:42 — Rachel shares that opening a plant store was not an early childhood dream and that she did not like dirt as a child. • 01:45 — April describes the warmth and uniqueness of Rachel's shop, including indoor plants, potting, drilling containers, and care instructions. • 01:52 — Rachel explains how a Cricut machine led to designing stickers and bringing them to weekend markets. • 02:18 — Rachel realizes customers were more interested in the plants she used as decorations than the stickers she was selling. • 02:31 — Rachel and her husband begin thrifting unique containers like Campbell's soup mugs, blenders, and Crock-Pots to use as plant pots. • 03:21 — Rachel shares that after market season, she found out she was pregnant with twins. • 03:36 — While five months pregnant, Rachel receives the opportunity to open a shop in Williamsburg and decides the risk is worth taking. • 05:09 — Rachel talks about saying yes to the shop and choosing not to rush the opening before the full vision was ready. • 05:36 — Rachel explains that she had her boys in April of 2025 and took the summer to prepare the shop between feedings and new-parent life. • 06:21 — Rachel remembers opening day, the support from family and community, and the feeling of realizing the shop was finally open. • 07:48 — Rachel describes how difficult it was to name the shop and how vulnerable it felt when the Ray Ray's sign went up on the building. • 09:24 — Rachel explains the "This Must Be The Place" sign and how it connects to the place where she and her husband got married. • 09:56 — Rachel shares her desire to create a corner of the shop where people in the community could come sit, gather, and feel welcomed. • 11:22 — Rachel talks about balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, and reminding herself that she does not have to get everything done in one day. • 13:34 — Rachel explains her belief that "houseplants make homes" and that plants should not be stressful for people. • 14:17 — Rachel credits her husband, Len, friends, and Sherry and Glen Lavender from Silver Hand Meadery with helping support the dream. • 15:33 — Rachel reflects that being a dreamer sometimes means allowing other people to speak into the dream, even though you still have to be the one to say yes. • 16:18 — Rachel advises others to look for opportunity and recognize when one piece of the puzzle fits, even before everything is figured out. • 17:26 — Rachel explains how two-plus years of market experience gave her valuable, lower-risk preparation before opening the brick-and-mortar shop. • 21:34 — Rachel shares that her faith carries her on hard days and that "the joy of the Lord is my strength." • 22:07 — Rachel gives her email address for anyone who wants to reach out. Notable Quotes "Opening the plant store was not on my list of things growing up." "My mom would often say that I did not like dirt as a child. So now I spend the majority of my days with dirt underneath my fingernails." "I had to say, 'Okay, this is worth the risk.'" "I said yes, and we did this thing." "Allowing myself the time to prepare for it to open, for it to be what I wanted, was absolutely worth the time it took to get there." "I tell myself that I don't have to get it all done today." "Houseplants make homes." "Sometimes being a dreamer means allowing other people to speak into that." Takeaways • A dream does not always begin in childhood. Sometimes it appears through curiosity, experimentation, and an unexpected pivot. • Starting small can teach you what people actually respond to before you take a bigger risk. • The right timing matters. Rachel's story shows that saying yes does not always mean rushing. • Community can be part of the dream itself, not just support for the dream. • Balancing motherhood and business ownership requires grace, help, and the reminder that everything does not have to happen today. • A physical space can become more than a store when it is built with welcome, creativity, and connection in mind. • Opportunity may not arrive with the full picture complete. Sometimes one piece of the puzzle is enough to begin. Connect with Guest Website: https://www.rayraysplants.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayraysplantsva @rayraysplantsva Email: grow@rayraysplants.com Connect with Us Follow April Kemp on Instagram: @fanaticaldreamher Stay updated on new episodes: https://www.fanaticaldreamher.com/ April's email: april@fanaticaldreamher.com Join the DreamHer Community Subscribe, share, and leave us a review if this episode inspired you. 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