Behind the Growth at Tropical Express

Plants have the power to transform a space. That idea inspired Crystal Thomas to launch Tropical Express, an Atlanta-based indoor plant boutique. Using her background in event planning and design, she grew the business to offer plant rentals and installations for events and brand activations throughout the city.

Now in its sixth year, Tropical Express continues to grow. Crystal has already doubled last year’s revenue, and she’s putting lessons from two business accelerators to work as she strengthens how she markets and manages the business. Recognizing that small businesses need different kinds of support to grow, The Center offers programs that address specific challenges entrepreneurs face. Its Digital Growth Accelerator (DGA) helps small business owners gain the skills and knowledge to expand their digital capabilities, while Beltline Business Ventures (BBV) prepares Atlanta entrepreneurs to grow into brick-and-mortar businesses.

Google Business has always been one of Crystal’s strongest marketing channels, but she saw opportunities to strengthen her overall digital presence. Through DGA, she worked with instructor Mike Cano to understand what was working and where to make targeted improvements. Regular check-ins helped her turn those recommendations into action.

“When you’re running a business, there are always a thousand other things to do,” Crystal said. “But knowing I had a meeting coming up encouraged me to follow through on the tasks we’d discussed and continue making progress.”

She’s since become more intentional about improving her website, requesting customer feedback, and using data to guide decisions. She’s also thinking more carefully about how she markets her business.

“It’s not enough to say that customers will have a great experience,” she said. “I need to communicate what makes that experience special.”

Through BBV, Crystal focused on another challenge: managing staff and learning to delegate. Although she had already hired employees, she wanted to learn how to share responsibilities so she could devote more attention to growing the business.

The connections she made have also continued beyond the programs. Staying in touch with fellow entrepreneurs has given her a network to learn from and exchange ideas with.

“For me, these programs have provided not only valuable business education but also accountability, encouragement, and relationships that help me keep moving forward.

Crystal’s experience reflects The Center’s broader approach to economic development: equipping entrepreneurs with the skills, support, and connections they need to build stronger businesses and contribute to thriving local economies.