NEW YORK, March 23, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teresa Carleo, president of Plant Fantasies Inc. (PFI), was recently the featured Mystery Guest on "Taking Stock with Pimm Fox," Bloomberg TV's popular program that regularly profiles some of the area's most creative and enterprising business leaders.
Introduced as a woman "whose entrepreneurial spirit is in full bloom and can be seen in some of Manhattan's swankiest buildings," Carleo offered advice both to fledgling business owners and to the City's apartment dwellers who want to bring plants into their homes.
She discussed her self-reinvention in her 30s when she switched careers to "take a job watering plants at minimum wage." From shoestring beginnings and walking the pavement to gain work from some of the City's major owners and developers – real estate magnate Bernard Spitzer was the first – Carleo transformed PFI into one of the City's leading landscape contractors.
Noting that no one can work in isolation when it comes to growing a business, she told host Fox that she learned the ropes from clients and vendors and finds the synergy of her staff invaluable: "My team is incredibly important to me," said Carleo.
She also broached a topic she encounters constantly: fear of plants. "People are afraid they will kill plants," said Carleo. Any advice for the plant-phobic? asked host Fox.
"Begin by working with low-maintenance, shade tolerant varieties that require little water," said plant guru Carleo.
The entire program can be viewed on YouTube: YouTube - Bloomberg TV -- Taking Stock with Pimm Fox Interview of Teresa Carleo Owner of Plant Fantasies Inc.
PFI specializes in landscape installation and maintenance, landscape and green roof design and maintenance, interior plants and floral design and holiday decor/display.
Carleo was noted as one of 2010's Top Entrepreneurs by Crain's New York Business Teresa Carleo - Plant Fantasies - Top Entrepreneurs | Crain's New York Business and is currently featured in an educational video produced by Cengage designed for MBA candidates. PFI serves an elite clientele that reads like a who's who of real estate developers: Trump, TF Cornerstone, Worldwide Holdings -- at properties that include some of Manhattan's toniest addresses:15 CPW, Trump Tower, Manhattan House -- former domicile of Grace Kelly, the Corinthian, and 250 Hudson Street.
The Plant Fantasies Incorporated logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6629