Angelinos to Watch:
Jon Giese Wants You to Reconsider Sending Those Fresh Flowers
Los Angeles CFO-turned-Florist sells opulent, long-lasting arrangements using succulents grown on a solar-powered farm
Eight miles northeast of downtown in the gentrified, hilly neighborhood of Mount Washington, the self-described “guardians of plant propagation” are bringing joy to the people of Los Angeles with the opening of a new company: JEVITIE.
“As in …. longevity,” says company founder Jon Giese, a rugged, energetic man. He wears a long, handlebar mustache, basketball shorts and knee-high rubber Wellington boots. His hands are rough—carved with callouses, paint, and cement. Giese, 42, gets up before the sun on these dark winter mornings to hand-craft wooden boxes for his elegant succulent and cactus arrangements.
It’s a major shift from his career as chief financial officer for Adventist Health Glendale, where he spent most of his time in board rooms or reviewing strategic plans in a corner office. Now he’s an urban farmer, an entrepreneur focused on propagating succulents and bringing his unique creations to market via his online shop on Shopify.
