Meet Lindsay Scherr Burgess | CEO & Moss Boss

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lindsay Scherr Burgess and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsay, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Unlike most businesses, I started Green Wallscapes by accident. I saw a piece of European moss art on Pinterest in 2016 and thought it would be fun to make one for myself. I went to the craft store, bought a frame and some moss and glued it on (all the moss fell off since I used the wrong adhesive, but that’s another story). We showed some friends what we made and they asked us to make some for them too. It was very much a side hustle in 2017 and early 2018. Around mid 2018 the project I was working on ended, and I could feel that a new business opportunity was coming! So my husband suggested I try doing Green Wallscapes full time. He works in sustainability and architecture, so he was starting to see a lot of these moss walls being specified on projects. At that time there were very few commercial grade moss wall companies (to this day there are probably 5 or 6 that work at our level in the US). We’ve done over 1000 moss walls all over North America and have worked with a ton of major brands, mom and pop shops, and put these into homes nationwide. It’s been a wild ride, and incredibly challenging, but MOSSOME.

What should our readers know about your business?
Green Wallscapes makes no-hassle preserved moss walls, logos, lettering and art. Preserved moss is a plant material that has undergone an embalming process to put it into suspended animation. It doesn’t grow, you don’t need to water it, no special lighting is required, no pruning is needed, and it allows for the ultimate flexibility when designing with these materials. We also work with preserved ferns and faux succulents to add dimensions to our walls. I would say that we are one of the more design forward moss companies in the marketplace – we love a challenge, a new color, a special request. Almost everything we make is custom fabricated for the spaces they inhabit. We also do custom colors for brands – which is something we started after working with some of the top companies in the US. They have VERY strict brand guidelines, so we love to custom fabricate projects for them!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We are located in West Palm Beach, FL, one of the best hidden gems in South Florida (although many more people discovered West Palm during the pandemic and have not left!). The business forward neighbor to the seasonal town of Palm Beach, West Palm is a really vibrant, fast growning city with an incredible community. I would say the best thing about West Palm is how open the people are to making new connections (since very few people are from here originally), the weather, and of course the beaches. If you were coming for the weekend – some of our favorite spots to eat are Grandview Market, Pumphouse Coffee, Aioli or Hive for Baked Goods, Adrienne’s for Pizza, Cholo Soy or Zipitios for Mexican, Joy Noodles for Thai, Kabuki for Sushi. If you want to splurge – we love the Seafood Bar at the Breakers. For shopping, my favorite store is C. Orrico on Palm Beach Island or to go to the Design District or Brickell Citicentre in Miami. The Brightline makes it super easy to go between Miami and Palm Beach. Taking a bike ride on Flagler or the Lake Trail is a must! There are amazing cultural institutions here: The Norton Museum, The Flagler Museum, and the Kravis are just to name a few! It’s easy to stay busy. It’s such a great place to live and work. It’s a nice amount of balance between hard work ethic and beachy vibe.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would say my husband is the reason we are here today. He was the one who said, “Lindsay, I think this is the business” and was able to support us financially until it was profitable enough for me to take a salary (which didn’t really happen for almost 2 years). He even helped fabricate some of our earliest pieces! It was a crazy time for both of us, because he also bought the company he was working for at the time, was running a second business, and we bought our house. We worked insane hours for the first three years – we worked every weekend, and long hours during the week to make our dreams a reality (and float all the financial burden of all we had taken on). He has been my sounding board when things have gotten incredibly difficult, and encouraged me to take risks I would have never considered. It’s so important when you take on an entrepreneurial venture that your spouse is onboard, because the stress of responsibility is incredibly tough. He’s the best.

Website: https://www.GreenWallscapes.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/greenwallscapes

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/lindsayscherrburgess

Twitter: https://twitter.com/greenwallscapes

Facebook: https://facebook.com/greenwallscapes

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@greenwallscapes

Other: https://tiktok.com/greenwallscapes

Image Credits
Green Wallscapes Staff