The Plant Man
William “The Plant Man” Rebert is a Penn State sophomore majoring in environment science. He launched his official Plant Man Instagram account on August 6, 2020 after his friends convinced him he could make a business out of selling unique, custom-made plants and planters. Rebert makes custom planters using recycled and sustainable materials and sells them via Instagram to those in the State College and/or Montgomery, Pennsylvania area, all to “spread awareness about what the environment has to give.” Growing up in Chandler, Arizona, with his parents and two siblings, Rebert has always been drawn to the outdoors and finds himself drawn to various types of succulents and cacti, stemming from his hometown roots and because they are less high maintenance than leafy plants. Though it varies by the size of the plant and the materials needed to complete the project, Rebert typically sees a $1-$20 profit per plant. Since he makes under $12,000 a year selling his product, he – at the moment – doesn’t have to file for taxes or apply for licensing, but as the business grows he must look into legally registering the business. Rebert plans to hold onto the business for as long as possible, but as an ROTC member, he is contractually obligated to enlist with the U.S. Marines after graduating. But until then, Rebert will continue to branch out onto different social platforms to expand his business, revenue, presence, and popularity.
