Small Business Saturday with Sienna Mulch

This Small Business Saturday we’re honored to introduce you to an amazing mama-owned landscaping supply, Sienna Mulch. Owner and operator, Ashley Magliaro, was born and raised in Sugar Land and has resided in Missouri City for eight years! She has put her heart and soul into scaling her business to ensure a variety of product availability for the curb appeal you’ve always desired for your home. We had the opportunity to touch bases with Ashley and she shared all about her passion and journey as a business owner and mom.

Ashley, thank you for taking the time to speak with South Houston Moms, tell us all about Sienna Mulch!

Whew! Where to begin! So, we originally started out as a green waste recycling center and gradually turned into a mulch manufacturer of our “Premium Hardwood Mulch”. From there we continued to expand to carry red mulch, black mulch & bank sand. A little more down the line, we started creating our very own mix soil & top soil. We kind of stayed in that operation for quite some time.

I felt we needed to expand even more and carry more options for our customers. I wanted to make Sienna Mulch a one stop shop. I wanted landscapers to come in and be able to dump their green waste, then come to the front to buy their mulch, soil, compost, gravel, stone, fertilizer, etc! In the last 5 years we have expanded tremendously and made this dream come to life. We are continuing to grow every day and are delightfully surprised by our new clientele and our amazing existing customers.

What inspired you to open a business?

My dad has been in the mulch business for 30-40 years and I have known this my whole life. I took what I learned from him and ran with it 😊

When did you realize working in this industry was your passion and how did you scale to where you are now?

Having this in my blood didn’t hurt LOL. It has always been a part of me. I went to school for Business Management and knew I wanted to own something I could call mine. A lot of hard work and dedication.

Does your service cover residential locations, if so how does this work?

Yes! We are open to the public. We have residential customers that come in and walk the yard. They can touch, see, & smell the product. I love this because they know exactly what they are getting. Some yards are closed to the public or don’t let you walk the property.

We also have residential customers that know EXACTLY what they want and can place their order over the phone. It is literally as easy as 1-2-3. You tell me how many yards, which material, a good phone number, a good address, a good date/time, and we DELIVER to your doorstep (figuratively speaking of course) LOL.

What exactly does mulch do and how does one go about choosing a color that complements the home?

Mulch is the major key! It retains moisture in the soil which helps your plants thrive. It keeps those pesky weeds at bay. It keeps the temp cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Not to mention we know how amazing it looks when that fresh mulch is laid down, am I right? As mulch decomposes (organic only) it feeds nutrients to your soil which improves it and is great for your plants as well.

So, I will say this because anyone that asks me gets my opinion – I do not like dyed mulches. This is the dyed black and dyed red mulches. Yes, they look great, but that is about it. I steer people to the Premium Hardwood Mulch which is a double grind native hardwood dark brown color mulch. It is beautiful and the only mulch I use in my yard, not to mention the cheapest  (Yes, I am partial, but it is also a customer FAVE). Another option is the Cedar. It smells amazing and repels insects. Lastly,  we have pine mulch. It also smells amazing! It is super fine and great for your acid loving plants.

,What did you do before becoming a business owner?

I attended The University of Texas at San Antonio.

How do you balance being a mom and running a business?

It is funny you ask because just this week I had to bring my son in with me twice. This is when I am thankful to have a job where I can do something like that. There are times that it is difficult, too. I work Monday- Saturday long hours. Opening and closing. This is where my husband comes in and helps me take my son to school and pick him up. This month I vowed to start taking some time to be with him because we can get fixated on that go, go, go mentality.

What are some of your future business plans?

We recently turned our warehouse into a full-blown landscaping shop that I am super proud of 😊 but next in line would be to purchase some more equipment, hire some more employees, carry more products from more vendors. Continue to expand and become that one stop shop. Next year we will start to carry seeds, too!

What is the best way to support you and your business?

Following us on Facebook and Instagram (I love my IG fam) Liking, commenting, and sharing our posts. Also, if you have used us, or when you do use us, leave us a google review (pictures are great to show other customers). Word of mouth goes a long way. We have so many customers that see us delivering to their neighbor and call us right away to get their load, and we love that.

What is your best advice to a mom who’d like to open her own business?

I would say it’s a lot of hard work so be prepared for that, but that it is so amazing to think you can leave something behind for your littles.