Hurst lost his administrative assistant job in 2020 during the pandemic and listed a pink plant in a pink pot on Facebook Marketplace, sparking immediate customer interest. Within six months, he, his husband Josh and his mother transitioned to full‑time operation, selling hundreds of plants weekly from the balcony and eventually exceeding 1,000 per week, turning bedrooms into storage and livestream space. In 2021 a social‑media manager suggested the moniker “Brandon The Plant Guy,” and by 2023 TikTok Shop livestreams sent him from 30 to 250 plants sold in three hours, pushing the business past its 300‑order cap and attracting neighbors to help pack. By 2026 Hurst shifted from fixed‑price listings to auction livestreams, tripling profits; the model turned a simple purchase into a competitive event with viewers bidding in real time. The company now employs 24 staff, ships 1,000 orders daily, operates from a 3,000‑sq‑ft greenhouse in San Fernando Valley, and has revenue projected to exceed $10 million next year.