Raised by a single mom and the youngest of 10 siblings, Erika Quinto Santillan jokingly refers to herself as the “runt.” Her mother decided to move their large family to California in search of a better life with the $300 she saved when Santillan was about 3-years-old.
Erika Quinto Santillan at SoFi Stadium on a job walk. Courtesy Erika Quinto Santillan.
“I grew up in East Los Angeles where we primarily spoke Spanish,” Santillan said. “When I enrolled in kindergarten most of the kids spoke English except for me.”
Santillan said she felt left out and insecure, but thankfully, her teacher volunteered to spend hours helping her learn English after school. When most kids were enjoying their summers, Santillan spent hers cutting thread in the Garment District with her mom – getting paid $10 a week and a pack of grape bubble gum.
“My mother brought us to the U.S. not knowing what the future would hold but we learned to embrace every adversity and contribute to this country that is now our home,” said Santillan.
Erika Quinto Santillan’s U.S. passport photo, age 2. Courtesy Erika Quinto Santillan.
And contribute she has: as an unstoppable force in landscape consulting. Inland Gardens and Tropics, the business Santillan founded in Riverside, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with success most entrepreneurs could only dream of. Her landscape construction company was recently awarded projects including SoFi Stadium, 1-405 freeway, Caltrans 60/91 Interchange and Hollywood Park – no small feat during a pandemic in a male-dominated industry.
“I discovered a passion for nature, plants, their native habitat and how they co-exist with the rest of our environment after a few college horticulture classes and working on landscape projects,” Santillan said.
Santillan chose to headquarter in Riverside because that is where most regional nurseries are located with acres upon acres of beautiful plants. She used her savings and 401(k) to support her four children while she applied for credit terms with suppliers in the industry to launch her company.
“Situations put you in fearful spaces but if you don't take the leap of faith, you will never know what's on the other side,” Santillan said.
The 60/91 Interchange project. Courtesy Inland Gardens and Tropics.
Santillan is passionate about the environment and drought-tolerant design concepts that promote sustainability. She is currently working on an educational bilingual program called “Seeds of Art” (in Spanish “Semillitas de Arte”) with the international nonprofit CANADEM USA.
“My goal is to start with our youth and help them embrace their creative spirit through nature and plants,” Santillan said. “The symbiotic relationship of plants and implementation of water conservation is vital to conserve our planet.”
A residential project Santillan designed in Corona. Courtesy Inland Gardens & Tropics.
Inland Gardens and Tropics is in its sixth year as a certified women-owned minority business in Southern California through the Small Business Administration (SBA) and other entities. Santillan is deeply committed to assisting women in leadership and cultivating entrepreneurial dreams as a board member for the National Latina Business Women Association-Inland Empire chapter.
Asked what advice she would give female entrepreneurs, Santillan said, “Use all your values and gifts to build your own dream so that after the struggles, you can let yourself be your own strength.”
For information about Inland Gardens and Tropics, go to www.inlandgardensandtropics.com.