Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Van Slyke.
Hi Caroline, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
For many years, I was a wife, mother an interior designer living in Arcadia. In 2008 I started transitioning my garden from flowers to food, and chickens and livestock too. We were on the edible Arcadia tour and through that, we came in to contact with many people who wanted to know how to grow their own food. Which led to BOHO farm + Home.
In 2014 we found an old boarded up house downtown Phoenix owned by the City Of Phoenix and partnered with a local developer to bring it back to life. The property was zoned live work, and we were able to incorporate all the different facets from our larger Arcadia property into a quarter acre property with a 1903 brick Neo Classical revival home upon it. It’s been the perfect creative spot to teach classes, host events, and share hospitality. My business has grown and expanded with an on-site interior design studio, Fine and Folk, to The Carriage, House, an onsite apartment which we Airbnb, all of this on our Urban farm named Boho Farm. with the Tharaldson House, a private non profit social club being our newest addition.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Growing a business and a family at the same time has its challenges. And keeping the balance of the two is hard for a mom and an entrepreneur. I have learned as I’m getting older that it’s important for me to take care of myself, which means eating well, moving my body every day, reading five pages of a book, meditating, and prioritizing sleep. The healthier I am as a person, helps me to be a better mom, a better neighbor and a better entrepreneur. Building in margin has made all the difference! But it hasn’t always been like that… historically running without margin was my jam.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our 1903 property in the heart of the Roosevelt Historic district in Roosevelt Row, is a hub of creativity. BOHO farm is in Urban Farm, where we have classes and dinners, intimate showers and weddings and corporate events. Fine folk is a residential and commercial interior design studio, and the carriage house is a short-term rental for guests visiting the Valley of the Sun. The Tharaldson House is a non profit private social club focused on arts and culture.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What motivates me the most is to use my gifts and talents to make the world a better place. Life is hard,..but it’s also beautiful. Goodness and beauty are something we can cultivate as an antidote to the un kindness of the world. My desire is that the BOHO Farm is a safe, magical place to renew people and remind them that goodness and beauty still exist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bohofarmandhome.com
- Instagram: @bohofarm
- Facebook: @bohofarmandhome
- Twitter: @bohofarm
