The Landscape has Changed

Wow how this industry has changed. 20 years ago in south central PA, landscape companies primarily installed plantings. I remember how quickly we realized that we needed to do something other than planting in the summer months. We always looked at the entire picture and slowly kept adding services. In addition to plantings, landscape companies now install: patios, walls, ponds, lighting, irrigation, decks, pools, garden structures and more. These extra services have become the norm in the industry, so what’s the question?

How do you know which one or ones to add? First take it slow. Obviously some companies are structured for more change than others. Know your limits. Find out you and your staff’s abilities. Knowing your company’s strengths is crucial. Also revisit your vision. Which service will bring you closer to your short term and long term goals?

Finally, don’t be afraid to fail if you are willing to learn.

Give:

Let’s keep this simple. We all have something to give. Most commonly people like to give their opinion, but I think we have more to offer than just our opinion. For some it may be their money while others their time. I think it all comes down to our mind set. Are we angry that others have more or do we appreciate what we have? We all have something to give. I challenge you to have a mindset looking for ways to make things better. You have special gifts and talents that would be appreciated by someone. It’s your choice, Do you want to make this a better place to live, work, or play or not?

Reach out to someone and offer what you can.You may be surprised how refreshed you feel after doing so.

Here are some ideas:
Coach a kids sport's team
Mentor a troubled teen (Big Brother program is great)
     troubled is the wrong word, they just need someone who cares
Serve at a soup kitchen
Be a scout leader

Have a great week.

Can you grow your business while working in your business?

For many years I have heard consultants tell people to work on your business and not in your business. There is a lot of true to that if your goal is to grow your business larger. One person can only do so much. Someone needs to have a vision for the future, marketing plans, manage sales, manage production, manage cash flow, etc. Personally I love all aspects of our industry and growing a business. I loved growing our business to almost $5 million. It is a lot of fun creating systems and building a team to ultimately deliver an incredible experience for our clients.

What about the people that love getting their hands dirty, working with clients, seeing the project from start to finish? What about the people that don’t want to spend all their time managing this or that? I see nothing wrong with this business model. This is as honorable as growing a multimillion dollar business, but this model too has its downside. Someone still needs to have a vision and a pulse on the marketing, sales, production and finances. The main difference in the small company vs. the large company is how we take the pulse of the business. The smaller the business the easier it is to take a two finger pulse. As the business grows and one gets further removed in one or more areas, numbers are needed to take the pulse of a business. Either way the pulse needs to be taken. Small and large businesses need to be able to be proactive and respond quickly to change.

Let me know if you need help getting your business’s pulse. I have some exciting news coming soon or contact me at How to take my business’s pulse?