Do you want to have a successful business? Really successful? Do you want to make money? Real money? Do you want to avoid 72-hour weeks? Have time with your family? Have a company that’s worth a lot in the future? Of course you do. Well, it doesn’t happen by accident; it takes planning. You need to have a plan. For... read more
In the landscape maintenance field, clients are like stock portfolios. Some yield great returns; others don’t. In either case, you’re spending resources—including crew time, equipment use and management attention—to keep them. Just as you should assess a stock portfolio periodically, you should assess clients to ensure you’re allocating resources to their best advantage. Once a year, list your clients, and... read more
During your offseason, review what’s worked and what hasn’t. One area you should review is finances—both your numbers and your software. The software contains information that guides many of your business decisions, as well as your taxes. Mistakes using that software can be costly, so reviewing your numbers tells you where you’re profitable and where you’re not as profitable. After... read more
A wise old man once told me your definition of wealth will change as you accumulate it and grow older. In my work with large and small contracting firms, I’ve discovered four types of wealth that are measurements of success. You might place these in a different order, but I’m sure you’ll think of all four throughout your life: personal... read more
Several large-scale studies have shown that most organizations in the U.S. haven’t embraced strategic planning as a regular, ongoing, essential business process. Strategic planning is usually attempted with a half-hearted approach. Not surprisingly, these attempts produce limited results. Additionally, because many strategic planning processes are overly complicated, it’s common for leaders to be frustrated by the time and effort expended.... read more
If I had to grade the economy during the past three years, I’d probably rate it OK. Certainly not great, but compared to the years during the Great Recession, the past three were decent. I doubt we’ll get back to great for awhile—three to five years, anyway, or until the housing market receives a much-needed dose of adrenalin, which I... read more
