“If I had a popcorn stand on Courthouse Square, I would have a board,” said Marty Grunder, quoting one of his mentors, Clay Mathile, former CEO and owner of The Iams Co. His point? You don’t need to be a large company or wait until “you have your act together” before you create a board. Grunder, president and CEO of... read more
Most people think of golf when they think of a sport in Scotland. As a kid growing up in Edinburgh, it was the grass rugby pitch that defined my lifelong appreciation for resilience. Over years of debate about which football game is tougher, runs faster or plays harder, I’m here to tell you, rugby is totally hard core. From Sunday... read more
People tend to feel strongly about issues that are relevant or personally meaningful to them, their lives and their unique circumstances. When appropriately channeled, these feelings can be inspirational and motivational to others. In the workplace, though, a person’s promotion and manifestation of strongly held beliefs can alienate other team members and cause friction. This tension is what Hayden McLaughlin... read more
Welcome to fall and to my first column in Landscape Management. I will be here each month, sharing with you my insights as CEO of Grunder Landscaping Co. (GLC) and as a coach and consultant to ambitious landscape pros all over the country. I am always looking for ways to get better and grow as a leader and business person,... read more
Lawn care operators share five considerations for participating in early order programs. About five years ago, Brian Wiese began taking advantage of the early order program offered by his fertilizer supplier. Each December, Wiese, the turf division manager for SunCo in Omaha, Neb., preorders enough fertilizer for rounds one and two at a discounted rate and with delayed payment terms.... read more
Within a few years of founding Stickle Lawn Care in 2012, owner Cody Stickle realized he couldn’t be everywhere at once. That was when the Hampton, Va., company incorporated a client satisfaction software system called Quality Driven Software (QDS) into its operations. “Being that we’re continually growing, I’m not able to go out and look over every single client’s yard,”... read more
