A spot on the local news gathered a few pieces of technology from decades past—a Sony Walkman, a pager, film, a floppy disc, an old TV “clicker”—and showed them to school-aged kids of today to see if they knew what purpose each item served. Hilarity ensued. The kids ranged in age from maybe five to 12—members of Generation Z or... read more
The industry is being squeezed between lowballers and big national contractors,” a reader wrote to me recently. I have heard this dilemma before in several different forms. The question always comes down to, “How do I compete to win when I’m facing both larger competitors and lowballers?” We selected this question as the theme of our 2019 Business Planner issue.... read more
Busyness is a way of life for many of us. Ask someone how they’re doing, and there’s a good chance he or she will reply, “Busy!” I’m constantly amazed by the landscape and lawn care business owners I’ve met who are running their companies, coaching kids’ sports teams, engaging with civic organizations, spending time on hobbies and more. I wonder... read more
Have you ever visited a company and instantly knew that everyone who worked there was on the same page—and wondered how they got there? That’s the feeling I got when I visited Walker Manufacturing in July for the Walker Family Reunion III. The event, which celebrated production of the company’s 150,000th mower, was held on Walker’s 60-acre campus in Fort... read more
I can vividly recall sitting next to Bob Dolibois, retired executive vice president of the American Nursery & Landscape Association (now AmericanHort), on a bus ride at an industry event in May 2007, days after the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was introduced in the Senate. This bill—which was viewed as a compromise between both parties, thanks to its... read more
Imagine your business is a castle. Does it have a moat? According to Warren Buffett—renowned investor and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway—businesses worth investing in have significant buffers to keep their opponents at bay. In other words, a company with a moat has a competitive advantage so great, it allows for above-average profits and long-term returns to investors. Economic moats were... read more
