Over the last 20 years Gelderman Landscaping has progressed in operational efficiencies. But when it came to the accounting side of business, including job costing and monthly reporting, that’s where things fell short, President Nathan Helder says. There weren’t appropriate systems in place, and the time it was taking to handle day-to-day finances was taking him away from other important... read more
Zack Kline, 23, exudes enthusiasm when he speaks about his company, A.I.R. Lawn Care, based in Montgomery County, Md. His 1-year-old business is green in more ways than one: A.I.R. stands for “atmosphere improvement and renewal.” The company is living up to its name with its battery-powered handheld equipment, solar-paneled truck and an electric commercial-grade mower. The idea for the... read more
On Chicago’s North Shore, creeping bentgrass is a common infestation that’s difficult to control. Because creeping bentgrass is thick, matty and chokes out other grasses, it’s a nuisance that many customers feel spoils an otherwise beautiful lawn. It’s also prone to disease. For customers with bentgrass- or nimblewill-infested lawns, Chalet in Chicago’s northern suburbs is turning the problem into an... read more
Everyone drives revenue. If you don’t agree, it’s time to change the way you think about marketing—not in the functional context of creating demand for your services, but in the sense of how you view your organization. Let’s look at Apple. Apple is a manufacturer. But most of us who buy or use Apple products think of the company as... read more
The Mission Maintain, in an environmentally sustainable way, a traditionally cultural open space for this restaurant’s customers—and the public. The Beach House Restaurant on Kauai, Hawaii, has faced many challenges over the past three decades, including restoring the entire property after two separate hurricanes (Iwa, in 1982, and Iniki 10 years later) wiped out the restaurant and covered the remaining... read more
Phil Harwood wasn’t buying into technology when he was a principal of a major Green Industry company 10 years ago, but he wouldn’t go without it if he were in the business today. Harwood, president of Pro-Motion Consulting, has seen how far job-tracking system functionality has come. Business technology has come so far, the way companies manage equipment and personnel... read more
