Seth’s Cut: We’re ready for a repeat at Elevate

The LM team including Publisher Bill Roddy, Jones, Editor Christina Herrick and Associate Publisher Craig MacGregor at Elevate. (Photo: LM Staff)

It’s the middle of summer, and I’m happy to report that my team and I have been all over the country (and even across our northern border) to meet with people in our industry in these last few weeks. We’ve attended the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s annual meeting in Asheville, N.C., and the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Field Trip to Russell Landscape Group in Atlanta and Renewal & Remembrance in Washington, D.C., among others.

These meetings have been fruitful and have me excited for what is to come for the rest of 2023 and beyond.

And, before I know it, two more meetings will be here soon: Jeffrey Scott’s Summer Growth Summit at Mariani Premier Group takes place in Chicago this month, and Elevate will take place Sept. 10-13 in Dallas, at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center.

If you don’t have the time and travel budget for all these events, trust us in that we will do our best to report from all these meetings here in the magazine, in our weekly e-newsletter LMDirect! and on our various social media platforms.

The second-ever Elevate is the subject of this month’s cover story. Editor Christina Herrick spoke with a half-dozen attendees to learn what they took in and how they applied what they learned at the first Elevate.

I’m excited to see how NALP CEO Britt Wood and his team follow up on the success of the inaugural event held last year in Orlando. There’s always a lot of pressure on the follow-up to a great first anything.

Think of your favorite band’s first album … was the second one as good? Or your favorite movie … did part two live up to part one?

The good news about Elevate is, this event isn’t about the music or the plot … it’s about the people. If a similar crowd shows up in Dallas this year as in Orlando, we’re in for three days of great meetings, networking and learning. I look back at how much content we got out of last year’s Elevate — really, our June LM150 cover story on Frank Mariani probably doesn’t happen if not for a meeting at that event — and I’m excited to find out what could be in store for my team and for the magazine at this event.

Beyond the story on Elevate, this issue also contains useful content for our readers in different markets, including tips for lawn care operators on how to sell fall armyworm control; what’s new and next in landscape lighting; how to take your winter services from side hustle to profit center; and the five questions you should ask before adding the position of water manager to your team.

And speaking of five questions, you know I love to point out my 5 Questions Q&A each month. In this issue, I visit with Mike McCarron, owner of Image Works Landscaping in Fairfax Station, Va. Mike shared with me the advice his late father gave him, the best thing about having his job and his most memorable day at work.

If you attend Elevate and see me or my team, please stop us and say hello. We’re excited to make connections at any event we attend, but we really enjoy meeting the people who already read our magazine and know what kind of content we like to deliver to the industry each month. Perhaps we can exchange business cards, and that might lead to an eventual 5 Questions interview, or maybe even a cover story.

And, at the very least, we can discuss which follow-up albums and movies lived up to the first. I’ll go first: Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters; Star Wars and The Godfather.