Ben GandyNov 3, 2023
Ben Gandy reveals why lack of financial literacy is one of the leading causes of business failure and how to overcome it.
Strategy is the “how.” Strategy equals the specific plans for hitting your goals and achieving your vision. The term comes from military use: The plans for defeating the enemy and winning the war represent the “strategy.” As you look forward,…
Business structure matters. As businesses grow, questions come up about who to hire and for what purpose. When the business is small, the owner wears all the hats: He sells the work, schedules it, manages production, manages the client, collects…
The value we deliver happens in the field, on our customers’ sites. Unfortunately, the more you advance, grow and mature in this industry, the further away from the field you get. If you advance high enough, the only field exposure…
The differentiator in highly competitive industries often comes down to one thing: customer service. In a competitive marketplace, we generally see one or two providers rising to the top. Consider the fast-food industry. There are fast-food restaurants everywhere and many…
If you have a business problem that’s going to take $1,000 to solve, shame on you if you cheap out and try to fix it for $900. You risk not solving it at all and having to start over. Only…
Ensuring great relationships requires effort. Charisma and charm are great, but charm is not a strategy. Clients of landscape services are primarily looking for trust, expert advice, proactivity and effective communication. Trust is earned on two levels: honesty and keeping…
Understand the root causes of the landscape industry talent crisis. Then, find ways to promote the industry and your company. As I travel throughout the country, it’s become increasing clear the single overwhelming constraint facing landscape contractors is talent. From…
Ken ThomasNov 3, 2023
My partner Ben Gandy and I are fortunate to work with some of the brightest, hard-working business owners and leaders in the country, but we’ve learned through experience that intellect and work ethic alone will not guarantee success. The greatest…
Ken Thomas and Ben GandyNov 3, 2023
In my years of experience in the landscape industry, I've come to believe account managers can be one of the most important differentiating advantages for our companies. After all, they are the face of your company to your clients and…
Marisa PalmieriNov 3, 2023
This month we welcome Envisor Consulting’s Ken Thomas and Ben Gandy as our new columnists. They are industry veterans, consultants and have been valuable periodic contributors to LM. Now, they will write “Leadership Advantage” for us bimonthly. They’re off to…
LM StaffAug 6, 2018
Bruce Wilson, principal of Bruce Wilson & Co., and Envisor Consulting principals Ken Thomas and Ben Gandy are working together in a joint venture for training and professional development. Wilson is a long-time industry consultant and LM columnist who facilitates…
With all that’s going on this time of year, don’t neglect to get out in the field and check up on the crews. Your reputation and fortune depend on it. Time is crunched. Every minute counts. You cannot afford to…
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,…
Excellent customer service starts with culture but depends on effective procedures. Customer service is what differentiates one provider from another in the landscape maintenance arena. Great service, which is typically the responsibility of account managers, is more important than quality,…
Accessibility Tools