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
How can average companies compete against large companies and lowballers? That’s the question. Here’s the short answer: They can’t. Average companies are just that—they’re average. Middle of the pack. Not special. Neither good nor bad. Just average. Polls have shown that in America, the majority of people consider themselves above average—a mathematical impossibility. If you are average, then competition will... read more
Welcome to the Business Planner 2017: The People Edition. We hear repeatedly from our readers that labor and personnel are the most significant challenges they face as landscape industry business owners and managers. As the market continues to improve, we expect it to remain a difficult reality of the industry, so we knew it was time to dedicate our annual... read more
Many landscape professionals have a certain attitude about good old-fashioned direct mail marketing: “I tried it once before and it didn’t work.” The keyword here is once. Do-it-yourself business owners tend to look at marketing as a one-shot exercise. Send out 5,000 direct mail pieces one time, and get 500 new clients, right? Well, I wish it were that easy,... read more
It’s that time of year again. Time to sharpen the pencils, clean the eyeglasses and put new batteries in the old calculator. But business planning doesn’t have to be so difficult. Close your fiscal snapshot by finishing the financial aspects of your new business plan, establishing new sales goals and reviewing your human capital needs. Now’s the perfect time to... read more
When it comes time to fire an employee, there are many questions and concerns—fears of discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation—that can weigh heavily on landscape contractors’ minds and pocketbooks. So let’s review the fundamental process for conducting an employee termination fairly, correctly and consistently. To start, be prepared. Collect the facts, review them and interpret them objectively. Ask: What does his... read more
