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Seventeen years ago, I was president of the state association in Oregon and attending an Executive Forum Meeting in Sun River, Oregon. At the time, I remember making it a goal to one day become president of the ALCA group (now one of PLANET’s legacy organizations). That time has come and passed, and serving as […]
Innovation happens because people have experiences, insights, ideas, and most of all because they interact with one another.
For the last three years, landscape professionals have been in survival mode, cutting out every excess cost, becoming more efficient, and literally dissecting every aspect of their operations in order to remain viable. It’s been a battle, but companies are better for it, today. Something was missing, though, while we were in the trenches. We […]
If you’re looking for signs that the industry is moving toward recovery, look no further than this year’s Green Industry Conference (GIC) in Louisville. The mood was definitely positive and numbers were up nearly across the board. A ramped up GIE+EXPO trade show with the addition of Hardscape North America exhibitors kept both the indoor […]
One of the ongoing challenges for any business owner is untangling from the minutia of daily life and taking a good look at the big picture. What’s the old saying — “can’t see the forest for the trees”? Well, I would like to take a few moments to share a view of the PLANET forest. […]
It’s been five years since the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America (PLCAA) merged to form the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET). Mergers are never easy. They often present unique challenges that take time to overcome. Looking back five years, we’ve been through all the pain of change. […]
You may think I’m jumping the gun, but I’m not. As we all know, time flies during the busy season. Before you know it, October will be here and the Green Industry Conference (GIC), to be held October 27–30, would only be a few short weeks and away. For most PLANET members, attending GIC is […]
Last month, I mentioned how important it is for PLANET members to be more aggressive about marketing our association. I also implied that one of the challenges we all face in doing this is our need to stay focused on our businesses. You don’t need to be reminded how difficult and time-consuming being an entrepreneur […]
There’s an old saying that industry veterans understand so well: For any company to reach its full potential, an owner has to switch gears — to stop working in the business and start working on it. This saying also holds true for PLANET. Since the merger, PLANET staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly in the […]
You know the old saying, “You don’t know what you’re missing until ….” Well, that phrase certainly applies when talking about PLANET’s Student Career Days (SCD). This is one of those things PLANET does extremely well, and that leaves other national associations amazed when they learn about it. This very special and unique event brings […]