Business Advice & Stories Archives - Page 7 of 107 - The Edge from the National Association of Landscape Professionals

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Business Advice & Stories

Business Smarts: How Project Post-Mortems Drive Continuous Improvement

Once your team has completed a job, do you take the time to conduct a project post-mortem, or are you so busy that you simply rush on to the next task? If you aren’t pausing to evaluate what went right and what went wrong on a job, your team will be doomed to repeat itself […]

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Business Smarts: Establishing Vendor Relationships That Protect Your Margins

Poorly managed material costs can shrink your already tight margins. However, if you take the time to develop strong vendor relationships, you can ensure you’re getting the best pricing for this expense. ā€œBy negotiating better pricing or terms, businesses can improve their profit margins without sacrificing quality,ā€ says Mary Angebranndt, a purchaser for Ruppert Landscape, […]

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Industry Leaders Share Their Top Priorities for 2026

With the last portion of 2025 flying by, many landscape professionals are setting their sights on 2026. As the new year approaches, this is a prime time to reflect on lessons learned and determine what areas of the business should receive the most focus moving forward. ā€œAs we scale, the business constantly changes and our […]

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How I Do It: Cultivating Biodiversity Through Ecological Restoration Ā 

A hummingbird hovering over a cardinal flower, a caterpillar on a milkweed plant, and wood frog tadpoles thriving in a vernal pool are all signs of success for Parterre Garden Services. ā€œThese are all moments that are obviously ephemeral, and they may seem small to some, but they reflect the impact of thoughtful land stewardship,ā€ […]

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Unlock Team Voice and Motivation at Leaders Forum 2026

Leaders Forum, presented by NALP and powered by Aspire, is a member-exclusive event that will be held on Feb. 4-7, 2026, in Santa Barbara, California. It is an opportunity for CEOs and top executivesĀ to network and discover new ways to drive productivity and motivate their teams. Gabe Adams, a behavioral scientist with UVA Darden School […]

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Business Smarts: Creating an Effective Budget

If you want to have accurate pricing and adequate cash flow throughout the upcoming year, building an effective budget is critical. Rather than considering it an optional practice or not putting much consideration into the budgeting process, landscape companies need to approach this process with intentionality. ā€œI would advise landscapers to really understand the purposes […]

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Disaster Preparedness for Landscape Companies: Keys to a Resilient Plan

Disaster preparedness plans allow your team to be proactive versus reactive when nightmare scenarios occur. However, simply documenting your plan of action isn’t where you should stop. ā€œThe investment in crisis planning and preparedness is a pittance compared to the steep cost of a crisis for the unprepared management team,ā€ says Deb Hileman, president and […]

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How I Do It: Transitioning to Paperless Billing

Imagine you’re a landscape technician working on a hot day. There’s sweat dripping off of you, and you’re trying to write a note on the customer’s paper bill. Chances are you’re writing the shortest note possible and, in your hurry to get on with your route, the note is illegible as well. This causes the […]

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Gain Competitive Insights with the 2025 Financial Benchmark Report

It’s hard to know how well your company is performing without benchmarking on a regular basis. Thankfully, you can access the industry’s most comprehensive financial and operating benchmarks with the 2025 Financial Benchmark Report. This report covers different data points such as profitability, productivity, liquidity, and financial health. You can easily compare your performance by […]

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What ELEVATE Exhibitors Look For in Attendees

The ELEVATE Expo is designed to foster meaningful conversations with manufacturers and industry experts. ā€œEach year, I typically walk away with two or three new relationships that develop into significant, tangible partnerships,ā€ says Mike Dzurenko, key account manager for Envu. ā€œIn addition, I strengthen countless existing relationships by reconnecting with current customers and colleagues. The […]

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