With the proper motivation, training and support system, members of any generation can become capable of remarkable accomplishments. Phil Gwoke‘s goal in speaking to LANDSCAPES attendees at the CEO Forum this week was to bring awareness to what formed and influenced the generations, explore the resulting values and motivations. Then, he gave landscape business owners […]
As owner of Meticulous Landscaping Inc., Waretown, New Jersey, Robert Kraft knows plenty about providing landscape services to commercial properties. His company’s expertise includes commercial lawn care, landscape design, construction and installation services, irrigation installation and maintenance, and tree care and snow removal services. He has also learned that touching base with his management team […]
You’re beyond the plan-on-a-napkin stage. It’s time to create your first business plan, or take one you already have in play to the next level. So, what now? How will you advance your planning approach so you can dig deeper into the business and get better results? As your business changes, so does the need […]
Companies encounter no shortage of challenges when determining job costing and project profitability. A survey commissioned by QuickBooks captured some of those pain points among seven industries, including landscaping. Let’s take a look. Two to five bad estimates could put nearly 50% of companies out of business 24% of businesses say two to three bad […]
When an already-sustainable sports and entertainment complex was looking to up their game even more, they turned to DeSantis Landscapes to get the job done. The Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, a 30-acre campus and home to the Portland Trail Blazers, had been improving their sustainability efforts across the board, having earned their first […]
Attending LANDSCAPES next week? Make the most of your trip–and come back with lots of great ideas to better your business–with these 11 ways to maximize your time and money at conferences. 1. Mazimize Your Time and Money at Conferences: MAKE FRIENDS FIRST I have found that it is important to make new contacts you […]
Before coming to work for Utopian Landscapes LLC full-time, Terra Phelps, the “handler” (because she “handles it all”) had already been consulting on various jobs and tasks. As the wife of Nikos Phelps, the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based company’s founder and co-owner, she’d offer design advice or contribute to projects, even though she was working for the […]
Preparation is the key to conducting an effective interview. This is your opportunity to get to know a candidate, and to determine if this person is a fit for your company culture. First, prepare a job description so you can determine what qualifications you are interviewing for. You must also know what skills are needed […]
Building a team is a multi-step process that involves recruiting, interviewing, hiring and developing team members. Ideally, you work through this process from beginning to end, because we know from experience if you skip any one of these steps, the result could be a very expensive mistake. Because hiring and onboarding is a process, it […]
Autumn, with its cool nights, warm sweaters and pumpkin everything, officially began with the autumnal equinox on Sept. 23. So let’s take a look at what the Farmer’s Almanac says fall weather will bring. Fall Weather: October Skies Early autumn temperatures in the U.S. will be slightly cooler than normal in the Northeast, Deep South, Texas-Oklahoma, New Mexico, parts of southern California, […]