Though his son has grown up around the business—and the industry—Cody Whelchel, owner of Texas-based Cody Landscape, says the process of transitioning business ownership to his son has been more complicated than he anticipated. Currently in the midst of that process, Whelchel, who founded the landscape design, installation and maintenance business in 1986 along with […]
Switching companies—or even just positions within the same company—always brings a new set of challenges. For Bill Horn, East Branch Manager for Gachina Landscape Management in Menlo Park, California, 30-plus years with the same company had him used to a certain way of doing business. Horn brought his ideas to Gachina and had to find […]
Like so many other landscape business owners, Bret Achtenhagen, president and CEO of Bret Achtenhagen’s Seasonal Services in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, was struggling with attracting, hiring, onboarding and retaining quality individuals to add to the company’s production teams. As a result, Achtenhagen says the company was growing faster than its ability to develop foremen and other […]
Growing his company through the 2008 recession meant that Dave Fairburn, CEO of North Point Outdoors in Windham, New Hampshire, found he was “saying yes” to nearly every opportunity. He was always afraid to turn work down because he was unsure where it’d come from next. While trying to be all things to all people […]
If recruiting employees is one of your greatest challenges, you aren’t alone. Many landscape business owners say recruiting—and retaining—good talent is an ongoing source of stress. As a result, achieving success in this area might call for some out-of-the-box thinking. Doing just that, Timberline Landscaping in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has created a gap year opportunity. […]
As Oasis Turf & Tree has grown rapidly (on average 16 percent a year), so has their need for finding great talent to fill job openings. In fact, on average, the company has had to add six to eight new employees each season. This is in addition to four new production routes. With each new […]
Landscape professionals and horticulture students greatly anticipate the largest landscape industry career fair and student contest, otherwise known as the National Collegiate Landscape Competition (NCLC), hosted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). The event brings together more than 700 students from two- and four-year colleges to demonstrate their skills in real-world competitive events […]
If you walk into the lobby at Raimondi Horticultural Group, in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, you instantly spot the National Association of Landscape Professionals Safety Recognition Awards it won for safe operations. They are on display for all to see. Raimondi’s CEO and president Chris Raimondi says the awards are a visible reminder to employees that […]
Last week’s Thanksgiving holiday is a reminder to us all to be thankful. But just because Thanksgiving is over, doesn’t mean you should stop showing gratitude. Many times, landscape business owners find themselves being thankful for things in their personal lives, such as health, family and friends. But there are so many things to be […]
As a business coach at Aileron, one of the biggest pain points Phillip Stoller hears from companies he works with is, “I can’t get enough talent.” “This seems to be a growing trend in the labor market, compounded by strong growth in job creation and job vacancies in the upper tiers of management left by retiring […]