We All Need Heroes To Empower Us
We all need heroes to inspire and empower us. To show us the way. Life would be difficult without them. I am writing this on Father’s Day, thinking about my Dad, who eventually became my hero.
Eye-Opening Experiences From My Trip To Scotland
After Memorial Day my wife and I flew to Edinburgh (joined by her girlfriend) for a week long drive up into the Highlands.
We had many eye-opening experiences, here a couple that you may find interesting and insightful:
Using Throughput to Drive Sales Profitability
Did you know that you can use “throughput” to guide your sales team on which sales to go after, and even how to price them?Here is a brief case study, with a resource (podcast) at the bottom for you to learn more. Using Throughput To Your AdvantageI met this spring with a green roof company. (They had been to many of my events and finally pulled the trigger to meet with me.) The two owners brought their team to NOLA where we performed a two-day strategic review of their entire business, top to bottom. When we got to the financial analysis, we uncovered something interesting.
Setting Annual Goals with Chris DiStefano
Chris DiStefano is the CEO of DiStefano Landscaping in Burlington, VT. Founded in 2004, his 65% design/bid-build company has grown to 7M with 55-60 employees. Chris and I explore his company’s steady growth process, starting with his dad and mom impacting his love of...
The Best Incentive is Open Book Management
Landscape professionals are always asking me “What is the best incentive?”
While that answer depends on the company situation, the best overall incentive is to empower your employees with “trust” in the form of more information.
One of the best ways to do that is with Open Book Management.
Two Quick Tips On Providing Undeniable “Value”
In March, I wrote that the common industry expression “100 days of hell” should be changed to “100 days to sell.”
It’s more upbeat and helps your team stay optimistic in tough times.
Here are two quick tips to keep you sane and selling in the 100 days of sales.
Learn From BrightView’s Costly Mistakes. You Can Do Better.
BrightView, our industry’s largest landscape firm, recently posted poor quarterly results. At the same time their CEO left, with no replacement announced.Did the CEO suddenly decide to leave or was he fired? Either way, the company has performed poorly. This begs the question: Is BrightView’s poor performance due to poor strategy or poor execution? Here is my view, with some lessons & cautionary tales for you.
18 Ways To Pivot with Jeffrey Scott
The economic winds are changing in different sectors and geographic areas around the country. Even if the economy remains strong in your neck of the woods, you will appreciate the savvy ideas that Jeffrey shares to tighten down your systems and approach. Jeffrey Scott...
Staying Proactive & Profitable in the Busy Spring
As I work with landscape business leaders across the continent, I see people who are either “proactive and strategic”, or “reactive and highly tactical”. However, the proactive ones will have a more-profitable and more-fulfilling year. We can put these leaders into 3 categories. 1. In the weeds: Those who are deep in the details, putting out fires, reactive in their day to day duties. They are sucked into client and employee issues; and doing “the work” themselves.
A Powerful Lesson From “The Steve Miller Band”
Every year I am blessed to go to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a 13 stage celebration of food and music.
I look forward to seeing the big names and the up-and-coming acts.
This year I was excited to see The Steve Miller Band. I have loved them ever since 6th grade.
I was lucky to catch a Q&A with Steve Miller right before he went onstage.
