friendship Archives - Jeffrey Scott

The Green Industry Loses a Titan & Innovator

Jul 30, 2026 | Blog, Employees, friendship, Leadership

This past week, the green industry lost a titan—and I lost my dad and hero, Joe Scott Jr.

Joe was an early industry innovator and a founding member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD).

Decades ahead of his time, he designed, built, and serviced entire properties through his pool business. Along the way, he helped launch the careers of many people who became some of the best in our industry.

Since his passing, friends have shared stories that reveal the personal impact my father had on them. Below is one from Everett, my oldest friend and a former employee of our firm.

These stories have reminded me how powerful it is to see someone you respect through another person’s eyes. Your spouse, parent, employee, or friend have likely influenced others in ways you never fully understood.

Don’t wait until someone dies (or quits) to ask others what they value about that person. What you learn now can be eye-opening, grounding, and even deeply meaningful.

Happy Thanksgiving – 5 Ways to Be a Generous Leader

Nov 25, 2025 | Blog, Employee Retention, Employees, friendship, Growth Tips, Leadership

Thanksgiving has become a time to enjoy family, food, and football. But it can be much more powerful when you operate with the original intention of the holiday: giving thanks and helping others.

Here are five highly impactful ways to practice generous leadership this week and throughout the holiday season.

Three Timely Lessons – From Our Surprising Trip To Europe

Jun 18, 2025 | friendship, Growth Tips

I just wrapped up a surprising three-week trip to Berlin, Venice, and Verona.

What a milestone! We finally got all three kids together — to celebrate my wife’s 60th birthday.

The trip was even better than we hoped for.

As I fly home, I am reflecting on the important, timely lessons from this trip. Here are my top three:

Entrepreneurs Use The Technique Of Visualization To Power Their Growth

Dec 17, 2024 | friendship, Growth Tips, Leadership, Management, Peer Groups, Webinar

Earlier this year, one of our peer group members, Kristi DeLima, told us she had stage four breast cancer. Later in the year, she told us she beat it… What? I interviewed Kristi (founder of Snips Landscape, ON, Canada), and she shared how she used visualization to beat the bastard. She proves that there is no challenge too large that cannot be overcome with your god-given powers of spirit and vision. Her journey is miraculous.

How to Practice Gratitude During Thanksgiving Week

Nov 27, 2024 | friendship, Growth Tips

Thanksgiving has become a time to enjoy family, football and food – and unplugging from the hectic day-to-day. But it can be so much more when you operate with intention.

Here are five ways to practice gratitude this week of Thanksgiving, with some examples on how our family walks the talk.

A Surprising Way to Build Stronger Families at Work and Home

Sep 17, 2024 | Employees, friendship, Growth Tips, Leadership, Management, Second in Command

My Personal Story.

Years ago my mentor taught me to help my employees when they were at their lowest.

If they had a death in the family, stop your schedule and have your team support the grieving employee, attend the funeral, whatever it takes.

I now try to do the same to support my clients.

With our large client base (over half a billion in revenue represented in our peer group community) we touch a lot of lives!

To The Important Women In Your Life

Jul 9, 2024 | friendship, Growth Tips, Leadership

In the past I have written about my father’s influence on my consulting business and my advice to you. This week I am writing about my mom, Dorothy Goldberg Scott, who passed away 2 weeks ago. Three big achievements stand out in her life, that greatly influenced my work and life. I share them with you below and how they may apply to you; perhaps you will catch an inspiration! My grandmother and great-great-grandmother both lived to 100, and we always thought my mom would, too. She fought ALS for seven years and finally succumbed, at the fulfilling age of 87. Three Big Achievements…

Employing the “Beginner’s Mindset” in Your Business — Keeps it fresh, relevant and growing.

Jun 11, 2024 | friendship, Growth Tips, Leadership

This past week I wrapped up our spring vacation in The Netherlands. It’s where I met my wife. We traveled there for her family reunion. My wife set up the reunion so she could visit ALL her Dutch family in just one weekend. Smart! Unplugging overseas. I personally enjoy traveling overseas, It allows me to unplug and clear my mind. Holland is an inspirational country to unplug. They are excellent gardeners, horticulturalists and business people–and great at innovation. The Dutch have a keen eye when it comes to innovation. Here are some examples of Dutch innovation, with photos.

These 3 Accountabilities Will Ensure Stellar Results

Jan 16, 2024 | Employees, Financial, friendship, Growth Tips, Income, Leadership, Peer Groups, Planning, Strategy

It’s going to be a great year—I can feel it. But only for the companies that have mastered the skills of Accountability. There are five key types of accountability that your organization must master to be on tops of it’s game.I spoke about these at my client-exclusive event, The Executive Retreat, that we held in January in New Orleans. To keep this brief, here are 3 critical accountabilities I touched on (I’ll address the others in a future newsletter)

More Important Than Your Profit & Loss

Oct 24, 2023 | friendship, Growth Tips, Leadership, Management

What’s more important than your profit loss and statement?? When I watch the news lately, it makes me wonder. In my early 20’s, I traveled to Israel and spent a few months there working on a Kibbutz. A Kibbutz is an Israeli communal living environment, where people work, eat and live together, pooling their monies and chores. (My job was running a sand blasting unit in a factory where they made tractor parts). It was quite inspiring.

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