It’s a time of opportunity

By Jacki Hart CLP

Prosperity Partners program manager

The year 2009 is going to be a time of opportunity for the optimists in our industry. Winston Churchill once said, “Pessimists find difficulty in every opportunity, optimists find opportunity in every difficulty.”
.
There’s no doubt that if you ignore the media rant about ‘the economy,’ and focus on the things you can adjust and carve with a scalpel, rather than panic and hack them apart with a hatchet, you will have new opportunities this year in ways never before available.

In December, a North American webinar for our industry revealed timely advice from the industry’s TOP prosperous business mentors. The five main points which emerged in the webinar are exactly aligned with the five Pillars of Prosperity in our program. The advice is: “Take advantage of the opportunities that are all around you.” (Sales Success) “Continue to develop relationships with your customers.” (Developing Customers for Life) “Be a great leader to your team.” (Leadership) “Be proactive and manage your financials.” (Financial Health), and “Stay inspired by the vision you have for your company.” (Professional Operations).

Hearing from those who have taken the program

This month I am featuring two owners of young companies. Both Paul Doornbos and Mark Fisher are optimists, and true entrepreneurs. They focus on the things they can control, and work on educating themselves in order to maximize on the benefits of change. I hope you find inspiration in their journeys to prosperity, and join them in the Prosperity Partners program.

My sincere thanks to Paul and Mark for sharing with me their prosperity journey with me. The Prosperity Partners program is working to help businesses at all levels to step back, assess and determine the best next steps toward a more prosperous future. Check the listing of upcoming seminars at www.horttrades.com/prospart. I hope to see you there!

COMPANY PROFILE: Thornbusch Landscaping Company

Owner Paul Doornbos CHT, CLP

Established in January 2007, Thornbusch offers landscape installation, maintenance and small design/build projects in the Thousand Islands region, employing three to four full-time during peak season.

Q. What are the core values and vision of your business?

A. Our vision is to be known and respected in the industry and by our customers; where “can” is an opportunity and “can’t” is an excuse for others. Our core values are on our vehicles, advertisements, stationery and business cards. They are P.R.I.D.E.: professionalism, respect, integrity, dedication, experience.

Q. What things keep you awake at night?

A. Two things mostly: 1) communicating the vision clearly to everyone who is a part of the team, and helping them understand their roles in communicating them to our clients, and 2) developing new effective ways to continue to provide our services to our clients to best meet their needs.

Q. What stuck with you the most from the Prosperity Partners Introductory Seminar?

A. The importance of being YOU; knowing yourself and believing in yourself. Realizing how much the success of one’s business is also tied to and related to personal growth.

Q. How have you been able to apply the things you learned to improve your business?

A. I have always believed in the importance of “numbers” and planning. This seminar reinforced that. As a result, we review, update and analyze our financials daily and weekly, in order to make informed adjustments as required. This information is also passed on to those who influence our employees.

Q. What are your next steps to improve your business, and did the program help you to clarify them?

A. The next steps continue to be identifying through SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and developing plans to deal with them appropriately, so as to move forward prosperously. Yes, the program helped me clarify the direction and priorities for moving forward.

COMPANY PROFILE: The Escarpment Company

Owner Mark Fisher B.A.

Established in 2006, offering landscape design/build and organic lawn care in Milton and surrounding areas, employing eight during peak season.

Q. What is your company vision?

A. Last year, after taking the first Prosperity Partnership seminar, we incorporated the five pillars into our mission statement and company vision: To lead conservation through green landscaping by providing high quality and highly detailed work. The team has a common goal working with regular repeat customers and new customers who notice the details and can appreciate the value in what is being created. The Escarpment Company must be financially responsible, remaining profitable to provide sustainability. Ecologically friendly products are selected that aid in the balance, restoration and conservation of Milton's Niagara Escarpment and the surrounding area.

Q. What are the core values that are non-negotiable in your everyday business dealings?

A. Customer service, professionalism, respect, communication, quality, being our best, hard work.

Q. What things keep you awake at night most often?

A. Competing against companies that don’t follow proper business practices. Often companies unknowingly engage in destructive business practices. They are simply doing things the way they have always been done, because that is how they were taught. Times have changed and business has changed with it. In order to stay ahead of the curve (or above water for that matter), it is better for everybody if you are able to make the commitment to really step back, take a look at your business and raise the level of your business with direction through Prosperity Partnerships.

Q. What stuck with you the most from the Prosperity Partners Introductory Seminar?

A. There are five pillars that we can use to help navigate our way through our businesses growth and development. There are common factors (Best Practices) that the most successful landscape companies in Ontario have implemented across the five pillars that allow for profitable and sustainable growth, ultimately benefiting your company, clients and the horticultural community.

Q. How have you been able to apply the things you learned to improve your business?

A. One of the most valuable things that I learned are the stages of a business. Understanding that businesses are dynamic and that the amount of time that is devoted to each of the five pillars is related to where the company is in the business cycle. For example, a start-up will have an owner/operator performing many hands-on roles, while a company that is in a profitable growth stage will have the owner focusing on strategic initiatives of the business rather than performing daily tasks in the business. This has helped me manage my time better, and be more efficient and productive by focusing on what is most important for our business, as we grow and develop. Prosperity Partnership helps us focus on the areas that we need to develop and, more importantly, provides a proven road map with best practices and resources to help us achieve our goals. Prosperity Partnership has allowed The Escarpment Company a clear view of where we are in relation to the five pillars. It has helped prioritize our goals and served as a road map for our business development. Our success as a company is greatly attributed to the direction of Landscape Ontario’s professional development program. Prosperity Partnership helps identify areas of development that will benefit your company and then provides the courses to achieve those goals.

Q. What are your next steps to improve your business, and did the program help you to clarify what they are?

A. It helped me put together process maps for our operations and determine where there are areas to reduce waste. We also put together a strategic plan and job descriptions for members of team. It allows us to continue to quote realistically, using quality materials and skilled employees to provide a benchmark for detail and customer service in the industry.

To find out about the next Prosperity Partners seminars near you, go to www.horttrades.com/prospart, or e-mail Jacki at prosperity@landscapeontario.com.