Onward

Last month, the Lawn & Landscape team moved out of our old offices and into new digs in Cleveland. We're back in our company's original building, in a neighborhood just west of downtown. Down the block is a shop where I bought a print of a poster from the 1908 Cleveland Industrial Fair. A beacon shines out over the crowd with the words "Onward Cleveland Onward." It was a time of optimism for one of the country's biggest cities, and the fair drew hundreds of thousands to the city.

Last year was difficult, in Cleveland and across the country, but if you're anything like me, you've got a whole host of projects that you want to do in 2012 – things you want to accomplish and areas where you want to expand. Here's what you can expect from Lawn & Landscape in the next year.

We're adding a new member – HR expert Steve Cesare – to our already stellar team columnists. Each month, they'll give you practical advice on the three most important parts of your business: your sales, your marketing and your people. Turn to page 40 to get started.

At the front of the magazine, we've introduced "Best Practices," four pages dedicated to the core businesses of landscape contractors: lawn care, maintenance, irrigation and design/build. Each month, we'll profile successful operations in each of those specific segments. The first installment starts on page 44.

In the back, on page 98, you'll find our new Top 100 Q&A, where we sit down with leaders from our annual list of the biggest firms in the industry. They share their worries and the challenges of running large businesses. Turns out, they're not that different from the worries and challenges facing $500,000 companies.

Later this year, we'll also introduce "Tech Talks," a technology-focused department that highlights new software, applications and other gadget-y stuff that can help contractors operate more efficiently.

But the important parts of the magazine remain the same. We're still dedicated to bringing you the best stories and best information to help you grow and operate efficiently. If there's a story you want to tell, let us know. If there's something you think we should cover more (or less), give us a call.

Stay tuned for more, and here's to a happy and successful year.

Find more at From the Field: lawnandlandscape.com/blog.