Stop being a killjoy

What do you think? Email me at bhorn@gie.net.

I don’t know how well I’d do owning a landscaping company, or any business for that matter. I’m a pessimist, and always have to fight the urge to focus on the negative. It’s something I try to work on every day.

But great leaders take what they’re given and turn it into something successful. Instead of focusing on what’s holding them back, they look at all of their opportunities and develop those into wins.

Take our cover story this month, Krisjan Berzins. He’s a great example of using the location of his company, focusing on the positives and making the most of it.

Instead of dwelling on what doesn’t work for him, like servicing a number of larger, commercial properties, he’s honed in on servicing smaller, residential properties. It’s working out to the tune of $7 million in revenue and he just moved into a larger facility to accommodate the company’s growth.

When we first heard about Krisjan, I wasn’t sure if his story would appeal to enough readers to be a cover story. It definitely was unique enough, but maybe too unique. Not many contractors have the dense location and traffic issues like he does in Alexandria, Virginia.

But then I started to see a bigger lesson in his story. Every business owner has different surrounding circumstances, but the good owners make the most of them.

Our columnist Marty Grunder told a good story about a time he didn’t take full advantage of his headquarters. He has a prime spot by a major highway in Ohio, but it took him 10 years to realize he could place a billboard on his property advertising his business. Not surprisingly, he received inquiries from people driving by. Even smart guys like Marty miss opportunities sometimes.

And speaking of Marty, check out our Owner’s Almanac, which was included with this issue of Lawn & Landscape. The digest, which was produced in partnership with Ariens/Gravely, Bartlett Tree Experts and Focal Point Communications, features 52 of Marty’s best columns.

But great leaders take what they’re given, and turn it into something successful.

It’s definitely something you’ll want to keep in your truck or at your desk when you are struggling with a decision, or if you’re just looking for a different perspective from someone who’s been in the industry for decades.

And one more note: Editor Chuck Bowen will return his from sabbatical this month and will be back on this page for our October issue. Hopefully I did this space justice for five months, but I’m sure Chuck will come back refreshed with thought-provoking ideas. We promise to give him a few months before we burn him out again.

– Brian Horn