Trying to determine which technologies are worth your time and effort? Perhaps a deeper look at some of today’s technologies that are streamlining everyday work activities will bring some clarity…

Happy Friday! It’s the beginning of a new month – and a great month at that! April promises (hopefully) warmer weather, longer, sunnier days and a more busy and productive season. What better way to get the month off to a great start than to review some of the best business advice featured on the blog? Here are some of the top posts of the month.

If you want to be more productive and more profitable than your competition, you need to put the right plan in place and you need to implement systems that clearly communicate how the company gets things done. Proper planning coupled with the right systems is the only way to ensure you can grow a successful business without needing to be involved in every bit of planning and execution. Systems are the only way the owner can take the information and expectations out of their heads and effectively pass it on to the employees. Read on to learn how implementing standardized operational systems can help you plan for success.

In the latest issue of Ontario Home Builder magazine, an article lists 10 ways to prevent rising gas prices from “burning your profits.” Rising fuel costs is obviously not just an issue that affects home builders; it’s an issue that affects all small business owners, landscape business owners included – most of us rely on a fleet of trucks and equipment to get the job done! According to the author, while we can’t control the rise of fuel costs, we can control the amount of fuel we consume. In pursuit of boosting our bottom line, every little bit helps. Here are some of the author’s tips for cutting fuel costs:

Spring 2011 is all about eco-gardening – making green choices and following sustainable practices to ensure the health and prosperity of our environment. That means using as little water as possible, sticking to local, native plants and reducing the amount of sprawling green space with more hardscape features. With spring just around the corner, the shelves are stocked with new “all-natural” and “eco-friendly” products and tools that promise to work as effectively as traditional gardening tools, without all the nasty chemicals and toxins. Here’s a look at some of the latest products to look out for…

With the growing trend to go green and with some areas facing laws against the use of pesticides, the plight for an environmentally-friendly lawn care product that still delivers the optimal results your clients expect is more important than ever. We’ve been diving into the topic of green solutions to pesticides ourselves and, in our quest to discover the latest trends we’ve come across a green manufacturing company that appears to be receiving quite a bit of buzz throughout Canada and the US as well. Read more about it here.

“This was so much more than budgeting.  This was the secret to running a profitable landscape company!” In March, the Landscape Management Network is partnering with Battlefield Equipment Rentals, a Cat Rental Store, and Toromont Cat to host 2 day Business Management workshops specifically designed for green industry contractors. This workshop will change the way you look at your business forever. If you [...]

etsafer Mobile is a mobile application that encourages your employees to use their phones only when it is safe and legal. In other words – it prevents your workers from using their phones while driving, limiting the risk of accidents due to distracted driving and ensuring you minimize the significant liability costs that arise when your employees use their mobile phones while driving.

We’ve touched on the importance of cultivating the right work environment for employees, and the office is usually the first thing that comes to mind when we think of the traditional ‘work environment.’ But in the landscaping and construction industry, your workers work outside, which means weather conditions are going to interfere with your ability [...]

Developing a good and loyal relationship with one dealer is one of the most effective ways to lower your equipment costs. Learn more about the benefits of building a good relationship with your equipment dealer in this post.