58th annual sfv beautification awards banqueteldoradocomm.homestead.com/valleyscapejune2017.pdf ·...
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California Landscape Contractors AssociationSan Fernando Valley Chapter20946 Devonshire St., Ste. #200Chatsworth, CA 91311
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California Landscape Contractors AssociationSan Fernando Valley Chapter
Volume 35, Number 6June 2017
Valleyscape is now available online! www.eldoradocommunicationspublications.info
It’s Almost Here!58th Annual SFV Beautification Awards Banquet June 24 at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City• Celebrating Landscape Excellence
• An Evening of Awards, Networking and Fun
• Story page 3
Happy New Year
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:• Meet Our Generous 2017 Award
Sponsors – Page 6• Got Kurapia? Water-saving ut ility
groundcover is here – Page 7• Lie to Me, Part 2. Decept ion in business,
how it starts with white lies – Page 8• Member Benef it for June –
Peer Consult ing – Page 14
2 June 2017 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
Get What You Need.Our stores feature an open floor plan, stocked shelves and experts on staff. You’ll be sure to quickly get what you came for.
Stop by today and see what Ewing is all about.
Estimating your next job is quick and easy online at EwingIrrigation.com. Create custom lists and assemblies while browsing products. Download or print your custom lists for easy ordering and importing into your estimating software.
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SFV CLCA Valleyscape June 2017 3
Coming Events, Contact Numbers & More
Subject to Change – Check with Chapter Office First
June 24 Beautification Awards Banquet at Sportsmen’s Lodge, 12825 Ventura Blvd., Studio City
July 6 Board Meeting, Denny’s Restaurant, 9001 Tampa Ave, Northridge; 7:30 a.m.
July-Aug-Sept Summer activities in planning stages, possibly
with Channel Islands Chapter, which would include an event at BrightView Tree Company
Sept TBA SFV Marketing Educational Event and Membership Night
Oct TBA Fishing Derby with Channel Islands Chapter
Nov 15-18 CLCA Annual Convention, Scottsdale, AZ; host hotel is the Scott Resort & Spa
Dec TBA Holiday Party
Board Meetings are held the 1st Thursday; Dinner Meetings are 4th Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm, unless otherwise noted.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Rene Emeterio
Specialized Landscape Management Services Inc.
805-520-7590 805-823-5603 cell
VICE PRESIDENT PROGRAMS Tommy Endres
Hollywood West Electric 800-314-3756 / 818-735-0564
805-910-5949 cell
VICE PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP John Hernandez (626) 965-5015
SECRETARY Luis Casas
Luis Casas Tree Service 818-618-7703
TREASURER Julio Lopez
Cadre Landscape 818-808-7417
AMO REP Ted Sirkin
Valvette Systems 818-887-1866
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nelson Colvin Golden Oak Co-op Corporation
818-772-2262 818-772-2221 fax
Wayne Larson Larson Landscaping
818-776-8197 [email protected]
Mickey Strauss MSM Landscape Services, Inc.
818-402-4500 818-341-9236 fax
VALLEYSCAPE PUBLISHER John Hernandez (626) 965-5015
19055 Abdera St. Rowland Heights, CA 91748 [email protected]
FAX (866) 591-5093
ASSOCIATE EDITOR/ ART DIRECTOR
Jerry Robin (626) 794-2674 [email protected]
San Fernando Valley Chapter
2017 Board of Directors
PRESIDENT Steven Kinzler
S K Landscape Design, Inc. 818-345-0492
818-345-0494 fax / 818-266-3828 cell [email protected]
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY CHAPTER Jan Veis, Executive Secretary
(818) 772-7233 Chapter fax (818) 772-2221
www.clcasfv.org
Awards Banquet Set for June 24 at Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City • Chapter Stars to Shine Among Peers and
Industry Leaders
The San Fernando Valley Chapter 58th Annual Landscape Beautification Awards Program will culminate with a gala
banquet on Saturday evening, June 24, 6 p.m. at the Sportsmen’s Lodge, 12825 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604; (818) 769-4700. Ticket price is $95 per person; cocktail attire.
The Awards Banquet is the showcase event of the San Fernando Valley Chapter, as it displays to all attendees the magnificent work of some of the best landscapers in the state…bar none. It will also showcase some of the work from members of adjoining chapters, who are equally as talented.
Along with the glamor and glitz of this outstanding event, attendees will have the opportunity to network with past Chapter and State Presidents and Officers, legendary landscapers, informa-tive and supportive suppliers, and other movers and shakers of the Green Industry.
The Sportsmen’s Lodge venue is a very lovely setting for what will be another wonderful award-filled evening. If you can only attend a few CLCA events this year, make sure this is one of them.
For more information and to RSVP, contact Jan Veis at the SFV Chapter Office (818) 772-7233.
4 June 2017 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
Summer’s Almost Here…and So is Our Awards Banquet!
The heat is on, both in temperature and workload! Let’s start off with
making sure all of your timers are set correctly and giving an adequate amount of water for the plant material to thrive. The growth rate of plant material has been like none other this year due to the massive amount of rain. This does not need to be recognized only by me telling you guys – just look around you. This is an opportunity to get our tree guys in
gear, get our cleanup crews active, and create extra enhancements in our commercial and residential billing.
Getting the work in at this time doesn’t seem very difficult. Getting the work done in a timely manner to start our next job seems to be the challenge around town. Don’t be afraid to let customers know a realistic lead time of when you can start a job. I’m not sure if I am suggesting that to you guys in this message, or if I am saying it to myself, to give myself a reminder to not over promise. I think you get the gist of what I am saying. Good customer communication is key. I
am always reminded that what we do and the work we get, depend in large part on relationships and good communication.
Moving on to the next thing going on in our San Fernando Valley Chapter, this month we have our Beautification Awards Banquet, on June 24. Please come and support your peers and see the work that they have proudly put forth, and that they entered in to the Beautification Awards Program.
Also, everybody who entered projects into the program, whether you win or not, should take advantage of the many marketing opportuni-ties this program presents. Our awards program shows clients and potential clients that you are involved and care about your industry and the community. It also shows your peers the great work you do, and provides the chance to see their award-winning work as well.
Go ahead, now’s your chance to boast a little and show off any awards that you may win. Good luck to all of you who have entered, and let me offer an early congratulations to all the winners.
I look forward to seeing you at the Awards Banquet and at some of the other interesting and informative state and local events coming up. – Steven
How to Deliver Project Estimates on Time By GreenMark Consulting Group
Nothing will start a project off on the wrong foot like failing to deliver the estimate on time. If you cannot deliver an estimate
on time, what kind of message does that send with respect to the project itself?
The place to start is to examine three things:• How the promise is made.• What the process for selling/estimating looks like.• Whether or not there is one person ultimately responsible for it.
Then you can start to look into other areas that can cause your estimating process to become fractured.
1. Stop the Fumbles. This starts with making sure that the hand-off from one function – i.e. sales to estimating to opera-tions – happens seamlessly. When individuals involved in this critical process report to different individuals, they face competing demands. Each function has its own set of priorities that can and will conflict with getting this specific job done.
Get everybody involved on the same page and acting with urgency:• How are current estimates created – Are we promising something
that is impossible, are we shooting ourselves in the foot?• Reorganize to place Sales, Project Estimating, and Material
Ordering under one roof (one leader).• Create SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures) for each step in
the process to ensure that the necessary information is collected early and once.
• Manage the Estimation and Ordering process like the Project itself.
2. Everything is about BFD. BFD means Better, Faster, Different. Putting sales, estimating and ordering under one leader will help eliminate things falling between the cracks, but it does not attack the root cause: inefficiency in the system.
Value Map each step in the sales, estimating and ordering process to eliminate redundancies and find places where work can happen simultaneously. Look for opportunities to:• Remove Redundancy – Are we repeating several steps that only
need to be once?• Finding the Holes – Are we overlooking anything, are there
activities/steps that should happen to make the process better or faster that is being missed?
• Data Access – Is information collected previously available to everybody in the Sales>Estimating>Ordering process?
3. Stop all possible non-value-added activities. Now that you have the process mapped, the question to ask is: “If we placed that item on the customer’s invoice, would the customer be willing to pay for it?” If the answer is yes, look for more efficient ways of doing it. If the answer is no, ask if you can stop doing it. Most processes that haven’t been mapped for standard operating procedures have a minimum of 15% improvement available for the taking.
GreenMark Consulting Group’s unique three-pronged approach to coaching appeals to landscape/snow companies of all shapes and sizes from around the country. Regardless of which phase your company is going through, GreenMark’s offering of Business Toolkits & Virtual Coaching, Live Business Bootcamp Workshops, and Deep-Dive One-on-One Consulting can provide the insights and direction your company needs to thrive. Visit greenmarkgroup.com for more info.
President’s Message
STEVEN KINZLER SFV President
SK Landscape Design
SFV CLCA Valleyscape June 2017 5
In a Word…Awesome!
June is a terrific month for our San Fernando Valley Chapter. To start off with: You are awesome landscape contractors as
well as maintenance engineers! Yes, this even includes growers and suppliers as well as our families and extended friends. All of you are very awesome, due to the dynamic awareness of being a creative presence that is at one with our Creator.
Our journey pathway is newly traveled with love, happiness and positive expectations. There is an Infinite Guidance that is in accord with Divine Intelligence. You all have followed its promptings with greater rewards than ever before. I celebrate your awesomeness! Greater prosperity, happiness, and love are yours.
This leads me to this year’s 58th Annual Beautification Awards celebration on June 24th. Your awesomeness, creativity and exactness leave so slight a margin for the judges to make the call on award winners. Professionalism and quality speak for them-selves. But, it is that “inner quality” that your team gives each project that translates into outstandingly awesome! This is a time to come together for an inspiring celebration of boldness and intrinsic beauty in landscape, construction and maintenance with the support from special vendors of our trade. I remember reading that “Happiness does not come from having much, but from being much.” The poetry in landscape comes from within to an outer
realization in a symphony of beauty. And, yes, Love Does in all its spender.
Our Chapter President always shows his optimism and excitement in his
President’s Messages in this Newsletter. With his enthusiasm and warm embrace, he reaches out to our Chapter members and neighbors to invite all to our Chapter events where fellowship and warmth will be had by all. We are blessed to have such a leader.
So, my gift, my passion is still sharing “Love Does” as it comes from my heart. That Divine spark within everyone vibrates with creativity that we, as landscape designers, contractors, and as maintenance engineers enhance in our own special way.
“Whatever I have passed on has come back to me in word and deed. Whatever I have been given, I have gained, and now I start the cycle again.” – Unknown Author
Enjoy graduation season and the rest of the summer with family and friends. Love Does. – Dave
Just Takin’ a Moment
DAVID JUNOD Sheridan Landscaping,
Inc.
The poetry in landscape comes from within to an outer realization in a symphony of beauty.
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6 June 2017 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
WC X-MOD Demystified2017 Awards Sponsors
SFV Chapter Appreciates Our Generous Awards Sponsors
In order to have a successful Beautification Awards Banquet on June 24 at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City, we need entries from some of the best landscapers in the state – which we have – and Sponsorships from some of the finest suppliers in the industry. Our
Chapter is blessed to have those terrific Sponsors as well.
Shown below are the generous Awards Sponsors and the categories they are sponsoring as of press time. Thank you Sponsors!
2017 SPONSORS CATEGORY
SPECIAL AWARDS
CLCA Insurance Solutions Special Effects
Western International Securities, Inc. Bob Moore Memorial
Green Thumb Wholesale Nursery Presidents Choice
DM Color Express, Inc. Colorscape
Bright View Tree Company Stuart Sperber Memorial Sweepstakes Award
Landscape Contractors Insurance Services, Inc. F.H. Arklin Memorial Award
Ewing Excelsior Award
REGULAR AWARDS
Gro-Power Small Residential “A”
Southland Sod Small Residential “B”
Southland Sod Medium Residential
Landscape Contractors Insurance Services, Inc. Large Residential
Cadre Landscape Custom Residential
Birch Financial, Inc. Renovation
Birch Financial Equipment Finance Large Commercial/Industrial
Golden Oak Cooperative Corporation Xeriscape
SPJ Lighting Night Lighting “A”
Hollywood West Electric and Sales Night Lighting “B”
El Dorado Communications Inc. Commercial Living Facilities
CLCA SFV Chapter Small Commercial Maintenance
CLCA SFV Chapter Medium Commercial Maintenance
Aqua-Flo Supply Large Commercial Maintenance
Green View Nursery Inc. Small Residential Maintenance
Vineland Growers Nursery Large Residential Maintenance
Automated Installment Services Small HOA Maintenance
Automated Installment Services Large HOA Maintenance
ADDITIONAL SPONSORSHIPS
Galpin Ford Van Donation
Centerpieces Green Thumb Nursery
Hosted Bar CLCA Insurance Solutions
Hors d’oeuvres Irrigation Express
SFV CLCA Valleyscape June 2017 7
Four Important Steps to Any Client Meeting By the Houzz Industry Marketing team, in GreenIndustryPros.com
Has this happened to you? You have a great call with a very inter-ested client, but once you hang up you realize you don’t know
what’s next, and if and when you’ll close the deal. How do you make sure you don’t end up with a sales process that leaves both you and your client hanging?
Determining next steps is the most important step in any client meeting, and is crucial in making sure you can move forward and close the deal without any hiccups.
“Ideally we set up the next meeting or at least a time frame within which to follow up before concluding each meeting or phone call,” says David Buchsbaum of Atlanta Closet & Storage Solutions in Atlanta. “Never end a meeting or an appointment without an agreement and a time frame for the next step.”
Without next steps in place, the timeline for closing the sale could get bogged down with scheduling conflicts, or you could play a never-ending game of phone tag, costing you unnecessary time and energy. Here are four next steps to take.
1. Recap the MeetingSummarizing the key points of the meeting is not only a good way to remind all parties about what was discussed, but also shows your client that you have been listening to his or her needs. If necessary, take notes during the meeting so you can reference them at the end.
“I want my clients to enjoy the process, and you can only do that if you have clear direction and clear expectations,” says Meg Habasevich of Purposeful Interiors in Tampa Bay, Florida. “I created a questionnaire that I fill out as I’m speaking with my clients. Because I am writing down everything as we are talking, my clients feel assured that I am really listening to what they are saying.”
2. Discuss Timing and Tasks
It’s important to determine the next actions necessary on both sides of the table, and the timing involved. Will you be sending
an estimate for a project? If so, when? Does the client need to create an ideabook so you can understand the vision better? What date should the client send it to you by? If the next step is another meeting or phone call, pull out calendars and put a date and time in writing. Who will call whom? What will be discussed?
3. Request FeedbackClient conversations can move fast, and it’s quite possible that you’ve missed a key point or action item. Once you’ve discussed timing and tasks, ask if there’s anything you may have missed or that the client would like to add to the to-do list. Not only is this a good practice for covering your bases, but it also lets clients know that their involvement is a valuable part of the process.
4. Follow Up with an EmailWhether you discussed your next steps over the phone or in person, following up with an email puts your plan in writing and decreases
the chance of miscommunication. Both you and your client will be able to refer back to that email as a reminder of the things that need to be done and by when.
Meeting Success
[email protected]/GreenThumbGGwww.gtgrowinggrounds.com
Without next steps in place, the timeline for closing the sale could get bogged down with scheduling conflicts, or you could play a never-ending game of phone tag, costing you unnecessary time and energy.
8 June 2017 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
Most don’t wake up, stretch and say “yep, today I’m going to crash the housing and mortgage industries” – it is a gradual process. Yet there is ultimately one reason financial crime perpetuates, which we can identify on our good friend, the Fraud Triangle – this reason is rationalization.
WC X-MOD DemystifiedDeception in Business
Continued on Page 11
Lie to Me, Part II By Rich Gordon, Lindquist LLP
While Part 1 was an overview of lying – along with common verbal and non-verbal traits of those trying to deceive – this
installment will address how deception evolves from dealing with the white lies; to the more serious effect of lies permeating the business world.
Since we are alone and nobody is looking I’ll just ask you – have you lied, or broken any rules, this week? Ok, I’ll assume you’re answer is the same as mine – especially if we drive the same way. And do you consider yourself a good, honest and moral person? I’m guessing our answers are still the same. So how do people who get caught up in the massive frauds and scandals you read about cross that line?
Most don’t wake up, stretch and say “yep, today I’m going to crash the housing and mortgage industries” – it is a gradual process. Yet there is ultimately one reason financial crime perpetuates, which we can identify on our good friend, the Fraud Triangle – this reason is rationalization. What’s the big deal? Everybody’s doing it. It’s socially acceptable (cheating ‘a bit’ on taxes maybe?). It’s for the greater good. It’s only temporary and I’ll true it up next month.
The reality is that the human mind develops a tolerance to lying and cheating – much like the body does for drugs. After a while it just doesn’t have the same effect anymore.
Common Lying in Business:‘Fibbing’ on Resumes. Lying begins at the ground floor as well as up the corporate ladder.• Lying about degrees earned…and even the school attended itself• Padding the grade-point average• Falsifying school or previous employment dates• Misrepresenting technical skills, abilities and experience• Inflating previous titles or job descriptions• Deceptiveness about a prior record (driving, criminal, etc.)
Hitting the Numbers. Most jobs have pressure to reach or achieve certain levels or marks – such as sales, production or customer
service satisfaction numbers. This is ultimately how we are evaluated, or how we measure others’ efforts and effectiveness. Why do falsifi-cations occur?• Financial gain, bonus, reward• Admiration of others• False sense of importance• Promotion and advancement• Avoid punishment or embarrass-
ment• Retain
employment
Control. We have all heard that knowledge is power. Indeed it is, especially when it comes to business dealings, and that knowledge is either used, falsified or concealed.• Withholding information in a negotiation or
contract• Neglecting to notify or pass on critical infor-
mation to a competitor• Corporate espionage• Threatening a co-worker, employee or
employer with false information
And to think these are just issues in the business world regarding lies and deception that haven’t even scratched the surface of fraudulent transactions, theft or falsified financial statements. All types of damage can be done through the above methods without ever embezzling a single dollar.
Rather than feeling overly vulnerable to the potential for loss, use this information to empower yourself in business. Encourage your HR department, managers or yourself to develop skills to spot lies. Deception-detecting interview techniques for new hires, in addition to criminal (and financial) background checks, are great ways to mitigate risk and reduce the potential of someone inflicting serious pain to your business. Don’t let a little white lie permeate deception throughout business.
Richard C. Gordon, CPA/ABV/CFF, CFE, CGMA, is the Director of Forensic and Valuation Services at Lindquist LLP, a certified public accounting firm serving clients nationwide from office locations in the Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Chicago metropolitan areas. Rich possesses vast forensic experi-ence in the areas of labor unions, multiemployer benefit plans and trusts, financial statement and tax fraud, contract disputes, economic damages, embezzlement and receivership cases, in which he has successfully represented both prosecution and defense. Rich can be reached at (925) 277-9100 or [email protected] with questions.
Growers of Quality Sod Since 1969
Jeff TuesburgSales RepresentativeE-mail: [email protected]: (661) 965-2865
41120 40th St. EastPalmdale, CA 93552
Phone: (661) 274-9192Toll Free: (800) 669-4763
Fax: (661) 274-2168
SFV CLCA Valleyscape June 2017 9
New Chapter Member Showcase
EquipmentCOASTLINEwww.coastlineequipment.com
Sales • Rentals • Parts • Service
Call: Julio Gomez at (805) 896-0013
Your Southern CaliforniaCompact Equipment Dealer
OXNARD1930 E. Lockwood St.Oxnard, CA 93036(805) 485-2106
SANTA MARIA1950 Roemer PlaceSanta Maria, CA 93454(805) 922-8329
SYLMAR12435 Foothill Blvd.Sylmar, CA 91342(818) 890-3353
SiteOne Landscape Supply Joins Local Chapters By Cesar Ramirez, SiteOne, with Alex Salazar, The Salazar Landsape Company
(Alex)
I first learned about SiteOne Landscape Supply through an ad inside a landscape contractor magazine. The ad featured a
contractor with sweat running down his face. It read “Standing behind those who go beyond the call.” It was detailed and their logo was clean. I thought it was very clever.
The next time I came across SiteOne I read in an article that they bought out American Builders Supply. Since I have a location near me, I got excited knowing I would find out what their stores would look like. A few weeks later I got an email from Cesar Ramirez, Business Development Manager with SiteOne . He was inviting me to attend their upcoming Open House event set for May 18th. I signed up right away.
The Open House was exciting to attend. It was a catered event filled with vendors, landscapers and other contractors, all curious to visit the new store. When I arrived there was no parking probably within 300 feet of the store. You could tell a lot of effort had been put into the event. There were SiteOne personnel greeting visitors outside the store encouraging visitors to talk with vendors, and to grab some food!
Inside the store, all the landscape and irrigation supplies were neatly organized. To my surprise the help counters were fully staffed and firing on all cylinders. There were contractors stopping by to pick up materials, busy as ever.
Later I got a chance to interview Cesar and get his perspective on the event and on their operation. Here is what he had to say.
(Cesar)
Our recent Open House had a fantastic turnout! We were extremely happy with the results. Our customers were able to
obtain insightful information on new products from our vendors. Participating vendors also set up specials available only at the event, to all attendees.
We are planning another event at the end of the summer. We are still deciding whether it will be at the Canoga Park store or a nearby location. We will post the details regarding our next Open House in our stores and in CLCA newsletters.
We acquired our Canoga Park location when we purchased John Deere Landscape, and we since have made several key changes to
Continued on Page 10
10 June 2017 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
Sod Installation, A Second Look – Part 2 By Alex Salazar, The Salazar Landscape Company
The following is the continuation of Alex Salazar’s interviews of local sod company reps during a period
that has seen an uptick in sod installation. Increased sod orders are due in part to changes in attitude of
homeowners and businesses because of California’s record-breaking rainy season.
Danielle Scardino – West Coast Turf1. Best Seller. For cool season grasses it is our West Coaster tall dwarf fescue, although
our new native grasses are picking up speed. They are becoming the popular choice for lawns, landscapes, golf courses, and parks, offering an exciting new choice.
2. Favorite. A new drought tolerant ground cover we just started growing called “Kurapia.” It has the look of a lawn, but a different unique “clover like” texture. Kurapia grows close to the ground and rarely exceeds one inch high. Most of the year, the plant is covered in small white flowers that are sterile. But you have the option of mowing the flowers off or just not mowing. Kurapia is a great option where you need a ground cover that won’t regularly get irrigated.
3. First Recommendation. It depends – if you want year ’round green I would go for West Coaster and water wisely. If you don’t
mind overseeding I would use one of the newer bermudas such as Bandera, and either paint it in the winter with Endurant turf colorant, or overseed with ryegrass.
4. Advice. Use the right type of sod for your shade and mainte-nance situation, and most importantly, water wisely!
Norm Lopez – Southland Sod Farms1. Best Seller. Since 1983 Marathon Sod has become the most popular lawn choice among homeowners and Southern California contractors. It is green year ‘round, has an extensive root system and most importantly, Marathon Sod uses less water and is tolerant of high heat. All Marathon varieties are exclusive and grown “only” by Southland Sod Farms. We grow a total of ten varieties for different uses in the landscape environment.
2. Favorite. Marathon II Sod is my favorite. Personally, I’ve had a Marathon II lawn at my residence for over 29 years. This has been with raising three daughters and many outside parties without replacing any Marathon Sod. My perfect head-to-head sprinkler coverage might be the reason.
3. First Recommendation. My first recommendation would be Marathon varieties, for their green year ‘round quality and easy maintenance.
4. Advice. Give the homeowner honest advice on whether Sod will be the best choice for that area selected. Just refer them to our website www.sod.com so they can become educated along with the valuable contractors’ advice given.
WC X-MOD DemystifiedTips from the Pros
Continued on Page 14
ALEX SALAZARThe Salazar
Landscape Company
John MarmanAnthony PulizzanoORDER HOTLINE 888/893-8873www.westcoastturf.com
DROUGHT TOLERANT WATER SAVING TURFGRASS VARIETIES AVAILABLE!
• Introducing NEW Hillside Native Fine Fescue and West Coast Native Bentgrass (Agrostis pallens)
• Offering over 20+ Varieties including water friendly hybrid bermuda, paspalum and kikuyugrass
• Organic Endurant Turf Colorant available in lieu of fall overseeding
• Field removal, TopMaker field recycling, hydroseeding, sod and stolon installation services
Site One Landscape Supply, continued from Page 9
the site. It is a whole new operation. Last year we also acquired Hydro-scape, and we are now the largest and only national wholesale distributor of landscape supplies in the United States. We have taken the best of John Deere and Hydro-scape and combined them with the experience, professionalism, problem-solving ability and vision of SiteOne.
The greatest benefit we offer to our clients is our outstanding customer service, which is unrivaled in the industry. We have the associates and resources to handle any landscaper requests and take pride in being able to care of our customers. We have by far the most locations across California and the country, and can handle any project our customers may have.
SFV CLCA Valleyscape June 2017 11
In The Mind’s Eye By Peter Mehit
Many times when people think about getting into business for themselves, they cherish the idea of the freedom and control
it would bring, but are often stifled by fear. “How will I find customers?”…“How do I find the money I need?”…“Will anyone really buy what I’m selling?”…are typical of the questions we run through our minds just before a wave of fear spills over us and we suddenly feel grateful for the job we loathe.
We tell ourselves that having a business is for people that come from money, yet many of the greatest success stories are people that had little or no money at the beginning of their journey. We are convinced that we need ever increasing amounts of education, but Bill Gates, one of the world’s richest people, didn’t complete college, Sir Richard Branson never went.
So what is it? What makes some people successful and others not? It boils down to three primary traits:
• They have a clear idea what they wanted to make or do.
• They believe they can figure out anything.
• They understand, actually or intuitively, how the mind works.
To have a clear idea about what your business should be, focus on what you love. Learn all about it: how it’s made, bought and sold. Study businesses that do what you love. Talk to them about how they got started. If possible, work with some of these companies to get paid to learn the craft.
Whether you believe it or not, you can figure out anything related to your business, if you’re willing to seek and accept help. Not good at hiring? Get a good human resources consultant to get you on track. Hate dealing with numbers and billing? A good book-keeper and accounting software can minimize the amount of time you need to spend. The point is, take stock of your strengths and interests and find others with the expertise you don’t have but need to operate your business.
Finally, know how your mind works. Your mind is divided into the conscious and the subconscious. The conscious part directs your activities, makes decisions, builds plans and analyses problems. It is rooted in time and is constantly interrupted.
Your subconscious is where you hold your true opinions about the world and yourself. It is the place where dreams begin and problems are really solved. It is timeless and has access to every-thing you know and have experienced.
Your conscious mind is driving your bus. Your unconscious rides along, watching the scenery go by, hearing the conversations you have, seeing the problems that you face. How do you tap that hidden resource that is working even when you are asleep? It may be easier than you think. The key is to learning how to feed your problems to your subconscious mind.
Make your dreams and plans evident in the real world so your subconscious can see and act upon them. If you’re starting a business, building even a skeletal business plan gives your subconscious mind things to focus
on. Writing down and prioritizing problems as they occur, without unduly focusing on the solutions to them, loads your subcon-scious mind so it can begin working on them.
Your subconscious mind sees everything, even things you are not aware of. It sees the plans you’re making, so it knows what your conscious mind thinks should be done. It also sees the obstacles that are blocking you. But it has something else, the timeless ability to make connections to everything you know, have expe-rienced and believe. And it does it in real time so the links between ideas and knowledge are clear. The subconscious mind is literally a supercom-puter at our personal disposal if we simply learn
Continued on Page 12
Business Sense
Continued on Page 14
To have a clear idea about what your business should be, focus on what you love. Learn all about it: how it’s made, bought and sold. Study businesses that do what you love.
PETER MEHITCOO
Custom Business Planning and
Solutions
12 June 2017 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
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WC X-MOD DemystifiedCall Our Advertisers First!
Continued on Page 13
19055 Abdera Street / Rowland Heights, CA 91748tel 626.965.5015 / cell 626.715.1757 / fax 866.591.5093
JOHN R. HERNANDEZPublisher / CEO
Landscape Expo Registration Now Open
Exhibitor and attendee registration is now open for the 2017 Landscape Expo trade show to be held October
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Trade shows are the perfect opportunity for landscapers to catch up on the latest industry news, technology and products. The 2017 Landscape Expo – Long Beach is expected to be bigger than ever. 3,000 of SoCal’s leading landscape contractors, landscape maintenance profes-sionals, landscape architects, superintendents and munici-palities will be in attendance.
Professionals seeking to improve their skills, network, and explore innovative landscaping products, will have the opportunity to attend over 50 continuing education unit (CEU) approved seminars. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Seminar hours are 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Registration for the show is now open.
For more information, including how to register, visit www.LandscapeOnline.com.
SFV CLCA Valleyscape June 2017 13
California Water Watch
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Trump Provides California Water Solutions as Gov. Brown Focuses on His Legacy By Aubrey Bettencourt, Executive Director, California Water Alliance – Submitted by Mickey Strauss
On May 13, 2017, Governor Brown outlined his revised budget proposal focusing the state’s financial resources on his High
Speed Rail legacy project and renewing its efforts to fight the Trump Administration on multiple fronts. While he may have dropped the mic with an antagonistic $183 billion budget, points on the scorecard went to the Trump Administration that day.
As Governor Brown unveiled his budget, Interior Secretary Zinke authorized grants awarding California $21 million for the state’s “planning, designing and constructing water recycling and reuse projects; developing feasibility studies; and researching desalination and water recycling projects.”
As Oroville Dam sits officially declared a state failure, an ongoing emergency and an eminent peril to tens of thousands of Californians currently facing flood warnings and still recov-ering from a devastating statewide six year drought, the state sits on $17.6 billion in unspent “water bond” funding out of $27.1 billion in bond measures passed since 2000. Not a single cent of the governor’s budget provides funds for critically needed water supply or delivery projects.
It is a failure for Brown of both his vision and for setting rational priorities in the face of very strong public sentiment that water
infrastructure should be addressed, across all demographic and party lines. Recent major national polls reveal 87% of all voters believe there should be greater spending on water infrastructure. The total includes 93% of Democrats that desire a more reliable water supply system with greater capacity than California currently provides.
The governor continues his fiery “resist” rhetoric while increasing taxes on the middle-class and working class residents to fund his feud with President Trump and his $68-billion High-Speed Rail legacy project, but the Trump administration is delivering real funding to help solve California’s water problems.
In the battle to address Californians’ real-world water needs, Trump is clearly providing what Californians of every stripe want and need, whether you like it or not.
Aubrey Bettencourt is the executive director of the California Water Alliance, a statewide water policy non-profit that advocates for the water needs of California families, cities, businesses, farmers and the environment. Follow @AubBettencourt and visit CaliforniaWaterAlliance.org for more information.
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14 June 2017 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
how to use it.
Try this experiment. Keep a small notebook and pen with you at all times. When an idea or a solution surfaces, don’t say, “Good idea, I need to do something with it.” Instead, write it down in your book. Continuously compare what is in your book with your problems and over time you will find that you are solving your own problems without even working at it.
Doing what you love, having faith you’ll figure out how to deal with challenges and knowing how to solve problems without working hard, are three qualities that can make you successful. When practiced properly, they become self-reinforcing and bring an even bigger benefit: peace, prosperity and clarity.
Peter Mehit is COO of Custom Business Planning and Solutions, which helps small and mid-size companies through strategy, tactics, planning and systems. He can be reached at (909) 597-0840.
WC X-MOD DemystifiedCall Our Advertisers First!
Try this experiment. Keep a small notebook and pen with you at all times. When an idea or a solution surfaces, don’t say, “Good idea, I need to do something with it.” Instead, write it down in your book.
In the Mind’s Eye, continued from Page 11
MEMBERCLCA
There may be an easier way.
clca.org/peer-consulting
Do you have questions about green industry topics, but are not quite sure who to ask? If so, check out the California Landscape Contractors Association’s Peer Consulting Service.
Participants have agreed to share their knowledge and experience with fellow members in specific subject areas. They may have an answer or solution you can apply to your own situation.
Also, if you would like to be a Peer Consultant, please email [email protected].
San Fernando Valley Chapter SPONSORSHIP RECOGNITION
SILVER SPONSOR
LCISThank you for your support!
SFV CLCA Valleyscape June 2017 15
Call Our Advertisers First!A-G Sod Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Birch Equipment Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
CLCA Advantage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
CLCA Insurance Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 15
Coastline Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9, Back Cover
DIG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
El Dorado Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Ewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 15
E-Z Tracs Risk Solutions, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Green Thumb Super Garden Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Gro-Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Kurapia Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Landscape Contractors Insurance Services . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 14
Netafim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Smith Pipe & Supply, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Southland Sod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
TOR Insurance Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Tyent Water for Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Village Nurseries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
West Coast Turf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Advertising Index
In the Mind’s Eye, continued from Page 11
2017 ADVERTISING RATESAd Agencies: These Rates Are NET and PRORATED for the calendar year.
Ad Size Yearly (12x) Business Card full color $425 1/4 Page full color $1,345 1/3 Page full color $1,850 1/2 Page full color $2,200 Full Page (inside full color) $4,000 Full Page (back cover full color) $4,500 81⁄2 x11 Insert 1 mo. $325 $3,250(single or double sided, advertiser provided) 2 months free!
11x17 Insert 1 mo. $425 $4,250 (folded, advertiser provided) 2 months free!
Business Card 3 5/8” x 2”1/4 Page 3 5/8” x 4 5/8”1/3 Pg. vert. 3 5/8” x 6 5/8”1/2 Pg. horiz. 7 1/2” x 4 5/8”
1/2 Pg. vert. 3 5/8” x 9 1/2”Full Page 8 1/2” x 11” + 1/8” bleed all around
NO LOCAL EMPLOYMENT ADS Contact Editor John Hernandez at (626) 965-5015 or
[email protected] for more information.
Ad Dimensions – Width x Height
Ads must be submitted in PDF format, 300 dpi min. for all elements.
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