Willamette Landscape Services’ work for the Claremont Greens Homeowners Association bears witness to the Tualatin, Oregon, company’s experience and expertise. The National Association of Landscape Professionals pairs companies with landscape veterans who are willing to share insights they’ve gained from many years on the job.Photo: Willamette Landscape Services
Thanksgiving week is a reminder that 2016 is in the homestretch. As the year draws to a close, it’s a natural time to reflect on what went right and what went wrong, but also to begin thinking about 2017’s possibilities.
If your company doesn’t belong to the National Association of Landscape Professionals, you may want to resolve now to start 2017 as a NALP member. It’s an investment that pays dividends in numerous ways throughout the year. We’re prompted to share this reminder because the deadline is approaching to participate in one of NALP’s most valuable offerings: the “Trailblazer” program.
As NALP points out, the Trailblazer program “isn’t just for rookies.” If your landscape and lawn care company has been in business for several years, chances are you can benefit greatly from seeing – firsthand, behind the scenes – how a bigger and older company manages to keep growing.
What’s more, a mentor from that company will look closely at your own operation and help show you how to navigate through business dilemmas faced by all small and midsize companies.
According to NALP, your Trailblazer will help you identify where you’re making money and where you’re not, work with you on strategic planning and human resources, in addition to conducting a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of your business.
More than likely, leaders of the company NALP pairs with you in the Trailblazer program will become close friends and confidants throughout your career.
Best of all, your company could benefit from learning things it would normally take you years to realize. Experience has much to teach, but there’s nothing wrong with learning some of the harder lessons by hearing them firsthand from an industry colleague rather than living through them.
NALP allows you to choose from experts in design/build/installation, interior plantscaping, irrigation and water management, landscape management, and lawn care.
Dec. 31 is the deadline to apply for the 2017 Trailblazer program. For details on exactly how the program works, or to apply, visit this page on NALP’s website.
Also, check out this video about the program:
