Well-founded wisdom

Toms Creek Nursery & Landscaping started in the 1930s when young widow Ovie Henson saved enough money to finance her dream to own a farm. There, she raised her son, Joey, along with sheep, pigs, chickens and cows. Clearing land to plant cuttings—and discovering a true green thumb—resulted in gradually dedicating more land to nursery stock over the years.

Nearly a century later, Toms Creek owns about 450 acres of farmland with about 60 acres of container plant production on site. The landscape installation division started in 1976, and maintenance began when current owner Brandon Vaughn and his twin brother Aaron began mowing after school in the early 1990s. Brandon Vaughn joined the business officially after college in 2004, and he currently serves as president.

Running the business through a recession, and sustaining a family legacy, has taught Vaughn some valuable lessons about staying relevant.

• There’s greater reward in avoiding risk. “You have to have some debt in the business to expand, but you need to be careful not to take on too much financial risk to where if things turned around you couldn’t function,” Vaughn says.
• Hold on to values. Cutting labor would have been an easy way to reduce overhead expenses during the recession, but Toms Creek was committed to its long-term employees who are like family. And, while the nursery was not performing like it once was, the family also was devoted to this business. Ultimately, by keeping its people and proud heritage, Toms Creek sustained a healthy business during hard times and came out ahead.
  
• Marketing matters. For years – generations, actually – Toms Creek earned business through referrals. But during and following the recession, Vaughn ramped up marketing efforts, mainly by creating a consistent look for the company. The firm adopted uniforms and vehicles that reinforce the brand. “You’d be surprised at how many people say, ‘We see your trucks everywhere,’” Vaughn says.