Words of wisdom

Published February 23, 2018

GROW! 2018 brought together a variety of professionals with lots of advice to share. From former NFL star Derrick Brooks to some all-star landscapers, here is some food for thought from the conference in Tampa, Florida:

Tino Martinez, former MLB player:

Always strive to do better. “I always wanted to do better than last year,” he said. “I pushed myself hard day in and day out.”
Be accountable to your team. “If guys showed up tired or hungover, the other guys would get on them,” he said.

Derrick Brooks, former NFL player:

Be a finisher. “Finish and give your best effort and that has gotten me far in my career,” he said.
The best advice he got from a coach was “Be humble, but don’t be bashful.”
It’s important to be coachable and learn from feedback. “If you don’t want to be challenged, there’s nowhere for you to get better,” he said.
Be accountable to both yourself and others. “I think that’s a key ingredient to building any team,” he said.
Find your motivation, whatever it is. “Keeping your edge is about one person – you,” he said. “I was really proud of the one thing I could control, and it was my attitude and my motivation.”

Mike Rorie, executive vice president, GroundSystems:

Offer good working conditions to stay competitive in the market. “We’re going to give you more because we’re going to get more from you,” he said.
Keep growing for your people, even if it's just a little at a time. "We enjoy the winning," he said. "It's contagious."

Frank Mariani, CEO, Mariani Landscape:

Know what your competition is paying. “Everyone is already paying above minimum wage,” he said.
Always try to be the best, no matter how successful you get. "If recognition is the pinnacle, I should retire," he joked.

Bob Grover, president, Pacific Landscape Management:

Don’t attract employees with just a paycheck. “I don’t want to pay more than you’re already making because I don’t want to buy people,” he said.

Todd Pugh, owner, Enviroscapes:

As you grow, you can only do so many things well. Focus on those and find new opportunities. "If you've been in the same market a long time, you're probably driving by opportunities you don't even know about.