The right direction

The word on the street was that the 2014 GIE+EXPO was going to be the biggest ever. Judging by the crowded aisles and busy booths, that word wasn’t a lie. A beautiful and sunny 60 degree day also drove people outside to test all the new equipment.

But the big news of the show was the continued optimism from contractors about their businesses. The feeling from speaking with contractors was that homeowners and property managers are continuing to rebound from the Great Recession and spending money on their yards. Most contractors said the biggest problem they have had is the lack of good employees to keep up with the work.

Below are a few quotes from contractors about how their businesses are doing and what they think about the GIE+EXPO.

Ivan Giraldo, president of CleanScape in Austin, Texas said he has been coming to the Green Industry Conference and the GIE+EXPO for years, and always gets something new out of it. One of his favorite events is Breakfast of Champions where contracts have breakfast in group of 5-10 people, normally non-competitors, and can discuss problems they are having, and receive some suggestions for solutions. “The sharing of ideas in a small group of many business owners of what they’ve tried and what worked and what didn’t work – I always go back with ideas.”

Jason Buehring, nursery manager at Greenscape in Holly Springs, N.C., said his company was trying to drop customers that the company was losing money on. But first, they gave them the option of higher prices, and the customers took it. Nick Harvey, turf and shrub care division manager, had a similar issue, but his company was actually dropping a whole maintenance division.

“We don’t need to be doing this for free,” Harvey said.

Randy Brooks owner of Brooks Lawn Care in Cottonwood, Tenn., started his company two years ago. The maintenance only company is growing, and Brooks will have to hire his first employees next year. As far as the show, he was impressed with the same things a lot of contractors like.

“The exposure to all the different tools and equipment – It’s quite amazing,” he said.