School of Management 2002: For Love or Money

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Sunday, Feb. 17, at the Lawn & Landscape School of Management conference in Charlotte, N.C., Charlie Bowers shared his tips on running a successful design/build business.

"We got in this business because we loved it, right?" said Bowers, president of Garden Gate Landscaping and C. Bowers & Associates in Silver Springs, Md. "The landscape industry is a tough business, so most people that are in it enjoy it first and hope they make a profit second."

Because landscape contractors' love for the outdoors dominates their business expertise, Bowers provided attendees with 10 key tips that he said clear the path for green industry profitability.

1. You must have a clear organizational and divisional focus.
2. You must employ only passionate people with fantastic attitudes. "I'll hire someone with less experience who has a great attitude," Bowers maintained.
3. You must give your employees goals that are individual, specific, measurable and attainable, but you must stretch your employees at the same time.
4. You must tell employees how they will be rewarded if they reach their goals and you must keep those promises.
5. You must provide employees with the training, tools and systems to ensure their success.
6. You must measure everything in your business all of the time.
7. You must tell employees how they are doing and celebrate their successes. "Give away awards at Christmas time for best margins or best customer service for the year," suggested Bowers, sharing ideas from his own company.
8. You must mesh personal and company goals.
9. You must fund employees' success - allow them to gamble with your money.
10. You must stay out of employees' ways. "Your company is dependent on it's people - it's about them, not you," Bowers said.