Your business is built on great ideas. You depend on your peers on everything from new products and equipment to advice on where to place help wanted ads. Every once in a while, the ideas are big, but it is the cumulative effect of lots of small ideas and innovations, implemented over time, that make your business efficient, competitive and profitable. Take a look around this month's ANLA Today and find your next great idea!
Innovation in nursery production is a boots on the ground exercise. With tightening margins compounded by a tough economic and regulatory climate, you need ideas big and small to save money and increase efficiency. From the big picture/practical action advice of Dr. Charlie Hall to the real world experience of Lancaster Farm's father and son team, Charlie and Art Parkerson, ANLA's Knowledge Center captures the ideas that keep your business growing.
| WATCH: Mark Peters buys a new potting machine, greatly increasing efficiency. |
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Mark Peters describes his decision to purchase a new potting machine and overcoming the challenges of implementing it in his**MORE**
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| READ: Dale Deppe saves water and money by adapting the greenhouse technology for his nursery operation. |
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Dale Deppe, owner of Spring Meadow, adapts flood flloors, a greenhouse technology, for a shrub growing operation. His innovation takes**MORE**
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| WATCH: Art Parkerson saves on his phone bill and his father Charlie joins the Clinic swap shop from 500 miles away. |
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Art and Charlie Parkerson discuss a free Internet chatting tool and a new idea for stacking and batching pool carts.
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| READ: Charlie Hall delivers a six point primer on profitability pitfalls as the market matures. |
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Dr. Charlie Hall, agricultural economist at Texas A&M,addresses the challenges of tighter margins and shrinking demand in the nursery industry.
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| WATCH: Dave Kronoshek brings his experience in the auto industry to tracking employee productivity. |
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Dave Kronoshek, of Loma Vista Nursery, offers a tracking system for tracking employee activities to build a better understanding of**MORE**
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You are fighting for every customer and every dollar. You've got to keep your expenses lean while keeping one eye on the future. From the perfect tool to management systems that have been proven in the field, ANLA's Knowledge Center delivers the ideas that keep your businesses competitive.
| READ: Is the sustainable landscape your next big market opportunity? Chris Valenti thinks you should keep a close watch on this developing standard. (Don't forget to click on the related tab below for more information.) |
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The Sustainable Sites Initiative seeks to develop certifiable standards for landscape design and installation. Read more about the program and**MORE**
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| READ: Don't get between a professional and their favorite tool! Jeff Dinslage won't let this knife go. |
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Learn why you simply can't find a better one.
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| WATCH: Marcus vandeVliet puts lean management theory into landscape management practice. |
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Marcus vande Vliet identifies your customer, reviews your process, and creates a future process.
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| READ: Charles Bowers reduces his inventory risk and holding costs through a unique partnership. |
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Charles Bowers of Garden Gate Landscaping switched to just-in-time inventory by partnering with a landscape distributor.
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Our industry is built on sharing ideas that delight customers and drive sales. We find success and avoid costly mistakes in the advice and experience of our peers. ANLA's Knowledge Center delivers dramatic merchandising and must-attend events like the Management Clinic right to your desk, while bringing you up-close-and-personal with industry experts and seasoned professionals.
| WATCH: Frank Benzing capitalizes on the edible gardening trend with an exciting culinary event. |
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Frank Benzing (SummerWinds Garden Centers) talks about promoting gardens that yield incredible edibles.
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| WATCH: 2009 Management Clinic keynote speaker Neil Howe addresses the challenge of managing your emerging, young workforce. |
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Neil Howe shows how to recruit, retain and motivate the Millennial Generation.
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| READ: Ian Baldwin advises capital investments that offer real returns for cash strapped garden centers. |
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Ian Baldwin shares capital investments that deliver strong returns for retail garden centers.
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| WATCH: Jim Stauffer's real world advice from a lifetime in the garden retail business. |
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Jim Stauffer imparts valuable lessons that you can start implementing tomorrow.
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As the new kids on the block, landscape distributors are forging a new path to success in our industry. Proven innovations are critical for managing inventory, margins and a competitive marketplace. ANLA's Knowledge Center is your only source dedicated to the business of LANDSCAPE distribution where inventory is seasonal, perishable and stocked in a yard, not on shelves in a warehouse.
| READ: Jason Bader says variety may not be the spice of life when duplicate product lines are eroding your profits. |
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Carrying duplicative similar products may help give the customer exactly what they want, but can erode your profits. Jason Bader**MORE**
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| READ: Scott Benfield crunches the numbers to discover when discounting drops below your profitable floor. |
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A strategic approach to retaining profitability when discounting.
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| READ: Scott Stratman takes you through the steps to get the information you need from your inventory and sales management system. |
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Your inventory and sales management system may be more powerful than you know. Learn how to maximize its potential and**MORE**
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| WATCH: Mark Brinsky redirects his marketing dollars online with dramatic impact. |
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Moon Nurseries replaced their print catalog with a brand new Web site. Mark Brinsky explains why, and what the benefits**MORE**
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Through their exceptional commitment to ANLA’s educational programming, two companies have become founding members of ANLA’s Premier Partner’s Circle. Novalis and AM Leonard believe that providing you access to education and knowledge, makes you a stronger company, a better customer and builds a solid future for our industry. ANLA encourages you to support those companies who underwrite your success. Take a moment to find out more about our Premier Partners.
