Landscaping is a Pretty Cool Job

Landscaping is a pretty cool job if you think about it. Our office is outside for the most part, in the fresh air and sunshine. We get to be creative and solve problems. Landscapers are basically artists who paint with living materials. Who blends natural beauty with curated functionality. Our work touches the senses. You can smell it, touch it, feel it, and taste it.

Some of us love it so much we devote our entire lives to it. We hone it as a craft, give it years of our lives, and in the process, many of us decide to start our own landscaping companies.

It’s a great feeling, seeing your name on those fresh-pressed company t-shirts. Having homeowners gush about your work when your team finally finishes off that landscaping project they’ve been dreaming about for years. You made it possible. You made it happen.

But business ownership brings problems. One common problem faced by many of today’s...

As of writing this, the Mexican consulate announced they will be closing on March 18th with no reopening date in sight. I’ve heard mixed information from people who are boots on the ground with other reputable sources that say they may still process after that or up until the 25th, however no one is certain. 

Even companies who received an A or B position in the H-2B lottery, may be back on the same level playing field as the companies who weren’t so lucky or didn’t apply at all.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and the one that I see for this is that the unemployment rate in the United States is going up. Restaurants and bars are closing in several states and these bartenders and servers will be seeking new employment. Actors and people in the entertainment business are also looking for work. And students that may be off school and doing online classes are wanting to fill their "time off" making money.

I think the lesson here is keep some marketing money...

 Startup is Easy, Growing is Hard 

Chances are, when you first started your landscaping company, you knew everybody’s name. 

The team was small and tight-knit. You knew each person’s life story, their likes and dislikes, maybe even the names of all their kids. You’d shake hands with everyone on a regular basis, and the overall vibe of the company was more like a family than like a corporation.

If your company has grown rapidly, though, you may be experiencing some challenges.

You might not get to see everyone every day any more. You may no longer be the one in charge of hiring or onboarding new team members. And the warm, authentic personal connections—the human element that made your company such a great place to work in the beginning—may be starting to fade.

Don’t Let Growth Challenges Sink Your Company…  

If you let yourself get complacent about your employees’ morale, you’ll find it’s...

^{This blog post written by Kelly was originally published as a guest post on Landscape Management Magazine's website. http://landscapemanagement.net/guest-post-recruit-high-level-candidates-on-linkedin-through-your-personal-brand/} 

LinkedIn is the world's largest professional networking site with over 530 million users, making it the go-to social media for job seekers and job recruiters.

If you’re looking for management candidates to help you grow your landscaping business, LinkedIn a great place to create new relationships.  Here’s a hint - it’s not just about posting jobs. These candidates probably aren’t actively seeking a new job because they’re already employed.  Use these tips to stand out and get their attention. 

Your Public Profile Essentials

No matter how long you’ve been using LinkedIn, take a good look at your public profile. This is the first thing potential recruits...

For over 30 years, employers throughout the United States have utilized the government issued H-2B program.  As seasonal businesses, this temporary work visa program fixed a problem of finding enthusiastic workers who are able to work according to weather constraints and/or periods of increased demand.

The Rise and Fall of the H-2B Program

The success of the program quickly caught on and hundreds of employers were benefiting from employing legal immigrant workers during the active growing season; later waving goodbye as they went home to spend time with their families while our work was slow.  

At its peak in 2008, nearly 95,000 visas were issued from the Department of Homeland Security.  

But, whether we saw it or not, the H2B program came with a cost.

And not just following the intricate job posting rules, or jumping through legal hoops in a timely fashion, or paying fees that increased each year.

The biggest cost, was that without realizing it, we abandoned all...

Jerry Schill

Schill Grounds Management, Ohio 

Jerry Schill is the owner of Schill Landscape Management a full-service Landscape Maintenance and Snow and Ice removal contractor providing services to Commercial, Industrial, Apartment, Retail, and HOA across Northern Ohio.

Company Expansion & Growth Without Pains 

He’s a mover & shaker in the Green Industry and this winter, Jerry’s top priority is successfully moving into his new location. They have 2 big branches and 2 satellite locations. The new office will be the largest branch for the team.

He laughingly admits he “over-did it” as he told me about how the ½ acre building is jam packed with a huge formal meeting room, a training center addition, full kitchen, and a robust fenced-in parking lot.

They found, purchased and closed on the property all within 30 days. Like you, I was wondering how he’s keeping his head on straight.

“We’re blessed to have our...

RECENTLY I WROTE AN ARTICLE ABOUT SURVIVING MAJOR H-2B DELAYS AND HOW WE FOUND EMPLOYEES TO WORK FOR US JUST 8 DAYS BEFORE LAWN MOWING SEASON STARTED LAST YEAR.
 
One of the steps we took that has really paid off was to make sure that our website is appealing not only to customers, but also to prospective employees.

It’s baffling how many people miss this one important step for recruiting. Ours is not a perfect example and we’re always learning new things when it comes to digital marketing, but so this has worked for us!

HERE ARE TWO WAYS THAT WE’VE USED OUR WEBSITE TO ATTRACT MORE EMPLOYEES:

1. Posting job descriptions – posting the jobs that you have available is a great way to get job seekers to visit and stay on your site. They can learn more about your company and the possibilities they have when joining your team.

*BONUS TIP*  Who said they had to be in English? Cater to the Spanish-speaking demographic by...

FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, OUR FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY HAS APPLIED FOR OVER 40 WORKERS TO TRAVEL FROM TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO TO ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI ON TEMPORARY 9 MONTH WORK VISAS TO PERFORM LAWN CARE AND LANDSCAPING SERVICES FOR OUR CLIENTS.

Over the winter we jump through a few government hoops, pay a bunch of fees, send out renewals to our clients, plow for a few snow events, and vacation in the tropics with NALP.  When spring time comes, the Mexican employees arrive and it’s off to the races!  We get busy completing massive amounts of work and clients are happy. It requires minimal quality oversight because the same men have been coming each year and know our properties and training. We throw a goodbye party in November to say thank you and then the cycle repeats itself. 

For 20 years this process has repeated and our company has grown and experienced huge successes serving nearly 1,000 clients.  Until 2015.  

• 2015 was the year that our help didn’t...