This month marks my one-year anniversary with Landscape Management. And if you had asked me before my first day on the job to predict where I’d be 12 months into my new journey, I’m pretty sure my answer would have been about as accurate as my picks were for March Madness (translation: not accurate at all).
Now, don’t read any negativity or pessimism into that statement. My move from one part of the green industry — golf course management — into another — landscaping and lawn care — has been one of the highlights of my professional career. It’s energized me at a point in my career when I needed energizing. It’s introduced me to a host of great people at a wonderful new company. And it’s given me a whole new NBA team to root for (let’s go, Cavs!).
It’s been a year of learning, of meeting tons of new people and immersing myself in an exciting new industry. But — and you knew there was a “but” coming — if you thought 12 months was enough time to learn everything, meet everyone and become fully immersed in every facet of this great, complex business … well, you’d be sadly mistaken.
There are days when I feel like I have a pretty good handle on what’s important to landscape pros, what makes them tick and how that all translates to the content we provide in the pages of LM, on the magazine’s website and through our social media channels. On those days, I feel like I can talk the talk and walk the walk.
Then, of course, there’s the rest of the time where, if I’m being honest, I’m pretty much just faking it. I’m reminded of football coaches who tell players to act like they’ve been there before when they score a touchdown. I’m definitely trying to act like I’ve been here before, even though I’ve never actually been here before.
Thankfully, I’ve got some awesome teammates at LM who have rarely acted annoyed when I ask a stupid question. I’ve developed a small but trustworthy network of landscapers who have been happy to lend a helping hand to this rookie. And I feel like the magazine’s stable of regular contributors — industry veterans, each one of them — have had my back throughout, always willing to teach, counsel and encourage.
So, what has stood out about this industry and the people in it during my first full year on the job? First and foremost, it’s clear this is a healthy, vibrant and growing industry. That doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges to overcome, but as our recent state of the industry report and the annual LM150 rankings (the 2025 version will debut in June LM) demonstrate, this is an industry on the rise, and there are few signs those positive trends won’t continue.
Second, it’s easy to see that the people in this industry give as freely as they take. Whether it’s in the peer groups that have become such a part of the landscaping business or through one-on-one interactions, you care as much about helping your colleagues succeed as you do about growing your own business. Even in the most competitive of situations, where practices like that seem counterintuitive, you still help each other.
Finally, your passion and commitment to improving yourself through continuing education set this industry apart. I was used to that from my days in golf, where superintendents are notorious for being lifelong learners, so I was gratified to see so many turn out for LM’s education sessions at Equip Exposition, pack classrooms during Elevate and log on for webinars hosted by industry suppliers and vendors.
I know I still have a lot to learn about the landscaping and lawn care industry and those who have dedicated their lives to it. But I couldn’t be more grateful to those who have welcomed me into that industry over the last year, and if those first 12 months are any indication, I can’t wait to see what the future will bring.
