The Chinese philosopher Confucius is credited with the saying, “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” And while I admit that quoting Confucius in just my fourth column for LM was absolutely not on my bingo card, I have to admit that those words have hit pretty close to home as I’ve settled into my new role with this magazine.
I’ve always considered myself someone who learns best by doing. I think back to my college days and the countless hours I spent inside lecture halls during my work on a degree in mass communication. I picked up a few things from those lectures of course, but given the option to actually go out and write about something for the student newspaper as opposed to listening to a professor talk about that writing process, I’d take the first option every time.
I’ve tried to take a similar approach as I’ve started my tenure at LM. Sure, I’ve read plenty of back issues of the magazine and had conversations with countless landscape contractors, consultants and company reps to get a feel for this industry, the people in it and how they consume information. I’d be doing everyone a disservice if I didn’t do that.
But I think I’ve taken my biggest steps forward in that quest by getting out there and spending time with many of those same people, visiting their facilities and getting up close and personal with the landscape industry. Seeing what you do and how you do it has really flattened my learning curve, and I hope that is coming through in the content you’re reading here.
I took that approach as I worked on this month’s cover story on Scythe Robotics and the autonomous mowing solutions that are slowly becoming part and parcel of the landscaping industry. I referenced this visit in last month’s column, and having the opportunity to spend a day at Scythe’s headquarters in Colorado to see how their product was designed, developed and built, and ultimately how it’s being used in the field increased my knowledge and understanding more than any amount of phone interviews ever could. I think you’ll learn a lot from our exclusive inside look at one of the industry’s real up-and-comers.
I had a similar experience a few weeks after that when LM was lucky enough to snag an invite to the annual meeting of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI). Some of the most important movers and shakers in the business were there, and I felt fortunate to be given the chance to meet many of them for the first time and pick their brains about what makes their businesses and this industry tick.
Speaking of OPEI, the upcoming Equip Exposition will be a great opportunity for those among you who, like me, enjoy learning by doing. Set for Oct. 15-18 in Louisville, Equip might be the single best hands-on opportunity that landscape contractors have to examine the latest and greatest products in the industry, take them for a spin and learn a little bit along the way with a full slate of educational opportunities that include 15 sessions over three days that will be presented by LM in partnership with OPEI.
Similarly, I’d be remiss (and probably get a reprimand in the office) if I didn’t mention the similar opportunities available during the annual LM Growth Summit, which will take place Dec. 9-11 in Orlando. Pairing leading supplier partners with pre-qualified lawn care applicators, the Summit plays right into the wheelhouse of those hands-on learners with one-on-one opportunities that simply aren’t available anywhere else.
As a self-described old dog trying to learn some new tricks in an all-new industry, I can’t tell you how valuable opportunities like these have been for me. I’m grateful that so many have been so willing to share so much with me, and I hope that’s shining through in the pages of this issue of LM.
