 Yale Youngblood |
I sorely hope that very few of you are reading this month’s column – this month, anyway. If you aren’t, that likely means you are the midst of enjoying or are preparing to enjoy your best spring yet, one with lots of customers and sales and lovely weather and et al., whatever et al. is. Here’s another sincere wish: I hope you take a moment sometime this spring to thank your lucky stars that you are in the gardening business, because I would suggest you could be in a whole lot of “way worse” somewhere elses. Like Haiti, for example. One of the things I’ve always cherished about my association with this industry is the way the people are so darned real. I joke during talks I give at various industry confabs that if there’s one piece of advice I would impart to someone thinking about starting a garden center it would be this: DON’T DO IT! And then I go on to note that there are few industries over which the principals have so little control. One year’s too hot; the next is too cold. One growing season is too dry. Another is too wet. That's a lot of “too’s,” certainly too too-many for the normal successful business plan. BUT THEN ... I say during those speeches that for all the reasons that beg for a great big “can’t,” nothing says “can do” like the attitude of the folks who continuously battle the elements – and then meet at the post-show wine-and-dines to laugh in the face of adversity. No, you’re tough. And you’re bold. And you’re certainly fun. And, this month – or whatever month it is that you devote to this space and this publication – it is also my hope that you’ll emerge smarter than you were when you first picked up the March issue. Here’s why I think you might: Our cover story, The Ultimate Spring Survival Guide (page 10), has been crafted to help you address a lot of challenges you face each spring. Even if you don’t have a lot of time to read right now – especially because you don’t have a lot of time to read right now – we’ve arranged it in “quick hit” form, the better to get in, get out, get on with the bidness of doin’ bidness. BUT, WAIT, THERE'S MORE! Another “smart maker” we’re touting is the 2010 Breakthrough feature we’re introducing this month on page 22. Here, we'll look at how garden centers can tap the resources – or be the resources – for other industry players, such as flower growers, tree growers and landscapers (the focus this month). In the process, we’re hoping you learn to spell “smart” with a capital $ – at which point we’ll be tempted to say, “Remember, you read it here first!” Even if, technically, you won’t be reading it for a while.  yyoungblood@gie.net |
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