Visit any library or online bookstore and search for the word “leadership” and you’ll discover a mindboggling amount of texts written on the subject of being a “good leader”. Whether you’re leading a Fortune 500 Company, a retail store, a greenhouse or garden center, a local sports team, a classroom, a political office or even a…
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“Your customer doesn’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Damon Richards We all hope the products (and even services) we purchase after a great deal of consideration will not lead to disappointment or inconvenience on our part. While companies can certainly strive for excellence, perfection is an impossibility.…
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“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Albert Camus According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the summer of 2018 is now tied with the summer of 1934 as being the fourth hottest on record in the United States. For much of the nation, the arrival of fall has been a welcomed change…
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Members of the horticultural industry are viewed as stewards to the plants, trees and shrubs we all have the good fortune to encounter on a daily basis. In fact, many growers entered the horticultural profession for not only their love of nature, but the ability to create and support something for the good of the…
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Did you ever stop and wonder why some retailers offer coffee and sweet confections as you enter the store? Why others burn scented candles that smell like clean cotton, freshly baked sugar cookies or cinnamon? And certainly, there must be a reason why those velvety-soft chenille throws always seem to be prominently displayed at arm’s…
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“The trouble with weather forecasting is that it’s right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it.” Patrick Young For growers and garden centers across the horticultural industry, weather is a continual stressor to this seasonal business. For generations, we’ve trusted the Farmer’s Almanac (and a furry little…
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While many would brand the horticulture industry as a big business, the reality is horticulture is more of an art and a science in producing, marketing and using high-value cultivated plants. Comprised of annuals, perennials, edibles and ornamentals, these plants may be part of a bigger business, but their benefits to society are great –…
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At a conference in 2010, Sheryl Sandberg, the Chief Operating Officer at Facebook, told a diverse crowd, “Email – I can’t imagine life without it – is probably going away.” Fast forward eight years and email is still alive and well – and to the surprise of many, still a viable and preferable marketing tool…
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If you’re looking to bring your plants full circle with an eco-friendly solution composed of 100% environmentally sustainable products, look no further. The HC Companies has the solution. EcoGrow containers are designed with the needs of growers, retailers and gardeners in mind – satisfying everyone’s desire to make an environmental impact whenever possible. Benefits include:…
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Visual merchandising. While you might not know what it means by definition, you’ve certainly been influenced by it. Retailers, big-box stores and even restaurants have a firm understanding of what visual merchandising is, and its potential as a “silent salesperson” with customers. In short, visual merchandising combines some basic marketing principles, industry trends, product knowledge…
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