Management
The importance of treating garden center customers as guests
A few fundamental questions for you to ponder: Are you selling plants or providing solutions and fulfilling the needs and expectations of your customers? Are you in a transactional mindset, selling one plant at a... more »
Bring on the dragons
You may not realize it, but the story of your business — of any small business — is an epic one. It is a story about taking magnificent risks for elusive rewards, about shouldering burdens,... more »
Beyond the brick and mortar: A race for revenue and relevance
In Simon Sinek’s book “Start With Why,” he addresses the “Law of Diffusion of Innovation.” It’s a fancy way of saying there is a wide range of decision-making for IGCs who want to leap into... more »
What’s your focus: How to differentiate the vital from the trivial in your business
Productivity isn’t necessarily about how many things you get done every day, but rather how many of the right things — the things that add the most value to your customers and your business —... more »
Reaching new customers — while keeping the current ones
As an industry, we were blessed during the pandemic when our sales and profits exploded, thanks to both existing customers who were flush with cash and more leisure time, and an estimated 16+ million new... more »
Navigating workforce issues between generations
As a 1985 baby, I fall into two categories: millennial and Generation X. This didn’t seem like much of a concern as I was entering the workforce. I recall being grouped as “entitled and lazy”... more »
Laying the technology foundation for future growth
As a smaller company, it’s difficult to keep up with technology, especially since delivering these experiences seems to require spending big. However, by partnering with the right technology companies and being creative with implementing them... more »
Tips for identifying your staff’s top talents
A few years ago, I worked with a garden center owner on a strategic repositioning and, since it was their fiscal year end, they were in the process of giving annual performance reviews to their... more »
Steps for Improving Your Business
Winters get pretty dang cold in my home state of Minnesota. Whether you’re a transplant to the state as I am, or you're native born, the winters are long, and you have to make a... more »
New Nonprofit to Provide Grants and Resources to Independent Retailers
Heart on Main Street is a newly formed non-profit organization focused on four main pillars to help independent retailers thrive: financial grants, education, mentorships, and partnerships. “Independent retailers are the heart and soul of our... more »
What’s Trending With Home Gardeners
Garden Media Group owner Katie Dubow had been actively avoiding one of the trends featured in her company’s latest Garden Trends Report — but she encourages garden centers not to do so. “The TikTok trend... more »
Preventing Theft in Your Garden Center
When a customer comes into your garden center, they most likely look at, touch, feel, and sometimes smell or taste the products. With customers getting so up close and personal with your merchandise, how do... more »
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