This industry has changed so much ...

Tom Simmons

President

American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD)

If anyone told me 30 years ago that I would be President of an International Floral Association, I would have said “Are you crazy? I think you have been in the sun too long!” But now, I am the President of the American Institute of Floral Designers, with over 1300 members worldwide.

One reason that was so strange to me, I only worked in a retail flower shop as a hobby and to earn extra cash. Thirty years ago, I was an Industrial Engineer, who excelled in math. To relieve the pressure of that job, I looked for an outlet to “express myself”. My only floral experience up until then was as a part-time “transportation engineer” better known as a delivery driver during my early college days. After about 8 years in the Engineering field, I soon realized I needed a change. So I started to work in a local retail flower shop full time and the rest is history.

I immersed myself into this new career and did everything possible to attend local seminars and educational programs relating to the floral industry. I read everything I could find on the art of floral design, from text and research books to magazines published by the wire service companies. I was determined to excel in my new career and be successful at it. So in order to succeed, I researched further and discovered national programs showcasing talents from around the world who seemed to have it all.

I attended my first National Symposium in Washington, DC in 1983. I was in awe of the creativity and the knowledge so many were willing to share at this annual meeting. The commraderie between the Symposium presenters, committees, staff and attendees was remarkable. Everyone was acting as one big, happy family. At that point, I knew I wanted to belong to this wonderful group. So in 1984 I was inducted as a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers.

The American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) was established in 1965 by a small group of leading floral designers dedicated to recognizing and promoting the art of floral design as a professional career. Today, it is the floral industry’s leading non-profit organization committed to establishing and maintaining higher standards in professional design. AIFD and its members are in the forefront of the industry presenting educational and design programs.

After many years of Regional involvement of AIFD, I was asked to run for a National Board position as the representative from the South West Region. As a National Board member, you become an active participant for developing programs and policies that set the high standards in floral design with a primary focus of education for all floral designers. Another aspect of our organization which is important to me is our dedication to market our members to the consumers. Through many regional and national shows, we constantly showcase the talents of our membership.

I am thrilled beyond words to be part of this extraordinary organization. Becoming President has been one of the highlights of my life, one that I am very honored and humbled by. This industry has changed so much since those early days of me driving around in a delivery truck. I feel very fortunate to be part of some of those changes. One thing that hasn’t changed is the beauty of the product we work with and the friendship we all share.

May you live in interesting times.

John A. Trax Jr.
Northwest Nursery Buyers Association
Rhododendron, Oregon
2007 President of Garden Centers of America (GCA)

When I was asked to write for the TPIE blog I decided the time had come to actually find out what the heck a blog is. Now, I’m fairly technology savvy and have worked with computers and the whole internet thing most of my adult life. But I really didn’t have an answer to “What is a blog?” This led to a search of the online encyclopedia, http://www.wikipedia.org/, where I discovered way more about blogs than I really wanted to know.

This led to the realization that I am not as up to date on technology as I thought I was. Which led to more thinking on the nature of change itself. This eventually led to my brain hurting. One conclusion I reached is that every generation has felt itself to be “on top of things” until our kids show us how antiquated we really are. As an example I offered to write down some directions for #2 son, (the one still in college). This was met with a blank stare, then the comment, “You mean like in actual handwriting?” I offered to type them up in Word and print it out for him. “But that will just waste paper, why don’t you just text me?” “Text you? Like on that little keyboard on my new phone?”

We don’t speak the same language but that doesn’t mean we don’t both want the same things. He buys flowers for his girlfriend, he likes to help plant in the garden, he appreciates a good landscape or that African violet that just bloomed on the windowsill. The fundamental wants and needs do not change but the details do. When I needed to buy flowers I used something called the Yellow Pages, a big book with yellow pages in it - you may have heard of it. When #2 son needs to find a florist he uses something called Live Search (http://www.live.com/) on his phone which shows him the closest florist, their phone number and shows him a map and gives turn by turn directions to it.

If you need to communicate with someone who speaks a different language you hire a translator. Maybe we should have a generational translator in our marketing departments?

Everyday in the news we are bombarded by dire statements of how change will destroy our businesses. Immigration reform, tax law changes, new environmental regulations, global warming, declining economy, increasing competition and a whole list of other things. But if you looked at a newspaper from 1950 or 1960 or 1970 you would, with minor changes, find all of those issues being raised as contributing to the imminent demise of the world as we know it. We have all been taught since childhood that the only constant is change, but we always forget that when it comes to our everyday lives.

I have often heard the ancient Chinese proverb “May you live in interesting times.” This proverb has been described as both a blessing and a curse depending on whether you like life to be boring and predictable or well, interesting. Thinking I would demonstrate my new found technological abilities and name the actual Chinese author in my blog I checked my new friend Wikipedia. However, what I found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_you_live_in_interesting_times was rather disappointing since it states that the earliest known reference to this “Chinese proverb” is in a 1950 science fiction magazine.

We do live in interesting times, and as the proverb implies, that is a two edged sword, so deal with it.

I Miss TPIE

David Liu
President
Foliage Design Systems
Orlando, Florida

Since I moved to the Orlando area about 12 years ago it seems that I keep missing the show and events at TPIE in spite of being almost there. I have meetings at local hotels and visit nurseries but last year the closest I got to the Convention Center was dropping my good friend Mike Lewis off before heading back up the Turnpike for some perceived priority. I actually dropped him off a block or two away such were the conditions of traffic. Later I learned that had I drove just a little closer, I would have seen several of my great, lifelong friends from this industry, (Blondie and Gary Bower amongst them) and that may have swayed my decision to stay just a little bit longer. Besides, the fish just where not biting back up in Orlando.

I miss TPIE. After skipping a couple of years, I can never seem to lay out a “design” as creatively as it should be. Wandering around TPIE with all the colors and plant varieties, new and old , helps me keep writing proposals for months to come. I love to visit old friends without whom I probably would have lost a good part of interest some time ago. I love the TOOLS! Pruners, sprayers you name it. Bill Lyon of Plant Tech can always be relied upon to come out with some new gadget. And although I will likely never need a potting machine or a Blue Comet 400,000 BTU gas heater I can stare at them until the salesperson thinks I am a good mark. New pesticides are perhaps my favorite thing as “not cool “ as that seems, and in particular the ones that reek havoc on mealy bugs, scales, mites, and gnats. Last year, Valent’s Safari and before that Tetrasan -- two of the most effective chemicals on the market for my money, and the environment is not at risk. Running concurrently with TPIE are some of the most meaningful educational tracts that our industry has to offer, and countless private affairs (can you say party?)!

The National Foliage Foundation will host its annual get together and you may be surprised to find out what important research has been funded and who in our industry over the years had been assisted by the Foundation’s scholarship program. Finally you never know who you’ll see at dinner at Mark’s Los Olas. This year I’m not going to miss it.

Adding an L

Lloyd Singleton
Landscape Manager

The Breakers Palm Beach

I am partial to the letter L. As the youngest of five siblings, I followed Lynnette, Lorene, Leah, and Larry. My parents named me Lloyd, with a double L. I also like the L in Landscape. I’m a landscape guy, and have earned my living managing some pretty incredible landscapes for about 9 years now.

Not too long ago, our fabulous association added the letter L. FNGA became FNGLA, adding Landscape to the name. To me, it is an indicator of the forwarding thinking orientation of our association, recognizing the interrelatedness and synergy of multiple segments of the green industry.

I attended TPIE this past weekend, and was amazed at the beauty of the show. Even as primarily a landscape guy, I was inspired. The booths, the show entrance, the variety of vendors, and the global nature of the show were energizing. Old friends, new contacts, established products, and innovations were all in one location, with a common passion. I am very glad that a landscape guy was welcome and embraced at a tropical plant exhibition. I’m glad we added that L to our name.

We hear a lot about sustainability these days. Frankly, any thinking person has got to realize that a move toward sustainability in every aspect of our lives is critical to our survival as the human species on this planet. As the green industry, we are central to the sustainability movement. Nature at it’s best. We should take the lead. It may mean embracing partnerships with other industries, adding more L’s.

Think big with me for a moment. What does our future hold? Is it a 10 acre growing range shaded with photovoltaic film selling 3000kW to the local power grid? Is it a landscape maintenance contractor partnering with the local greasy spoon to convert used vegetable oil to biodiesel to power her trucks and equipment? Perhaps the resort complex grounds and stewarding departments combine vegetable scraps and landscape debris in a vermiculture facility yielding soil-enriching castings.

Let’s join together, open our arms and lead our industry to even greater things. And always be willing to add an L.

Looking Back

Edward Traynor
John Mini Distinctive Landscapes
Congers, NY

In preparing to go to Florida this year, I came across an old notepad from my first buying trip to Florida back in1977 ….thirty years ago.
I visited a dozen nurseries: Hoffman, Costa, Kraft, Michaels, Tropical Ornamentals, East Marsh, Super Brothers, National, Berneckers, Leaf Nursery, Hoaks, Okomo
If you don’t recognize a few names, that’s because they don’t exist anymore. Across the bottom of the notepad were scrawled four items:

• Find at least 1 new potential plant supplier
• Learn about the Industry
• Meet people
• Have fun

And so that is what I did, that year and almost every year since.

Typically, I would go to Florida and TPIE for 3-4 days every January.
It was always a break from the New York weather and a nice ending to the hectic Holiday Decorating and Takedown epic.
Rules that I came to live by:

1. Always take pictures (Nurseries started to look similar by day 2)
2. Never say anything bad about anybody (Growers are like a big family and everyone will know what you said the next day)

Best Memories

• Joe’s Stone Crab – compliments of National Nurseries
• Drinking beer at 10:00A.M. looking at 200 gal. triple ficus at Hoffman’s
• Staying out late with George Patterson (City Gardens/Okomo)
• Getting advice from Dave Fell(Kraft)
• Costa Nursery buyers trips (Dominican Republic / Key West)
• Jimmy Connata’s Wedding
• Learning about Florida with Bill Lyden
• Looking at Big Trees with Lynn(East Marsh)
• Shooting the potato launcher with Bob McQuillan
• Having lunch with Bruce Jenson
• Having a cocktail with Gerry Leider.
• Having dinner with Debbie and Laurie
• Comparing notes with Fred Briese
• Talking about New Jerseys Tropic Greenhouses with the Cialone brothers.
• Having dinner with Don and Suzanne(Sunshine Tropical Foliage)

And so I decided to pack the old notebook with the four familiar items highlighted

• Find at least 1 new potential plant supplier
• Learn about the Industry
• Meet people
• Have fun

Hope to see you at TPIE !

It's a green world

Ralph Null, AFID
Design Concepts
Columbus, MS

It's a green world and we can't get enough of it. The advance of green and its influence is seen everywhere. The race for different, more exciting plants with a new or different shade of green is the opportunity to spur significant sales. Plants are a natural to supply this commanding need in society for a green world and abounding opportunities exist. But, as a designer, I am often perplexed by the amount of energy spent by some of my colleagues deciding if these greens "go together".
"God didn't make any clashing colors" is a mantra that I have lived by when making choices for combinations whether it was a garden design, interior plantscape, container garden, or floral design. Appropriate combinations are less about the "clashing of greens" and more about the proper proportionate relationships of the combination. Too many differences lead to confusion and disjointed unity within the total composition.
Many of the new colors of today's plants which create excitement would have been dismissed yesterday as chlorotic, ugly and totally worthless in the commercial marketplace. Today, the excitement of gray, blue-green, rust, chartreuse, yellow, burgundy, near black, speckled, mottled, pubescent, wooly, variegated, segmented, mosaic, and plain green is abundant. Wow! What a wonderful palate from which to work! Bring on the green!

Marketing is VITAL

Steve Miller
The Aventure LLC.
http://www.theadventure.com/

As we roll into the end of 2006, I've been thinking about what big stuff I learned and observed while consulting and speaking across the US.
My list grows, but one top observation regarding almost every organization I've consulted and spent time with, large and small, nonprofit and for-profit, (heck, even my country club) stands out above the rest - the lack of REGULAR, ONGOING, DAILY MARKETING ACTIVITY.
When meeting a new prospect for the first time I always ask, "What do you DO exactly?" The answer repeatedly comes back in some form like:
* We publish books for the Christian marketplace.
* We develop solutions for radiologists.
* We do landscaping.
* We design and manufacture garage doors.
* We create and manage trade shows for the XYZ industry.
The fact is, these answers are not the primary business for these organizations. The correct answers would be:
* We market books that we publish for the Christian marketplace.
* We market solutions that we develop for radiologists.
* We market our landscaping services.
* We market garage doors that we design and manufacture.
* We market trade shows that we create and manage for the XYZ industry.
This is not just semantics we're talking about here. This is important. Filling the funnel of future customers should be Job One of every organization every single day. Peter Drucker said the purpose of business is to create a customer and the first function is marketing. I would go a step farther and say the purpose of business is to create and maintain long-term, profitable relationships.
Yet almost all of us fall into the daily trap of confusing busyness with effectiveness. Our To-Do lists, voicemail, and email overflow with items marked "Urgent!" We dutifully tend to these tasks that, more often than not, have nothing to do with creating new business. The Tyranny of the Urgent, it's called.
It's cliché to say there's a big difference between something that's Urgent and something that's Vital. Of course we know that something Vital is more important than something Urgent. But the truth is, we get done what we think we should get done, and something marked "Urgent" sounds, well, urgent. Isn't it interesting that we don't have a button on our email or voicemail marked "Vital?"
What's the answer? It's a lot easier than you might think. Tomorrow morning when you start your work day, don't even look at your To-Do list for the first hour. Invest that first hour on the Vital task of Marketing. Call two prospects and two current customers. Clip out an interesting article and send it to your top ten prospects with a note, "Thought you'd find this interesting." Begin writing a whitepaper. Add an entry to that blog you've been meaning to start. Do something that markets your products or services.
Make that first hour your daily Marketing Hour. Fill that funnel. Nurture a new relationship. And be vicious with that time. Don't let somebody take that away from you with something they think is Urgent. Remember what Drucker said.
Marketing is VITAL.

Why Volunteer?

Gary Mangum
Bell Nursey
Burtsonville, MD

In any industry there are those who volunteer their time to help the broader industry – and those who choose to focus more intently on their own business and personal endeavors. I’d like to suggest that each of us has some time inherently available that we can “give back” to the industry that helps us put food on the table – and brings joy to so many.

I owe just about everything that I’ve been able to achieve personally and professionally to the foundation provided by my parents. I was not a great student, and did plenty while growing up to skirt nearly every rule I could. My parents worked hard to teach us a strong work ethic and instill positive values that I only fully appreciated after they were both gone.

One of the things I learned from my father was the importance of participating in organizations that could help his young retail floral, and later tropical plant business grow and prosper. At the same time he was developing business contacts through committee work and leadership positions with Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, Izaak Walton and others. He spent countless hours helping United Way and the Salvation Army. I clearly remember him saying that these efforts would each provide future dividends, and those conversations four decades ago were the first time I ever heard anything about “giving back to the community”

I don’t think there is anything more important in business than the relationships that we develop, and in many cases the enduring friendships that come as a result. In 1988, I started spending serious volunteer time in the start up effort that took the NASA research findings about plants and clean air, and made them available to the public. During the media tour that was part of the early effort, I was exposed to a buyer from the Home Depot (Vince Naab), in NYC, that I didn’t know was in the audience. A number of years later, he visited our greenhouses at the suggestion of a mutual industry friend, Mike Rimland – and today we’re doing very serious sales with Home Depot as a direct result of those entirely unrelated contacts. I often wonder if we as a company had not been a believer in volunteer work in industry organizations – would we have ever gotten onto Home Depot’s radar. Had Home Depot not supported industry events, they might have missed out on a good thing as well.

Organizations that benefit all of us personally and professionally deserve meaningful support. Finances, dues, PAC support, and outright contributions, are clearly important – but people capital in my mind is critical – and in short supply. Too often we see and hear the same names involved in organizations – sometimes for decades. These “givers” would all welcome new talent in their ranks – and depending on your willingness, maybe it’s you.

It’s amazing how few people raise their hands and say – I can help. I would challenge anyone reading this to examine your own situation – and see if there aren’t a few hours a month you can carve out to give back to the community. Whether that giving is expressed monetarily or through personal efforts I’m not sure it matters. I really do believe what my father said – and I can tell you that from my own perspective, the personal and professional rewards have been well beyond any investment myself and my partner have made.

Garden Center Survival Myth #1: “Our Future Depends On Attracting A New Generation of Shoppers”

Robert Hendrickson
Managing Director
The Garden Center Group
Baltimore, MD

I think I’ll call it the “LDG Approach To Business” short for “Life-Preserver Desperation Grab” which is the attempt to stay afloat by following whatever topic the industry seems to be peddling. Several years ago all the talk was about branding. But that band-aid short circuited when overly-aggressive vendors took control of the process focusing their attention on branding their own companies or products and lazy retailers did nothing more than throw up a bunch of posters. Then it was experiential retailing where every store was going to become a mini-Disney until people found out that would mean spending time and money on something other than products, mainly facilities and staffing. Then it was loyalty programs that ended up being nothing more than a new way to give away margins to the very people that were already spending the most money. And that doesn’t even include the long forgotten life-preservers called Christmas shops, water garden departments and garden gift products, which were later renamed garden decor when the first stuff didn’t sell. Gardening as a lifestyle is now competing for attention with the next industry Titanic... generational marketing. You know the drill... boomers are a dying breed of old geezers that somehow must be quickly replaced with one or more of the next alphabet generations. “Quick! Throw me a preserver! The industry says our only hope is to attract a brand new generation of people that could care less about us now. What’s a blog?! How do you pod cast?! Is that some type of fishing pole?”
For companies going down for the last time... sorry... there’s no magical ring for you to grab to stay afloat. The best companies in any industry, including the very best garden centers, know that no one element or demographic target is capable of producing long-term success. For them it’s always the on-going process of continual improvement that will position their companies as marketplace leaders. They don’t just get a toe wet on the shore... if something is available that could help their company grow... it’s full steam ahead... damn the torpedoes! Visit winning retailers like Best Buy and Whole Foods. Notice anything? Their stores attract people of all ages because they’re great places to shop for any age. Work on becoming a truly great company and exciting place to shop. The next generation will find us when they’re ready.