Hardscape North America 2019 is over… it is the highlight of the year for me, and it is something I look forward to for months. The weeks leading up to the hardscape show always seems to be a big rush of prepping everything for the show and tying up loose ends in our installation company.
Take-Aways From The Hardscape Show
As an exhibitor, I don’t get much time to walk the show or look into the seminars. This was my 4th year at Hardscape North America, so I usually try to give my staff more time to walk the show and sit in some of the key seminars. I was able, however, to sit in the keynote address by “Waldo” Waldman. He was speaking on teamwork, and here’s some key takeaways for me from that seminar:
#1. Never fly solo. It is always good to have a “wingman” covering your back and make sure you’re covering his. It’s too hard to run a business alone… trust me, I’ve had periods where I had no “wingman”. It’s not fun! Having a person you can rely on and trust will take a big weight off of your shoulders.
#2. Never fear doing what you love. Fear can and will cripple and paralyze you if you allow it too. Use your passion to drive yourself past your fears. Having the fearless mindset will take you a long way. Is your passion greater than your fears? If so, what fear is stopping you from advancing you and your company?
#3. Commitment. Commit to excellence. Don’t settle for less. Commit to your mission. Are you mission ready? Be confident, mentor your team so they are mission ready. And last but not least, commit to your team. When everyone is commited to the job, the operation will be much smoother.
#4. The boss may be the best family the employee has. We live in a broken world with hurting people… be the best boss/manager you can be. There is no reason you should make someone’s life harder than it already is. You have no idea what difference you may be making in the lives of your workers.
#5. Be approachable and coachable. There is always something new to learn out there, and being close minded will not get you far. Learn from others so you can share that information with someone else.
Can your team tell you about your weak areas? Are you willing to learn from them?
It’s All About the People
I’ve been in the green industry all my life. It’s my passion. But over the last 5-8 years, I’ve learned how much relationships matter. It’s about people. I’ve tried to emphasize “It’s about people!” in everything I do. I want the suppliers and clients of my landscape & hardscape design/build company to see it. When I teach a silica safety course or an ICPI/NCMA installer course, I want the class to feel it.
When someone buys a Dust Killer system, I want them to know we built it because we cared about the workers on our crew.
sign up for training eventsI’m amazed, humbled, grateful… for all the wonderful connections I’ve made in this wonderful industry. I couldn’t walk down an aisle at the hardscape show without someone stopping me to talk. Asking for advice, sharing tips, or just saying hi.
For me, the best part of Hardscape North America is the chance to enjoy hanging out with my crew and renewing all the connections in the trade.
Here are a few photos we took during the hardscape show:
