Landscape Management, October 2012

HEADQUARTERS 1360 EAST 9TH ST SUITE 1070 CLEVELAND OH 44114 EDITORIAL STAFF Editorial Director Marty Whitford 216 706 3766 mwhitford@ northcoastmedia net Editor Marisa Palmieri 216 706 3764 mpalmieri@ northcoastmedia net Senior Editor Beth Geraci 216 706 3756 bgeraci@ northcoastmedia net Contributing Editors Heather Jamie Gooch 330 723 3539 heather@ goochandgooch com jamie@ goochandgooch com Art Director Carrie Parkhill Wallace 216 706 3780 cwallace@ northcoastmedia net ADVERTISING STAFF Publisher Jason DeSarle 216 706 3758 Fax 216 706 3712 jdesarle@ northcoastmedia net North American Sales Manager Craig MacGregor 216 706 3787 Fax 216 706 3712 cmacgregor@ northcoastmedia net National Accounts Manager Ric Abernethy 216 706 3723 Fax 216 706 3712 rabernethy@ northcoastmedia net Account Executive Classifieds Kelli Velasquez 216 706 3767 Fax 216 706 3712 kvelasquez@ northcoastmedia net BUSINESS STAFF Vice President Sales Patrick Roberts 216 706 3736 Fax 216 706 3712 proberts@ northcoastmedia net Administrative Coordinator Petra Turko 216 706 3768 pturko@ northcoastmedia net Marketing Manager Ryan Bockmuller 216 706 3772 Fax 216 706 3712 rbockmuller@ northcoastmedia net Manager Production Services Debbie Parker 216 978 9622 dparker@ northcoastmedia net Senior Audience Development Manager Antoinette Sanchez Perkins 216 706 3750 asanchez perkins@ northcoastmedia net MARKETING MAGAZINE SERVICES Reprints Permissions Nick Iademarko 877 652 5295 niademarko@ wrightsmedia com Circulation List Rental Antoinette Sanchez Perkins 216 706 3750 asanchez perkins@ northcoastmedia net Subscriber Customer Service 847 763 4942 For current single copy back issues or CD ROM CORPORATE OFFICERS President CEO Kevin Stoltman 216 706 3740 kstoltman@ northcoastmedia net VP of Finance Operations Steve Galperin 216 706 3705 sgalperin@ northcoastmedia net VP of Graphic Design Production Pete Seltzer 216 706 3737 pseltzer@ northcoastmedia net EDITORSNOTE MARISA PALMIERI EDITOR Contact Marisa at 216 706 3764 or via email at mpalmieri@ northcoastmedia net Dont wing it Y ouve heard them all right Failing to plan is planning to fail Plans are useless planning is indispensable Plan your work and work your plan Theyre clichés but I like them Unfortunately we all know liking a motivational quote doesnt mean you always live by its tenets I have to confess Im not enthused by the planning process like columnist Bruce Wilson is The power of planning page 14 But I know Bruce is right when he says plans can be road maps to success and great tools for tracking performance and improvement And I do love the feeling of having a plan in place especially when I know how Im going to tackle the tasks before me It was with that in mind that we devised the how to theme for this years annual Business Planner edition of Landscape Management Strategic long range plans are vital but sometimes you also need practical planning tips Often these ideas can be as simple as having a protocol in place or having the proper mindset for how youll handle a given situation Thats what we have for you here starting on page 19 Twentyone industry insiders share how to prepare for and deal with many business limiting challenges Consultant and former ValleyCrest exec Bill Arman shares the importance of scripting how an employee termination will go so it doesnt come back to bite you How to fre an employee page 46 LM columnist Kevin Kehoe offers an example of a company that grew in 2012 by making some predictions about labor costs gas prices interest rates and internal processes and laying out how it would deal with them throughout the year Its a must read as you get ready for 2013 See How to prepare for next year on page 34 Contractors Roger and Sue McCarthy share their key to a successful business and marriage having a plan for when they talk about work and when they dont How to work effectively with your spouse page 50 The common denominator among these and the 18 other expertwritten how to stories in this issue Dont wing it and hope things turn out well Plan to succeed Let this issue of Landscape Management be your guide Strategic plans are vital but sometimes you also need pratical planning tips LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET OCTOBER 2012 4