Landscape Management, October 2012

BUSINESSPLANNER2013 Work effectively with your spouse Roger McCarthy and Sue McCarthy met in 2003 got married in 2004 and started working together soon afterward when Sue temporarily joined Rogers business McCarthys Landscaping Irrigation after being laid off from an environmental services company Eight years later shes still there And shes been an integral part of the 15 year old West Boylston Mass frms growth The couple has learned working together isnt always easy but it can be rewarding They offer some tips for other Green Industry husband wife teams Marisa Palmieri She says by roger mccarthy sue mccarthy Im ItalIan So the most challenging thing for me is to remember hes the boss Its our future its our retirement so I do have a lot of input but its Rogers company Our OffIce Is 500 feet frOm Our hOuse We look out our back window and theres the building trucks and trailers It got to the point where we were talking about work all the time so we put some rules into place While Im making dinner well talk about the workday Once dinners on the table its over In the beginning it was tough to wait to talk about things until tomorrow It took about two years from when I started working with him before we got to that point We were trying to improve and get systems in place so there was a lot to talk about Once we were on an even keel we said This cant be our life all the time We never WOrk On a sunday and rarely On saturdays It took a lot to separate ourselves but once we did it was better for us as a couple But its still hard even for me Once we went away for the weekend and I said What do you want to do with that invoice He said Well talk about it Monday And I said Yes we will I have One sOn Hes 27 Hes worked for the company since 2004 Last year he got into a motorcycle accident He hasnt been able to work for over a year It put everything into perspective We hope hell be able to come back next season yOuve gOt tO Watch each Others stress level Roger had a heart attack at 41 years old He doesnt smoke Doesnt eat bad It was all stress related After that he went from working 90 hours a week to maybe 70 We had started not talking about work at home around the same time Sometimes he has a lot on his plate He keeps it all on his plate instead of asking for help I have to say Stop Take a breath And what can I take off your plate LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET OCTOBER 2012 74 He says Its challengIng tO separate church and state We work together We live together We spend a lot of time together make sure yOu separate yOur tasks Set up job descriptions for each person so they know what theyre going to do and dont step on each others toes The frst couple years Sue joined it was crazy for me to let go of everything and try not to micromanage her not worry about what she was going to do and how it was going to be done Id been doing all the invoicing billing setting my own appointments and sometimes back then I was in the feld too I knew my life would get easier but having done it for so long with my way of doing it it was tough to let her take over certain things shes alWays gOt my back I can walk away and not worry that shes going to let things slip through the cracks She proved it and my guys proved themselves back in 2006 when I had a heart attack and I was removed completely for a few weeks and part time for a few weeks I worried about things because its just who I am to worry but the customers really didnt even know I was out unless someone told them We try tO enjOy each Other We dont work on Sundays We really limit our Saturdays Even for our employees Saturdays are strictly a rain day Allowing your employees to have two day weekends theyll work harder for you Monday through Friday yOur relatIOnshIp has tO be strOng OutsIde Of WOrk because WOrk WOnt make It strOng If you dont have a strong relationship emotionally spiritually or however you defne it working together wont make it stronger It will drive it apart There are so many pressures on meeting expectations customers fnancial institutions payroll You know the old saying When money troubles walk through the door love fies out the window Its the same in a business LM