Design Build Revolution

A 2010 Strategy that Shows
Your Value, Part 1
Long gone are the days of when clients said, “Here is X amount of dollars – do whatever you want with it to make it look good.” Now, you have to prove your value to clients. Does your process do this?

We have heard the new expression that Mike Sidlowski used in our last month’s newsletter, which he calls “The New Normal” of doing business. Personally, I feel that this “new normal” is how I’ve approached my profession for the past 35 years. I’m talking about bringing true value to the client.

I have watched this industry slam landscape work in the ground with whatever was in the “client’s budget.” Too often, I’ve wondered — was there really a plan that addressed the client’s needs, the architecture of the structure, what is appropriate for the site and community, while giving the client the best value in your services for their investment? ...

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Learning From the “Big” Guys
We’re in the same industry as the big guys, but our experiences are a lot different. And that can be good …

Gary recently attended PLANET’s Green Industry Conference in Louisville, KY, a national event bringing together landscape professionals from all over. Experienced and new contractors come together for seminars, meetings, social networking and more, in conjunction with the GIE + EXPO trade show.

One of the keynote events this year was a high-level panel discussion featuring the CEOs of some of the landscape industry’s largest companies, ranging from $1.4 billion in revenues to $50 million ...

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Meet a Design/Build Revolutionary: James Parker

Profile: James Parker, Owner, Pleasant Landscapes, Isle of Palms, SC

Employees: 30-40 Employees in peak season

Mix: 60% Landscape Maintenance, 40% Design/Build

Years in Landscape Business: 18

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What's New
at the Kinman Institute

New Class Schedule
Upcoming Kinman Institute classes will focus on “Creative Design & Materials,” and will be held January 28 and 29, and February 25 and 26, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio.

“Gucci Look” Landscapes
Gary Kinman will be highlighting the “Gucci Look” in landscape and how to transform your design/build business to become a signature business during the CENTS Show in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday, January 27. Plan now to attend CENTS, which is one of the largest regional landscape-focused shows in the country, then join us for our seminar on January 28 and 29.

For more information on any Kinman Institute program, contact us by email: cynthia@kinmaninstitute.com, phone: 614-764-8733, or website: www.kinmaninstitute.com.

Past Articles

Check out these articles from previous issues of Design Build Revolution.

• Create Your Own “Gucci” Landscapes

• Design Solutions: A High-Value, Small-Space Landscape

• Construction Notebook: The Real Costs of Site Work

• Manipulating the Eye 2: Using Patterns & Directions

• Don’t Cut Back on Training!

• Manipulating the Eye 1: The Power of Lines in Design

• A New Angle on Pavers

• Inspiration is Everywhere

• Challenge Yourself to Design Better

• The Value of Networking, and Why We Should Network with ‘True’ Peers