Pup of the Week
|  | This week the Bill Foundation Pup of the Week is the super adorable Pomeranian mix, Puck. Puck is only 5 months old but has already experienced neglect and malnutrition. He's better now and living with a foster family. Puck is one of the most affectionate dogs we've met and will love a permanent home, hopefully where there is another small dog.
You can read more about Sinatra and how to adopt him here!
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Thought for the Day
|  | "The most important thing to remember is this: To be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become."
W.E.B. Du Bois
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An Important Historical Note...
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For those of us who enjoy beer, March is a historically important time.
Everyone knows that St. Patrick's Day and beer go together. In this country, people drink green beer, but in Ireland, Stout is the traditional beer of choice for the holiday. In Germany, Bock is the beer for March. There are plenty of myths and legends surrounding the origins of Bock, and one of the most frequently believed is that Bock was traditionally made once a year (in March) when the vats were cleaned. While that story is more legend than fact, it is true that Spring Bock casks were historically tapped on March 19. So, March brings us the celebration of two of the world's most popular types of beer, Stout and Bock. What better way to welcome the arrival of spring? *photo courtesy Caitlinator, via flickr
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Growing Plants & Growing Businesses
Note: Please forgive for inserting photos of some of our plants in this article - we are a bit cramped on space this week.
If your business is at a critical point such as transitioning from one owner to another, or on the cusp of sizable growth, or changing locations, or any other of countless scenarios, you might have thought about hiring a business consultant.
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In an effort to learn more about what consultants can do to help those of us in the horticulture field, we talked to some consultants and a garden center owner who has worked successfully with consultants.
Josh Bracken of Nicholson-Hardie in Dallas, TX, says his company has worked with consultants at different points in the life cycle of the business. When he and his brother took over the day to day running of the company they hired a team of consultants to help make the transition a smooth one, and he feels it was a good decision.
Veteran Business Consultant Joe Calhoon puts it this way: "It can be hard to see the whole picture when you are inside the frame." Sometimes, having an opinion from a trained,
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objective consultant can help you plot the best path forward. For example, if your profits have been level for a few years, and you want to see them grow, it might be a good time to consider hiring a consultant.
Calhoon says there are three big questions a consultant can help you answer, and while they are summarized below, he gives much more detail in his new book, The 1Hour Plan for Growth.
1. Where are you going? In other words, what do you want in the big picture? In your biggest dreams, what does your business look like? It's important to know your destination, so a good consultant will want you to talk about your goals, your hopes and your aspirations.
2. Where are you now? Taking a hard look at your current position can be tough. After all, you are in the midst of day to day problem solving and sometimes the problems you are solving loom larger in the present than they will in the future.
3. How will you get from where you are now to where you want to be? Creating a plan and a strategy that you can work with is really the ultimate goal when you hire a consultant, but this step cannot be reached without answering the first two questions.
While there are times that hiring a consultant can be useful
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and a smart business move, there are other times that you may just need to spend a little more time with your accountant team or seek advice from your management staff.
Josh, of Nicholson-Hardie, and Joe Calhoon, professional consultant, said that the decision to hire a business consultant should have a great deal to do with your goals. If you are happy with the level of growth you are experiencing and your profits are stable, you may not want to grow. However, if you feel things are stagnant and you're stuck a consultant might help you get past whatever is blocking your progress.
We learned much more talking with Josh and Joe, as well as
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a few others. Look for more articles in the coming weeks with their thoughts on consultants who specialize in this industry, as well as specific issues that consultants are particularly good at addressing.
If you have worked with a consultant, or are considering doing so, we'd love to hear about your experience. Send us and email or give us a call at 1-800-672-4964.
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With Every Rose There Is a Thorn....Or a Dog!
Bet you didn't know that we are also contract growers for Weeks Roses. They sell 'em. We grow 'em. They contacted us a few years ago to see if we would be interested in this project. This year we grew about four greenhouses for them to supply to their customers within about a 300 mile radius of Atlanta. They have been great partners to work with and the quality of their stock is impeccable. By the way, our dog Cooper is not impressed. If his attitude doesn't improve real soon, he may be up for adoption as our Pup of the Week. |
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