When I was 21 years old, my company was closing in on $400k in revenue. While there was no social media back then, people still talked. At one point, another landscaper in town spread the rumor that I came from money and that my dad was backing my business. His point was that if he had that kind of backing, he could be where I was, too.
It’s kind of beside the point for me to defend myself here, but in case you’re wondering, my parents were never in a position to back my business financially. I certainly did have some advantages, but that wasn’t one of them.
So, back to my point: I think we can all learn more and get further when we celebrate the success of others instead of criticizing, tearing down or assuming they may have a leg up that we don’t have. Let’s see what they’re doing and if we can learn something from their approach.
Through my work at The Grow Group, I’ve met many young, impressive entrepreneurs who have outpaced my own metrics. I also work alongside many talented young people at Grunder Landscaping Co (GLC).
Here’s what I see them doing that’s making them successful:
They don’t shy away from hard work
This proves true generation after generation. Sometimes, there isn’t a shortcut available; the only way forward is to just muscle through it. It’s not easy, and success is usually not linear. From the outside, it may look like, “Oh, things always just work out for them,” but the truth is usually that they make things work out.
They try new things
Whenever I spend time around young people, I’m inspired by their openness to new ideas and willingness to learn. As we get older, we get more stuck in our ways, which can be a trap. Seeing new ideas and trying new things is something we all should be constantly doing, even if some of the ideas don’t work.
They have the right attitude
On my own team, the most successful team members are the ones who have the right attitude. Brent, who will be our top salesperson this year at GLC, started out in production. We moved him from production leadership into a sales role several years ago. From watching the way he works, I can tell you the secrets to his success:
- He loves what he does. He is so passionate about plants and making properties look their best, it’s contagious and it leads to sales.
- He does what’s needed. He comes in early so that he can leave early to make it to his kids’ sports games and takes great care of our clients. He writes more thank you notes than anyone else on our team (except me) and it shows in his sales numbers.
He beat my record for company sales, and I learned a lot from working alongside him.
If you’re young and trying to make your business work: so many of us have been exactly where you are. You have so much potential, and I see the hard work happening to get your business going. If you’d like to share your progress, I’d love it if you emailed us at grow@growgroupinc.com or sent us a DM on Instagram (@growgroup_)!
And if you’re, shall we say, “experienced,” like me, let’s do our part to pass on the wisdom that the generation before us shared. Let’s look for ways to learn from the young people around us, and let’s be the type of mentors we would’ve wanted.
P.S. We have trips set up to tour my facility at Grunder Landscaping Co. this fall. See how we’ve set up our yard and shop and learn from my team and me!