Avoid Extravagance

Written by Peter van Stralen, CEO Sunshine Brands®

Benjamin Franklin coined the phrase “a penny saved is a penny earned”. He was right. At Sunshine Brands we have a principle that helps to remind us daily of this important business concept.

• Sunshine Brands Principle #9 – Avoid Extravagance: “Maximize financial value without sacrificing quality or efficiency. Do more with less.”

Every Team Member should know how their role helps your company earn money so that they can look for ways to work more efficiently. It is equally important that Team Members are aware of ways to save as well. Remember, you pay tax on every dollar you make but you keep every penny you save.

We recently took a business trip to Vancouver for a trade show. As is our practice, we conducted a daily HUDDLE where we recited the Code of CARE as well as our 10 principles. Daily repetition of our principles keeps them top of mind, and so, as we began preparing for the trade show the principle “Avoid Extravagance” kicked in to play.

Here is how it played out:

• The hotels in Vancouver average $250 per night. After a bit of research we found that hotels in North Vancouver average $130 per night. It may have been inconvenient to take the ferry, but savings were $1,080 for the length of trip and we had an awesome view of Downtown.
• Shipping our booth and materials would have cost us $750. Taking the extra luggage ourselves saved $700. It was a minor inconvenience, but a great workout!

We saved at least $3,500 by making a few simple changes to the plan. We were able to make those savings by “maximizing financial value without sacrificing quality or efficiency”.

It is important that you think things through when “avoiding extravagance”; it is easy to go over board. I read an article recently explaining the difference between being frugal and being cheap.

Cheap says: pay the least possible at all costs.

Frugal says: get the best value, without sacrificing quality or efficiency.

In the Landscape Management business, we are faced with purchasing decisions almost daily. For example; “Should I buy the $50,000 truck with all the bells and whistles, or can I produce the same efficiency or quality with a $35,000 truck?” If the answer is “yes”, you just “earned” $15,000 tax free!

Or you might think “Should I buy a coffee maker for my team, and supply free coffee?” If buy a coffee maker, it will cost the company something up front, but I will have more happy, efficient Team Members resulting in more sustainable long term savings.

Another example is thinking: “Should I bother to repair that rust or dent on my vehicle? If I leave it as is, I will save the $2,000 repair costs”. That might seem to be true, but consider the cost of negative marketing you get from driving around in a rusty truck. What is the cost to your corporate image? Cheap says “keep the money in the bank” while Frugal says “repair the vehicle ASAP, but get several estimates to find the best price without sacrificing quality or efficiency”.

Have fun and “avoid extravagance”!

Earth Day

The ten van Stralen brothers were in Toronto’s Queen’s Park today to plant trees in celebration of Earth Day.

Happy Earth Day everybody!

What Exactly is Horticultural Vinegar?

Here at Sunshine Grounds Care, we use the most environmentally conscious practices possible when controlling weeds and other unwanted plant growth. There are some very strong products available on the market that will do the task more easily, but at a greater risk. For this reason, we use only Horticultural Vinegar. Since vinegar is made from natural products, it is an organic herbicide.

Horticultural Vinegar is quite different from the regular vinegar that you’ll find in the kitchen. Cooking vinegar does not contain more than 5% acetic acid, which makes it harmless to weeds for the most part. Horticultural Vinegar contains more acetic acid, which allows it to penetrate into the root system of weeds and kill them.

Horticultural Vinegar will damage grasses and flowers, however, so it must be used cautiously so that there isn’t any collateral damage. Avoid spraying through the weed, or in places when the vinegar may flow downhill after being applied.

You can find Horticultural Vinegars available with different strengths. Remember that since it contains acid, it can be dangerous if handled incorrectly. If you decide to use Horticultural Vinegar, make sure you read the label first.

Planning Out Your Yard

You have grand visions of what your yard could be this summer. Vibrant gardens, neatly edged garden beds, perfectly pruned hedges. But where do you start?

When we start gardening or landscaping, many of us forget the importance of planning ahead. Buying flowers and equipment without taking to time to figure things out first certainly could work out, but who really wants to take that chance?

Make good use of the information available. Internet resources or employees of local garden centers can help you figure out how to fill out your garden. You can talk to grounds care or landscaping service companies as well, if you are looking for the best possible end result.

Take note of the space you have to work with. Plan out where your new landscape features or objects will go. Set a deadline for finishing planting so you don’t keep putting it off. Set a schedule for watering, raking, edging or maintaining your gardens. Remember that spending half-an-hour to construct a good plan now can save you hours of work trying to salvage your garden later on.

Sharpening Mower Blades

The sun is shining and the birds are chirping. Very soon, the lawn mower is going to be roaring too.

Unless you are one of the few who took the time in late autumn to properly perform maintenance on your lawn mower before the winter, you’re going to need to spend a bit of time with your mower before it can deliver that crisp, finely cut lawn you want.

Make sure you have the gas and oil you need to keep your mower running. If you tug your mower out of the garage for the first cut only to realize that you are out of gas, it won’t be a positive start to your grounds care season. If the engine is making strange noises, you’ll be glad that you took the time to make sure some oil was on hand. Check the spark plugs as well.

Now is a good time to sharpen your lawn mower blades as well. This is a job that some of us find easy to put off, but the effect of dull blades can quickly be seen on a lawn. A ragged, uneven cut isn’t the first thing you want to greet visitors to your house with.

There are many different gardening centers and hardware stores that will sharpen your lawn mower blades. Take the time to get it done.

Then sit back, relax and wait for the grass to grow.

Spring into Action

Spring is here again. Is this the year that you are going to finally carry through with those long-withheld plans for renovating your yard?

It might seem like too much of a hassle to update your landscape. Well, it certainly is a lot of work to give your lawn a facelift. If you don’t feel up to the task yourself, there certainly are companies available to help.

But look at it this way, whether or not you do upgrade your property is the choice between spending summer looking out your front window and seeing a patchy lawn and messy gardens, and looking out the window to see a beautifully crafted landscaping paradise!

Your plans don’t have to be massive. Maybe you would rather fix up the gardens this spring, and then try to control the hedges either later this summer or early next year.

Landscaping and gardening can be a lot of work, but it is work that comes with countless benefits. You’ll feel better about your property; you’ll be energized and rejuvenated by the time spent out in the fresh air; your neighbours will certainly comment on your new lawn.

Spring is a time of change. Consider using this time to give your lawn a change for the better.

Backyard Ponds

Have you ever considered a backyard pond? Building your own pond, or having a landscape crew build one for you is something you may never have considered before, but there are many reasons why you might want to take the time to think about it now.

With a vibrant looking design and well-manicured surrounding landscape, a backyard pond adds a touch of beauty to your yard. A pond will attract birds, butterflies and crickets, and can be filled with fish.

It obviously depends on size, but most ponds don’t take very long to make at all. You can do it yourself if you fancy yourself to be a clever landscaper, using a tarp to line the pond and a hose and pump to supply the water. You can also hire a landscaping company to do it for you, and ensure that they do the job professionally and exactly how you want it.

If you haven’t spent any time thinking about what a backyard pond would add to your property, now is the time.