Rise & Shine... It's Day 191 and Week 28 of 2023.

I must admit, this idea of "Plants That Work" has been building for a number of weeks now. Let's stroll back through a few weeks and experiences that helped me craft this message...

On April 13th, our GROUPtalk LIVE Session featured a number of Group Centers that shared their performances year-to-date and ideas that they felt helped them reach their level of success. There were some common threads of ideas shared such as:

We shared details on this GROUPtalk LIVE Session in both the April 17th and April 24th editions of GROUPtalk. Links for both are below for further reading.

And then on June 21st, I had the amazing experience to see three of our Group Centers share their ideas and expertise at the Darwin Perennials Day at Ball Seed. Each of these professionals shared real-world practices that help them make their customers successful.

As I listened to each presentation, I again heard the common threads of ideas. A major thread was...

We present our Customers with Plants That Work – in our area!

This concept is in stark contrast to what is available to consumers at "Big Box" Retailers. Often times we see plants offered there that will not survive where they are being sold. And almost all the time, the customers do not have any Plant Professional to ask for advice.

Seeing our Group Centers sharing Plants That Work takes me back to a time and another experience I have been fortunate to witness. Not just me, but also Tom Kegley – our Group Brand-Building Guru.

Beginning in the early 2000's, Tom Kegley was asked to create the brand Plants That Work. The brand was being created for a group of well-known nurseries that would come together to promote a common brand. This collabroative group would be known as Novalis and was created by Carolina Nurseries, The Conard-Pyle Company, Imperial Nurseries and Willoway Nurseries.

A lot has changed since then. Carolina Nurseries is no longer in business. The Conard-Pyle Company we now know as Star Roses & Plants. Imperial Nurseries is part of Monrovia, who along with Willoway Nurseries are both Partners for Success of The Group today.

Last Friday, I called Tom Kegley to discuss the Plants That Work message and how I was seeing its connections to our Group Centers today. Tom said, "The core message behind the original Plants That Work name is still very relevant today. In fact, even more so when you consider what we are seeing and hearing from Group Centers."

Today, the Plants That Work brand and program is offered through Willoway Nurseries. Danny Gouge, Willoway's Director of Marketing, and Tom Kegley both contributed images for my message here (thanks Danny and Tom).

There are a number of ideas here that each Group Center can use and leverage in your messaging to your audience. The idea behind Plants That Work can be...

Plants for Your Success, Our Recommended Plants for You, Our Favorite Plants for You, and on and on. You can most likely create an even better version to fit your audience. If you are in the Willoway coverage area, you certainly need to be carrying Plants That Work as well. Just like programs such as American Beauties by North Creek Nurseries, and Proven Winners, and many more our Partners for Success and Fall Event Sponsors offer, can help you with this real connection with your customers.

The message is the same... you know best what plants grow and prosper in your climate, your community, and your garden. You see what plants thrive where you live and work every day. What better way to help each customer who walks through your gate than share with them... Plants That Work!

PDF Available: If you would like to see a PDF of the Powerpoint that was shared, containing a number of photos from each of these Centers and bullet points each presents, follow the link below to the blog message.

Sharing is at the heart of The Group and your ideas are very important. If you have any trouble logging into The Group WebSystem, please let me know. Are you and your staff all subscribed to our eLists such as GroupEs, Retail-Grower, Retail-Landscape, Owners-Only, and a number of others including one for Marketing and even Tropicals? Need help subscribing? Let me know so I can show you how you can sign up.

Thanks for sharing!

Danny Summers

danny@thegardencentergroup.com

Tel: 678-909-7770, Cell: 678-761-7145

This full article is also available on The Group Blog: CLICK HERE!

It's time to Register for The Fall Event 2023!

Registration for The Fall Event is now open and you can also reserve your room(s) at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza! Just follow this link to get started.

We'll be Building Bridges at The Fall Event 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio... New this year, The Fall Event will feature two sessions on Monday and Tuesday just for Emerging Leaders! So bring your best and brightest rising stars to Cincy to accelerate their leadership skills. Our speaker lineup and topics will introduce you to new concepts, spark your imagination, and open your mind to new ways of thinking about how you do business every day that can help grow your business!

Attending The Fall Event 2023 can lead to BIG THINGS for you, your team, and your Center! The takeaways will be incredible! Don't delay! Grab your seat today!

Mark Your Calendar – GROUPtalk LIVE Monthly Online Programs

Coming THIS THURSDAY– Beyond Email Newsletters 

Since launching Blue Penguin in 2000, Michael has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Business Week Online, Bloomberg TV, Forbes.com, Inc.com, USA Today, and other national and local media.

He is the author of four books and over the past 20+ years has published more than 500 issues of “The Likeable Expert Gazette,” a twice-monthly email newsletter and podcast with 6,000 passionate subscribers in over 40 countries around the world.

Michael has been with us at The Fall Event in previous years and has also shared during previous GROUPtalk LIVE Sessions. Be with us for this insightful session presented by a sage of storytelling!

Group Centers can watch the recording of the January, February, March, April, and May sessions by logging into The Group WebSystem. You will see this image on the Member Landing Page and that will lead you to the special GROUPtalk LIVE Resource page for all of the 2023 sessions. It now includes:

JAN: Group 101 – Tips and Tricks for Getting the Most from The Group WebSystem

FEB: Operation – A Better Spring 2023

MAR: 2022 P&L Study Reveal

APR: Vision of Spring... Through Group Centers Sharing

May: Developing Your Emerging Bench of Leaders

June: Work Smarter... Group Sharing Leveraging Your GroupSpace

In the coming weeks, watch for more GROUPtalk LIVE topics and the schedule.

If you are heading to Cultivate'23 next weekend, I hope you will sign up to participate in the Retailers' Choice Awards nominations. It happens on Sunday, the first day of the show. You work the show at your own pace and we meet at the end of the day to see what you (and others) have found. You'll get to see and meet other retailers that you may not normally meet. Plus, you will receive the entire recapped list of nominated products to vote on your preferred award winners overnight and to use at the show the next day. There are lots of perks to participating!

Details and signup are below. I hope to see you at Cultivate'23!

And finally, below we share an extremely important message from Sid Raisch. It can have a dramatic effect on your business and your team. Be sure to implement the Declaration of Prosperity Sid created below. And be sure to follow the link to the Blog version to see yet another Sidebar... Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome.

Make it a great week!

Danny

You may not have actually signed a Horticulture Vow of Poverty, but did you sign up for it?

When it comes to the Horticulture Vow of Poverty, some may see it as a joke. But the reality is far from humorous. Sometimes, in the face of tragedy, all we can do is laugh. However, what if there's a way to transform that laughter into a solution?

No one enters horticulture intending to take a vow of poverty but, in essence, that’s what we’ve done. It's an industry known for modest paychecks, a reality that has led to a status quo few people question. Wage inflation is real, yet as the cost of living soars wages in our sector have continued to lag. I recently asked a client about the starting hourly wage of his full-time employees. He answered $18. I asked what the starting wage was 10 years ago. He answered $12. See the problem? Yes, wages in horticulture are rising, but are we making any real progress? What if we did?

We know that careers in horticulture are now more socially acceptable. This doesn’t mean the economic reality of higher costs of living and still low wages in horticulture won’t catch up with us. Should we be asking ourselves, “What if the industry paid more so our people could live just a little better?” Another self-reflecting question, “What have we missed and what are we still missing because of low wages?”

Poverty is a multifaceted challenge affecting people globally. The "cycle of poverty" is a concept that refers to the phenomenon where poor families (and an entire industry), often through generations, remain in poverty. This cycle perpetuates itself due to structural or systemic factors that trap individuals in a loop of poverty. For example, a child born into a poor family may lack access to good education, which reduces their chances of securing a high-paying job. As an adult, they may then have a family of their own, and without significant changes, their children may experience the same limitations, thus continuing the cycle.

This isn't about destitution. This is about an impoverished mentality rather than abject poverty. A phenomenon trapping families in poverty generation after generation, it's fostered by systemic factors such as lack of quality education, job opportunities, and resources, plus inadequate healthcare, crime-ridden neighborhoods, and the stress of poverty itself.

Poverty manifests in various forms, stripping people of their dignity, opportunities, optimism, and hope. It's about a mentality of scarcity, and low expectations seeping into our thinking.

Poverty certainly occurs among our industry individuals, families, and companies. Some of us have been there. Some of our competitors are there. Some of our suppliers are there. Some of our employees are there. With the heightened sense of perceived value consumers are seeing in horticulture, it is time to cash in with prices that better reflect the increased value and disrupt this vicious cycle in all areas and all levels of employment in horticulture.

Another Factor at Play: The Imposter Syndrome - A mindset that undervalues our own worth. It's essential to recognize this tendency, separate feelings from facts, and develop healthy reactions to failures and mistakes. Change the script that triggers imposter feelings, lean on your support networks, and don't hesitate to seek professional help if needed. Celebrate our achievements. Remember, self-doubt is common, but it shouldn't dictate our actions.

To say 'You can't hold a good man down' is to acknowledge that adversity cannot suppress a determined spirit. It's time to rise in our industry, casting aside excuses, blame, stagnation, and wasted time. The horticulture industry, with its vast potential to improve the quality of life of our communities with the economic, and mental and physical health benefits of plants and gardening can and should be a game-changer in this battle. Or do we wait for government to fill the gap with continued subsidy of our sub-par compensation?

Success stories abound. In regions where the Horticulture Declaration of Prosperity has been implemented, communities have seen a marked improvement in income, nutrition, and social cohesion.

A case in point is a small African village. By adopting sustainable horticulture practices, they achieved self-sufficiency, selling surplus produce in local markets. This elevated incomes and enabled investment in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Why haven’t you heard of this? You haven’t heard of this success because the text was generated by my AI assistant. It's not sourced from a specific document or reference but was created in response to my request to write the "Horticulture Declaration of Prosperity - Breaking the Cycle" in the voice of Sid Raisch. The content was synthesized based on the information provided in the original text and is intended to convey the impact and success of implementing the "Horticulture Declaration of Prosperity". As of AI training cut-off in September 2021, there isn't an actual initiative named the "Horticulture Declaration of Prosperity". The passage was crafted purely for illustrative purposes in this context. Yes, it was fabricated for illustration purposes. You weren’t duped, you were given an illustration showing that there is hope in a future we create for ourselves. Who says AI can’t be used constructively to advance our society, our industry, and ourselves?

Breaking the Horticulture Cycle of Poverty: The Horticulture Declaration of PROSPERITY 

The challenges are significant, but the potential for change is immense. Let's convert laughter born out of hardship into triumph. Through the Horticulture Declaration of Prosperity, we're planting the seeds for a prosperous future.

This is a transformative framework to leverage the power of horticulture for the betterment of our industry communities. The horticulture industry, with its vast potential and the power to create sustainable livelihoods, can play a pivotal role in combating poverty. We should begin within. Let's embark on this journey together.

The Horticulture Declaration of Prosperity is a transformative framework that seeks to harness the power of horticulture for the betterment of communities. It focuses on three fundamental pillars: empowerment, innovation, and sustainability.

As horticulture professionals, we understand the value of financial prosperity in achieving business goals and delivering exceptional service to our consumers. We are committed to implementing sound financial practices that balance our financial objectives with ethical and sustainable practices.

We pledge to always assure we are pricing products and services to the full value our consumers perceive to assure we can afford to compensate fully and adequately for the value presented. We will earn sustainable profit as a return on the investment and risk of our owners.

We pledge to invest in the development and training of our teams to assure economic stability. We seek to create a solid foundation for long-term financial growth while maintaining the highest levels of quality and professionalism. We will challenge ourselves to always improve our service to our consumers as well as to each other to earn to our full potential.

We pledge to invest for technology innovation ensuring up to date efficiency and effectiveness of our people and systems.

We pledge to prioritize investment in facilities and equipment for greater safety, comfort, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Date:__________ Signed:_________________________________

Follow the link below to my full Blog Article to also read Overcoming Imposter Syndrome.

Need help with your Declaration of Prosperity? I expect to hear from you. My contact info is below.

Before procrastination or other busyness steals another year from you Text or Call 937-302-0423 or send an email to sid@horticulturaladvantage.com . Or...

This full article is also available on The Group Blog: CLICK HERE!

We have two upcoming options for you to be the judge for our Retailers' Choice Awards™. Cultivate'23 in Columbus, OH on July 16th, and the Farwest'23 Show in Portland, OR on August 23rd. Here's the details:

Join us to participate in the Retailers' Choice Awards™ at Cultivate'23, Sunday, July 16th in Columbus, OH. Being a part of the new product selection team is a fun and productive way for you to find new products. We meet after the General Session on the first show day. You work the show floor at your own pace, and then we meet at the end of the day to compare notes. You get to see what everyone else discovered (and see them yourself the next day on the show floor). This can be a rewarding experience for your Garden Center!

Sign up and receive a special offer for participating... you will receive a special code to access Member Pricing and save $200 on All Access Registration ($20 savings on Expo Only). SIGN UP TODAY and help discover hot new products for 2024!

Join us for the upcoming Retailers' Choice Awards™ at Farwest'23, Wednesday, August 23rd in Portland, OR. Being a part of the new product selection team is a fun and productive way for you to find new products. We meet at 12 noon and you will receive your nomination form. Then work the show floor at your own pace, and meet at the end of the day to compare notes. You get to see what everyone else discovered (and see them yourself the next day on the show floor). This can be a rewarding experience for your Garden Center!

This a special Farwest as they celebrate the 50th Anniversary. Sign up and receive a special offer for participating... you will receive a special code to receive a FREE Show Badge. SIGN UP NOW and help discover hot new products for 2024!

Our Partners for Success recognize the unique nature of the independent garden center operation and are interested in developing methods that can help improve retailer/vendor relationships through open dialog, new product introductions and, when possible, special pricing for Group Clients. We encourage you to reach out to these "Partners" and "Harness the Power of The Group." Follow the links below for more information.

It is pretty easy to tell, we really like Constant Contact. It is the only email marketing system we have used for The Group since the beginning and there's good reason for that. It's the best! Now, our connection with Constant Contact is even closer with our partnership with Constant Contact to help Group Clients save 10 to 25%. Just see what you are paying now and check out the possible savings over the entire year.

Already a Constant Contact Customer? You can transfer your account under The Group's Partnership and SAVE! Ask Danny for details!

A special THANK You to all our Sponsors of The Fall Event 2023.

Unique to this event, Sponsors play an equal role in all programs, meetings and discussion throughout the 4+ days. We succeed and exceed expectations because we collaborate and work together to build our industry and each individual business!

Be sure to visit each Sponsor's website by clicking on each logo below.

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