Jody Shilan

With 2010 almost upon us, I'm sure you're doing what most landscape contractors are doing this time of year. Thinking about where you are going to celebrate New Year's Eve.

After that though, it's time to get down to business and think about what you can do to stabilize, improve and grow your company. It's the same exercise you do every year and typically with limited success. You have great ideas about what you want to change, systems you want to develop or improve and new markets you want to expand into. The problem is that you have not developed a strategy or plan of how to achieve them and chances are you're going to do the same thing this year and throw all of your ideas out the window as soon as spring arrives. I am not saying this to bum you out or to be negative. Quite the contrary, I'm just telling you something that you already know, and giving you the opportunity to finally do something differently this year.

If you've been receiving my Trade Secrets for the last four months or joined as a member, you should have started to realize the value in participating in a membership only website. Unlike newsletters or "e-zines" that send out generic information with no specific details about how to achieve them, FromDesign2Build.com gives you fresh ideas along with a way to successfully implement them. We are a community of like-minded landscape design/build contractors who realize that it is much more valuable to help each other, and share ideas, than it is to treat each other like they are the competition. The reality is that none of us have large networks of people that understand what we do, what we need or who can really help us.

Instead of wasting your time trying to come up with new ideas on your own, why not post a question on the forum and ask other landscape contractors about their thoughts and experiences. Maybe someone has already tried one of your ideas and can help you avoid some of the mistakes they made. Or they could have a better idea that they want to share with you. In this new economy and age of technology and information, there is absolutely no reason why you should go it alone any longer.

With about joining us during our weekly "Coffee Break" where we have a live chat about a new topic each week and discuss problems or opportunities in real time. The discussions are always relevant and the topics are always focused on you, design build contractor. You can even shoot me an e-mail about something that is important to you and I will make it the topic of our next "Coffee Break". No problem.

If you've thought about hiring a consultant or business coach, which could cost up to $1500 a day, why not consider calling me during my "Open Office Hours", where we can talk one-on-one about what you would like to achieve. The opportunities are endless and it is included in your price of membership. So why not join FromDesign2Build.com now and finally help yourself and your business this year. It's really a lot of fun. You'll be amazed to see how quickly you can develop a network of professionals who share your passion for this industry and really want to help you succeed.

Happy New Year to all of you can look forward to chatting with you in 2010.

Thanks!