S p e c i a l E x p a n d e d E d i t i o n

J a n u a ry - F eb ru a r y 2 0 1 3 N ew s l et t er

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LandOpt Continues Focus on Network Growth - Two New Contractors Added

1

A Message From Tim Smith: It’s Time to Turn Up the Heat

2

2013 Principals Meeting and Success Celebration Recap

4

Warming Up With Winter Training Events 8

Network Award Winners 10

In Every Issue...

Upcoming Critical Dates 1

Network Success 2

NETWORK NEWSNETWORK NEWS

LandOpt Continues Focus on Network Growth LandOpt Continues Focus on Network Growth –– Two New Contractors AddedTwo New Contractors Added

Upcoming Critical Dates Upcoming Critical Dates Training and Events Webcasts

Mar. 5-7: Account Manager Boot Camp

Apr. 2-4: Con Ed - The Recruiting Process

Mar. 14: Preparing For Spring

Mar. 28: Wrapping Up Winter

Apr. 11: The Recruiting Process

Apr. 25: Direct Mail and Newsletter Marketing

The first two of months of 2013 have been anything but quiet! One of the things keeping the LandOpt team busy was the growth of the LandOpt Contractor Network, which continues with the addition of two new license locations. CGreen Landscape Irrigation (Dallas, Texas) and Boreal Property Management (Jackson Hole, Wyoming) are now Powered by LandOpt Contractors.

Founded in 1980 by owner Chuck Green as an irrigation and drainage company, CGreen Landscape Irrigation is a full-service landscape company that provides a complete spectrum of grounds management services for commercial & residential properties in the Collin, Denton, Rockwall and Dallas County areas. CGreen becomes the second LandOpt Contractor in the Dallas market, along with Arlington-based Baldi Gardens who joined the contractor network in November 2012.

According to Chuck, “LandOpt will make it possible for me to fulfill my vision for the company in a way that I may have not been able to do on my own.” Of his reasons for joining the LandOpt Contractor Network, the owner continued, “They provide sustainable systems and processes that are critical for growing the business, keeping clients happy and providing a career path for employees.”

Set against the backdrop of the Teton mountain range, Jackson Hole-based Boreal Property Management is owned and operated by Mike and Kellie Wheeler. Boreal is a full-service property care company with an exclusive client base primarily located within a small, well-defined radius in the resort community. In addition to traditional landscape design & maintenance services, irrigation, hardscapes, water features, and winter services, the company also provides property management services.

As far as the Boreal team is concerned, both Kellie and Mike welcome the structure it will provide. “Our team is excited, and we all understand that this will provide guidelines to ensure success – creating a true path forward for everyone,” Mike shared. To their customers, it shows “a commitment to the quality care that we provide, and a continued focus on raising that bar and improving the small company service that they currently enjoy,” he noted. LandOpt also factors into the company’s long-term growth plans. “The LandOpt System will help us to manage our planned growth, ensuring that we remain on-track without sacrificing quality,” stated Mike.

(continued on page 2)

P a g e 2 J a n u a ry/ F eb r u a ry 2 0 1 3

Wow! This year is off to a fast and furious start and it’s hard to believe that we’re closing in on the end of the first quarter already.

There have been so many highlights in the past two months, one of which was January’s annual Principals Meeting and Success Celebration. I truly enjoyed getting to spend time with our Principals and Sales Professionals at the annual meeting in Clearwater Beach. During that event, I had the opportunity to share with everyone a short video, “212°: The Extra Degree.” The core message of the video focused on the fact that, at 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, water boils. The difference is marginal – just one degree – but it's that extra degree that produces steam, and with it, the power that elevates good to great. In many ways, 212 degrees is the definition of success. Certainly all of the award winners recognized at our event – everyone from the Million Dollar Club inductees

to the Contractor and Rookie Contractor of the Year to our Sales Professionals of the Year – understand what it takes to apply that extra degree to achieve extraordinary results. For that reason, it was a true pleasure to turn over the microphone to these folks on the second day of our meeting so that they could share with the entire group some of the practices and habits they employ on a daily basis to set themselves up for success.

But it’s not simply our award winners who can or should strive for a 212 degree performance day in and day out. That extra degree is something we can all apply, every day. Just imagine the possibilities for yourself and your team. As a sales professional, maybe it’s making that one extra cold call every day, which will result in five additional calls each week. As an account manager, maybe it’s dedicating an extra 30 minutes each day to focus on updating CRM data or scheduling CARE calls. As a business owner, it might be taking that extra time each week to revisit your strategic plan and communicate directly with key leaders on your team about progress and roadblocks. In whatever form it might manifest itself, that extra degree is about YOU focusing your efforts and striving to reach beyond what is already your best. By challenging yourself to stretch, you are moving beyond great and doing what it takes to become outstanding.

But make no mistake: this is not simply about being “aware” of what you need to do to reach new heights. In fact, 212 degree awareness comes with a responsibility to act. Realize that you – and you alone – are responsible for your results. Every single member of the LandOpt Contractor Network, regardless of role, responsibility or tenure, has it within them to achieve the results that can take them beyond their wildest expectations. Personally, I have complete faith and unwavering confidence in your ability to summon that extra degree necessary to reach beyond your goals. Do you have the same faith and confidence in yourself? How about if we collectively turn up the heat in the Network and make this a year to remember?

Network Success!Network Success!

LandOpt Continues Focus on Network Growth (cont’d. from page 1)

A Message From Tim Smith, LandOpt President & CEO It’s Time to Turn Up the Heat

Adding a pair of new contractors within the first two months of 2013 is an auspicious start for our growing Network. Is this an indicator of the Network’s growth for the year ahead? LandOpt President & CEO Tim Smith thinks so. “Awareness of the LandOpt Contractor Network grew significantly in 2012 along with interest by many companies just like CGreen and Boreal who are committed to finding ways to streamline their processes, improve their systems and ensure continued profitability. Our Network has the potential to double in size by this time next year.”

We’re pleased to add CGreen Landscape Irrigation and Boreal Property Management to the LandOpt Network. Please join us in making them feel welcome!

(COVER): Tim Smith and Success Coach Mark Borrasso presented Mike Wheeler of Boreal Property Management with his License Certificate during February’s Transformation Training. (ABOVE): Chuck Green met with Mark Borrasso before gathering his team for the CGreen kickoff.

Be sure to save the date: Operations Field Day has been scheduled for July 30 – Aug. 1 and will be hosted this year by Mountain View Landscapes & Lawncare in Chicopee, Mass. Look for more details to come in April!

For those of you looking for ideas to get your spring marketing programs underway, be sure to check the Sales Professionals group on Chatter – lots of great direct mail examples have been shared.

LandOpt took prospecting to the trade show aisles in January and February, attending both the CENTS tradeshow (hosted by the Ohio Landscape & Nursery Association) in Columbus, and New England Grows! in Boston. A big thank you goes out to ProScape’s Luke Henry, American Beauty’s Roger Myers, Mountain View’s Steve Corrigan and Belknap’s Hayden McLaughlin for spending time with us in the booth and representing the Network. Your ability to connect with your peers and share your LandOpt experience is invaluable.

February marked an important milestone for one LandOpt team member, as Success Coach Steven Bach celebrated three years with the company. Congratulations Steve, and thanks for all that you do!

Trace Lawn & Landscape also took the time to recognize some team member milestones at the outset of the new year. Doug Sanner, Ann Warner and Art Delp all celebrated five years with the company. Here’s to many more years of valued service!

It looks as if the team at Southern Scape has taken the concept of continuous recruiting to a whole new level – new “team member” William Reed Shaw was welcomed into the world by proud parents Greg and Kim Shaw and big sister Maddie on Feb. 25. Congrats to the Shaw family!

Sales within the Network are off to a strong start for the year – CRM shows that Charley Criswell, Heather Sanford and Rebekah Oman have all recorded some significant maintenance sales. Nice work, folks! Net new sales within the LandOpt Network currently stand at $1.75M.

J a n u a ry/ F eb r u a ry 2 0 1 3 P a g e 3

Warming Up With Winter Training Events

January and February have been busy months for the LandOpt Success Coaches.

In January, we hosted Sales Rep Boot Camp at our Pittsburgh training facility. Representing 12 Network Contractors, 15 sales professionals and 2 owners attended the class to arm themselves with the knowledge and tools needed to boost company revenue and meet or surpass personal sales goals.

In mid-February, LandOpt hosted the largest Transformation Training class ever. The class of 28 included new hires from around the Network, team members from our newest contractors, and even the newest member of the LandOpt team!

Sales Rep Boot Camp: January 8-10, 2013

Transformation Training, February 12-15, 2013

(TOP ROW, L-R): Boot Camp trainees set up and prepare for the first day of class; During a break in the action, this year’s Rookie Sales Pro Mary Bloome (Buckhead TurfCare) and Southern Scape’s new rep, Stuart Tate, discuss the LandOpt Sales Process; When David Silliman (Team Lewis) had a question, Success Coach Steven Bach was right there with an answer! (BOTTOM): The Sales Rep Boot Camp Class of 2013!

(L-R): Tim Smith kicked off the session with an explanation of how a LandOpt Contractor’s service mix differs from a typical contractor’s; Steven Bach explained to the group the purpose of Transformation Training and what each attendee could expect to gain from it; Equipped with plenty of coffee and water, the extra large class looked ready to take on Day 1 of this four-day course.

P a g e 4 Ja n u a r y/ F eb ru a r y 2 0 1 3

A group of nearly 80 Network Principals and Sales Professionals, LandOpt board and team members, and guests attended the second annual Principals Meeting and Success Celebration, held at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Once everyone had arrived and settled in on Monday evening, the event kicked off with the awards banquet, during which we recognized the most impressive sales achievements from 2012. On Tuesday morning, the group gathered near the pool area to hear advice from the previous night’s award winners, which preceded the teambuilding event: building and racing boats! Despite the unseasonably cool temperatures and relentless wind, the teams pulled together to craft some seaworthy (and some not-so-seaworthy!) vessels for the big competition. Thanks to the heated pool and a long overdue appearance by the sun, the boat races were great fun for participants and spectators alike. Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning were reserved for the Principals Meeting portion of the event, during which Network Principals interacted with LandOpt executives in roundtable sessions that focused on the designated key areas: Open Discussion with LandOpt President & CEO Tim Smith, Sales, Success Coaching/Operations Management, and Marketing/Branding. The small group format allowed for meaningful discussion that not only provided feedback on current programs and plans, but also provided some valuable input on departmental goals, programs in development and Network needs.

Enjoy our pictorial recap of the Principals Meeting and Success Celebration on pages 4-7. More photos from the event can be viewed at and downloaded from our Shutterfly share site.

2013 Principals Meeting and Success Celebration Recap January 21-23, 2013

TOP: The Sheraton Sand Key Resort served as our little slice of (chilly) tropical paradise for the event. BOTTOM: When the whole gang hit the beach for a group photo, it was immediately clear how much the Network had grown since last year’s meeting. We look forward to an even larger group in 2014!

J a n u a ry/ F eb r u a ry 2 0 1 3 P a g e 5

TOP ROW: Teri McGuinness’s smiling face was the first many of our guests encountered at the check-in table; Tim Smith officially kicked off the event with a welcome address; Event attendees mingled and munched during the pre-awards banquet cocktail hour. SECOND ROW: Lindsey Henry (ProScape Lawn & Landscape Services) may have found a great babysitter in “Uncle” Dan Eichenlaub!; The beach breeze helped the LandOpt Team achieve that fashionable “windswept” look for their group photo. THIRD ROW: Team members from Buckhead Turfcare, Carolina Creations, Home & Turf, and Mountain View Landscapes and Lawncare got to know each other a bit better during dinner; Jake Silvis and Brian Trace shared a tender moment!; Jay Nurney was glued to the LandOpt Yearbook! BOTTOM ROW: David Silliman of Team Lewis Landscaping seemed right at home with the Miller Landscape gang: Mara and Bob Miller, Rebekah Oman and Chuck Harkins; April Smith, Kathy Miller and Lilliana Baldi took time out for a little “female bonding!”

J a n u a ry/ F eb r u a ry 2 0 1 3 P a g e 6

TOP ROW: Tuesday morning kicked off with an address from Monday night’s award winners; Seth Lewis and Barry Burkholder got some professional guidance on the boat building challenge. SECOND ROW: The boat building teams began strategizing; Team WaterOpt proudly presented their hot pink pontoon; David Silliman (Team Lewis), Jason Dengler (Wildwood Landscape), Jason Hollway (Mountain View), Ryan Johnson (Eichenlaub, Inc.) and Bob Miller (Miller Landscape) put their best voices forward for the team cheer competition. THIRD ROW: At race time, some captains went down with their ships (David Silliman and Eichenlaub’s Kevin Prall), while others (Home & Turf’s Robbie Shackelford, LandOpt’s David Gallagher and Baldi Gardens’ Ricardo Baldi) kept their teams’ hopes afloat. BOTTOM ROW: After losing the final heat, David Gallagher and Jake Silvis (Silvis Group) engaged in a little unsportsmanlike conduct!; The crew of the HMS Sexy Lady sailed off with the Best Team Cheer prize; Team L7, led by Captain Robbie Shackelford, emerged victorious in the boat race.

J a n u a ry/ F eb r u a ry 2 0 1 3 P a g e 7

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Andrew Dickson kicked off the Principals Meeting portion of the event with a presentation on product development plans for 2013; LandOpt’s Steven Bach led the discussion at the Sales roundtable. SECOND ROW: A beautiful sunset provided the perfect backdrop for our Tuesday evening Principals Dinner; LandOpt board member George Fechter addressed the crowd; Jeremy Durgan (Green Earth Landscape Services) enjoyed George’s speech alongside investor Larry Kelly and board member Buddy Kelly. THIRD ROW: Cut Above Landscaping’s Darren Morford and Jim Finley swapped stories with Burkholder Brothers’ Barry and Mark Burkholder; Andrea Arnold planted a kiss on husband David Arnold (Corion Landscape Management); Becky Broderick (LandOpt), Jay Nurney (Nurney Landscape & Design), Lori Bonham (LandOpt) and Greg Shaw (Southern Scape) showed off their luau spirit. BOTTOM ROW: Bubbles brought out the kids in Jay Nurney and Mountain View’s Steve Corrigan; As the night wore on, several people were bitten by the dancing bug, including Bill and Kathy Miller, and Hayden McLaughlin (Belknap Landscape Company) and Lori Bonham; Bob Miller reviewed LandOpt’s 2012 Yearbook.

650 Smithfield Street • Suite 1000 • Pittsburgh, PA 15222

412.567.4328 412.253.6072 www.landopt.com info@landopt.com

Network Award Winners

We’d like to offer congratulations to those companies and individuals who were recognized at the Principals Meeting and Success Celebration for their impressive achievements in 2011. We can’t wait to see what 2012 brings!

Business Transformation

LandOpt helps to transform your business

by focusing on our four pillars of success.

LandOpt empowers a select group of highly qualified, regionally-based landscape contractors with a powerful portfolio of business systems to dramatically improve

their growth, profitability and productivity.

The LandOpt team facilitates the transformation of landscape contractors by providing the best in class technology, along with proven business processes and systems.

LandOpt enables Network Licensees to efficiently utilize these systems to increase growth, profitability, and productivity in their businesses.

Intensive coaching, followed with a continuing education curriculum,

ensures the success of the Licensees. Training sessions pass along

proven business practices in business management, financial planning,

marketing & sales, operations and more. Coaching establishes a

partnership between LandOpt and the Licensee, which builds a

growing, successful business relationship.

The LandOpt Network of Licensees is a powerful resource in developing

new relationships with peers in the green industry. The expanding

network cultivates a growth of business experience and knowledge.

LandOpt continually measures and monitors the results gathered

from each Licensee location to evaluate the effectiveness of the

LandOpt systems and ensure success.

Be proud to be a member of the Powered by LandOpt Network.

SALES PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Anthony Smith Eichenlaub, Inc.

Runner Up: John Cascio, Trace Lawn & Landscaping

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR Eichenlaub, Inc.

Runner Up: ProScape Lawn & Landscape Services

ROOKIE SALES PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Mary Bloome

Buckhead TurfCare

Runner Up: David Silliman, Team Lewis Landscaping

ROOKIE CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR Southern Scape

Runner Up: Team Lewis Landscaping

LARGEST PROJECT SALE Anthony Smith Eichenlaub, Inc.

Runner Up: Ryan Johnson, Eichenlaub, Inc.

BEST PROJECT SALES VS. PLAN Carolina Creations Landscapes

Runner Up: Miller Landscape

LARGEST RECURRING SALE Charlie Bennett

ProScape Lawn & Landscape Services

Runner Up: John Cascio, Trace Lawn & Landscaping

BEST RECURRING SALES VS. PLAN Eichenlaub, Inc.

Runner Up: ProScape Lawn & Landscape Services

MILLION DOLLAR SALES CLUB Annual recognition for each $1M sold

Anthony Smith Eichenlaub, Inc.

MILLION DOLLAR MAINTENANCE BASE CLUB Annual recognition for each $1M achieved

Cut Above Landscaping Silvis Group ($1 and $2M)

Trace Lawn & Landscaping

(FROM TOP): Dan Eichenlaub, Kevin Prall, Ryan Johnson and Anthony Smith were on hand to accept Eichenlaub’s many awards; Denny Langston and Greg Shaw of Southern Scape proudly displayed their Rookie Contractor award; Charlie Bennett and Mary Bloome showed off their sales trophies. (LEFT): The LandOpt Success Team presented Anthony Smith with his $1M Club certificate. (RIGHT): Congratulations to the newest members of the Million Dollar Maintenance Base Club!