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The re-wholesale side of our business was affected. The big-ticket, deciduous tree sales were significantly down. Return visits of our landscape clients were less. The re-wholesale business was always strong for us in the summer and fall. We plan to offer our landscape design service to the re-wholesale customer. This has been beneficial to everybody. How do you juggle the needs of re-wholesale customers and retail customers?
Product pricing is marked at retail, and the wholesale discounts are managed automatically by the POS system. We ask that the wholesale clients park in the lower area for easier loading. We give both the retail and wholesale clients the same level of service. Last year I re-evaluated our advertising and cut back on programs I should have stopped a few years earlier. We used Constant Contact [e-mail marketing] a lot more. Also, the few magazines that we do advertise in have dropped their rates significantly. How does being surrounded by residential development impact your business?
Our outside lighting is limited. During the busy weekends in spring, we hire a police detail to direct traffic into our limited parking area. Our neighbors and customers appreciate this gesture. How has your florist business done over the past few years? Our floral business has been stagnant. Our florist is extremely talented.
He has become our visual merchandiser and sets up the inside throughout the year. He also consults with clients on how to display our products inside the home, especially in the fall and during the holidays. His many hats are profitable for the business. Our biggest opportunity is also our biggest challenge. It should help us capture new customers and create a larger repeat-customer base. What would you say is unique about your garden center? The setting. Fountains, ponds, magnificent stone walls and a post-and-beam barn grace the property.
Our selection of hard-to-find conifers and Japanese maples delight customers. The Last year, retailers saw plenty of gardening newbies standing in front of seed racks puzzling over packets. Your sales force can reassure customers that there is, indeed, a difference between conventional and organic seeds, and a good reason for the higher price point. Born Organic. Hart Seed Co. Selections cannot contain genetically engineered seeds. We find that people looking to buy organic seeds are really looking for non-genetically-engineered seeds. For seeds to be considered organic, the parent plants must be grown at an organic-certified farm, in organic soil, with only organic-approved inputs fertilizer, pest controls, etc.
They put you through the rigmarole. Cost Considerations. The costs associated with increased oversight and compliance is one reason organic seed sometimes comes at a premium price. And there are always the basic laws of supply and demand. The fact is, some crops are just harder to produce—especially using organic growing methods. The seeds you buy in packets can only have a very small percentage of weeds, so you essentially lose the harvest.
Ultimately, whether or not a customer buys organic seeds depends on how strongly they believe in organic living. Care and cultivation practices after the seed is in the ground should be the biggest concern. For more: The Chas. Botanical Interests; www. Also called GMOs. As I stand near the table recreating the sounds and images of yesterday I see my wife, the vibrant Cinelli, basting the turkey, mixing the dressing, finishing the glorious pumpkin pies and organizing the additions that others have brought to the dinner. She is a remarkable woman who paints and writes poetry as gracefully as she serves up a gourmet dinner, as willingly as she keeps our household running, as artfully as she juggles our finances, as patiently as she keeps her grouchy, unstable husband plunging forward.
Conversations of the day before remain in the room, this pleasant room, and while they vary in content, there remains a compelling toast to those who Occupy Wall Street from Oakland to New York, mounting a velvet revolution against greed, corruption and the ruthless quest for power that has tarnished the very soul of America. I realize as I stand with a cup of coffee in hand considering the glory of family on a day of thanksgiving that we are a cross-section of Americana and our voices are rising to right the wrongs and to bring equality back to a nation off balance.
This is what I have to say today as morning rises over the mountains and the valleys of L. We are a happy people, grateful for what we have but challenging the status quo. Registration, which includes a copy of the full forecast on CD, is required by Dec. To register, mail payments to: Suite 28 Sherman Oaks, CA For information, contact Marian E. Jocz at She earned her B. Coping with the Holidays We know that, particularly at this time of year seniors and family caregivers can feel stressed and depressed for many reasons, including isolation and loneliness, money worries, family discord and memories of holidays past.
View some of the information the City of LA Department of Aging shared with seniors and family caregivers at our "Coping with the Holidays" presentations. It may help someone you know to beat the holiday blues this year. It includes suggestions for inexpensive holiday celebrations, talking to children when money is short, finding ways to combat loneliness and ideas for local volunteerism view flyer.
If the Department of Aging can be of any assistance to you, please do not hesitate to let them know. A triple net lease is only one of many commercial leasing options. In a gross lease, the lessee pays rent while the landlord takes care of everything else. Most people who rent their homes are familiar with the terms of a gross lease, as this type of lease is commonly used for residential properties. In a double net lease, the landlord assumes some of the costs of property upkeep. In a double net lease, landlords commonly cover parking, heating and cooling systems, and the structural integrity of the building.
The triple net lease is sometimes called a true net lease, because the landlord usually has no responsibilities related to building upkeep. For this reason, many commercial landlords favor triple net leasing options. The building can generate a high level of income while the tenant keeps it in good condition, generally making improvements as well. The tenant has many of the advantages of ownership, including control over the property, without the substantial capital investment that a new acquisition represents. A triple net lease can be risky for a landlord.
Some tenants may not be able to pay fees, or may allow the building to fall into disrepair. In extreme cases, a tenant may deliberately damage a building to collect insurance money. For this reason, some triple net leases include a reserve fund. The tenant makes regular payments into the reserve fund, which can be used to cover essential repairs in the event of emergency.
A triple net lease is individualized to the tenant and lessor. The terms of the contract may contain restrictions and stipulations to protect both parties. In some instances, for example, the terms of the lease may include a cap on total property taxes to be paid by the tenant. If the property taxes rise above a certain amount, the landlord will be responsible for covering the remainder. Protections may also be built in to cope with rising insurance rates or unexpected maintenance costs. When considering lease options as a landlord or tenant, the full terms of the lease should always be read before committing.
In the case of a triple net lease, make sure that all the terms are clear and agreed upon by both parties. Consulting a lawyer who specializes in real estate is an excellent idea. Upgrade your job skills. Learn a new trade. Computer tech. For information or to enroll, call: Hughes Edu.
Helen Davis, M. Hire the best CPA you can afford and one that not only understands numbers well, but the issues we are discussing in this book. An entrepreneurial-oriented CPA that understands the needs of a growing business and owner is invaluable — worth the premium! Focus on the long-term After profits, focus everyone on the fact that you are in business for the long haul. Do not be short-term oriented. Business is a marathon, not a sprint. Do what is right, always. Maintain the highest integrity and ethics. Your reputation is everything. Business is about sustaining lifelong relationships with customers, employees, investors, suppliers, advisers, etc.
Repeat business is absolutely critical to the very life force of your company. Do not take shortcuts. To help with this concept, consider the Lifetime Value of your customers. On average, how much profit does a typical customer provide you over the average service life number of years of such a customer?
Once you know this number, you and your employees should think twice about upsetting a customer or losing a customer. This Lifetime Value also validates that you should spend money acquisition cost to attract new customers. As long as you break-even on acquiring a customer and know with certainty that there is considerable back-end or repeat business, it makes sense to spend money on marketing and selling. Invest a little to make a lot!
Focus on having fun And lastly, focus on making business fun. Celebrate worthwhile progress toward your goals. Come up with excuses to praise your team and recognize success. Share the joy. Make coming to work a meaningful and fulfilling event. Empower this person to come up with clever ideas, based on employee feedback, which will put some excitement and fun into the work environment. Never forget, often as important as a paycheck, good employees want to learn and grow, be challenged and rewarded, and fulfill their cravings to be social beings. Make your culture an enjoyable place to work.
Stop trying to play every darn instrument yourself and start conducting the orchestra. Time for a fast refresher. As a strategic business owner, your primary aim should be to develop a self-managing and systemsoriented business that still runs consistently, predictably, smoothly, and profitably while you are not there. You should shape and own the business system and employ competent and caring employees to operate the system. You should document the work of your business so that you can effectively train others to execute the work.
Coupons Green Thumb green thumb coupons ventura Sign up for our newsletter and start saving with our free coupons and Green Thumb Ventura Upcoming Events. Learn what to do and what not to do to grow your business. Well, one is that I probably should find a way to copyright my work. Conduct one-hour business improvement workshops every week. Al Martinez is a Pulitzer Prize winning essayist, author of a dozen books, an Emmy-nominated creator of prime time television shows, a travel writer, humorist and general hell-raiser. In short, effective leaders must drive the focus of the organization.
You must make yourself replaceable in the technical trenches of your business. To repeat, define and document the specific work to be done and then train and delegate. Learn to delegate. Engage your coach to help you with this critical skill. Know your areas of brilliance and delegate most everything else.
Do those things that only you can do as CEO and delegate the rest. You need to free up time to do CEO activities that make the vision a reality. However, be sure to delegate, not abdicate or dump. Stay in touch with the person and their progress. To help with delegation, you must have the work to be done well defined. You cannot delegate non-specifics. Next, you must adopt the attitude that your time is valuable and learn to discriminate between various activities. You must realize that your CEO thoughts and actions building systems, leading, planning, holding people accountable, coaching other leaders, etc.
If not, you will never learn to be effective at delegation. By all means, get out of the way of your managers and workers. Instead of doing their jobs, help them to clarify their roles, responsibilities, goals, and tasks and then simply hold them accountable for getting things done. Coach more and play less in the game. Once they demonstrate competency and character, give your employees the authority to make things happen.
Let them do their jobs. Let them tackle stuff on their own and come to you only when they need further guidance. Instead of micro-managing the process, manage by results. If you set up your systems correctly and train properly, you will be able to manage by numbers and on an exception-only basis.
I imagine and hope that you are paying your employees and managers good money to do their jobs. If so, get out of their way and let them perform. If you pay peanuts, then expect to attract monkeys. Other communities should follow the lead. The more of our spending we shift to inside Canoga Park, the more tax revenue returns for street repairs, park improvements, and infrastructure improvements!
Located in Canoga Park since , the atmosphere is both comfortable and casual. To learn more, visit www. Spectrum Canoga Park is a neighborhood club well known for its friendly staff and longtime members. Amenities include: Leadership is less about doing, more about thinking, planning, and overseeing what others do. You are to create jobs, not work a job. Be Bold, Be Decisive Followers want their leaders to be bold, focused and decisive. As such, make things happen! Here are some suggestions: Implementing a good idea today is usually a better strategy than waiting several months for a possible great idea.
Muddhouse Coffee was reestablished in , with the desire and the drive to serve our community great coffee, fresh pastries and other homey goods. We want each customer to enjoy their day that much more, because of their Muddhouse experience. Just take a break and use our free wireless service or meet a friend over a cup of coffee and a freshly baked scone. Make our place, your place Keeper of Reality As a leader, you are the keeper of reality and the seer of truth. One of your primary tasks is to help define reality, to remove the blinders, to expose blind spots, to reveal delusions.
Be neither a gushing optimist nor a panicked pessimist. Be a realist with undying faith in the potential and promise of your company. See your ever-changing situation for what it really is and not what it was or what you or others wish it to be. Do not allow delusions or blind spots to take your company down.
Burn off the fog that is clouding an objective view. Armed with the facts and a strong dose of reality, you can always make necessary adjustments. Deal in fact, not fiction. See Strategic Business Owners on Page Almost single-handedly, organizing committee chair Francois Khoury coordinated the event assisted by volunteers and his capable Hilton staff.
Two large areas on the second floor were tastefully arranged to provide the right mood. The event was well attended and guests enjoyed great food, good wine, and live entertainment by the band Mrs. Everyone had a good time. Great event Boosters. Jon Geiger is an Athletic Conditioning Specialist with over 20 years of experience guiding athletes, performers and many others to achievements in performance, rehabilitation and the growth of will and self-belief while manifesting change. Two generations of the Richter family have owned and operated West Valley for 60 years and counting.
Daughter Laurie now handles bike sales, parts, accessories, and clothes. Husband Don Watson spins the wrenches in the back. Ruth has always been involved in the community as a tireless volunteer, always in positions of leadership working with local community leaders, elected officials, and the top brass at the West Valley Police Station, to make Winnetka a better place to live and work. She was the president of the Winnetka Chamber of Commerce for at least three terms.
Happy B-Day Ruth! This event was much more than a mere mixer.
Area Chambers of Commerce, and other Southern California Business Chambers—some representing business interests worldwide—got together with one purpose in mind, to do business together! The Latin Business Association is one of the most influential business associations in the United States. The LBA represents the business interests of over , Latino-owned businesses in California and is the premier and largest Latin business organization in the nation. In doing so, the LBA has become the voice of Latino business, receiving significant national and international recognition.
To learn more about LBA, visit www. The story of the Bergquists and Green Thumb in Canoga Park, is like that of a number of early families in the Valley, who came out West with a vision to create a better life for themselves, and to take advantage of new business opportunities opening up after World War II. Green Thumb was established in Among them the Bergquist grandparents. The small farming community of Shickley with a population of in , gradually saw changes brought about by the railroad tracks that crossed the original town.
Businesses sprang up and much of the south blocks from the tracks had become residential. The Bergquists went from farming into running a retail general store and possibly other businesses. The history of the town of Shickley names Charles Bergquist among the first to establish a garage with the advent of automobiles. There are some similarities between the towns of Shickley and Canoga Park in the early years. Both were mostly agricultural land and were small developing communities with railroad tracks running through town. However, Canoga Park was booming and was the land of opportunity during those years.
Real estate developers were building new tracks of homes as new industries developed and demand for housing grew. With a rapid population growth, opportunities for business abounded. Dale Bergquist was born June 2, in Shickley, Nebraska. He was the oldest of three sons.
As a boy he began growing poppies—a passion that inspired him to start his own nursery business as a teenager. After his service in the U. He met Earl Newton at a local company where both worked and asked if he knew of an existing nursery business he could buy. There was a small banana squash nursery in Canoga Park that operated out of a 40 ft x 50 ft small building. They established Green Thumb Nursery in They had complete trust in each other.
It was a wonderful melding of two very great men with forward thinking minds. Dale was a driven and determined man. He passed passed away in Dale Bergquist peacefully passed away January 5, , in West Hills, he was Dale was a highly respected and caring civic leader in the community. Sister Nancy Bergquist, manages the wholesale nursery growing grounds, and currently serves as the president of the Canoga Park Improvement Association. What started as a small banana squash nursery in Canoga Park, in , today Green Thumb International has expanded into an operation of five-locations, offering a large inventory of nursery, hardware, electrical, paint, and patio products.
The entrepreneurial spirit, legacy and vision of the original founders, have been carried on by the current generation of Bergquists, with smart growth strategies, and the support of a team of great employees. We wish the Bergquist and Green Thumb family continued success, and thank them for everything they do to make Canoga Park a prosperous community. This Holiday Season and beyond, consider spending the same, or perhaps even a little bit more than you otherwise might and consider spending it at places you might not ordinarily frequent. The payoff could be huge for your local community.
Let me explain. Not at a franchise. Not at a big box store. This movement is now reaching out all over the country. But when you consider the plight of the local, independent retailer, you may find yourself understanding a little better what they are up against, too. Small, independent businesses have more overhead; the products they place in their stores are purchased at less volume and therefore their actual bottom line profits are likely not as high, either.
They knew they would have to compete with other, local retailers and they knew they would also have to deal with all the other challenges of owning a retail place of business. But, in many cases, this was also during a time before all of us decided that we would shop so much online and before lowest price became the frontrunner over uniqueness and quality of the products, too. Our local retailers need the business.
They, too, need to eat and to put their kids through college, pay for their doctor visits and all the rest. Shopping locally, then, makes it possible for them to sell through inventory and continue to look for other unique items you and I might like. This also can contribute greatly to overall wellbeing of our state. The urgency for local revenue streams to help pay for everything is clearly a huge challenge for government. How much additional revenue to your own community could be generated if we all incorporated what the Project is trying to accomplish? Local support will produce local revenues, help our communities stay in business and help pay for things, all at the same time.
Share the Knowledge Learn to share existing knowledge within your company and seek fresh ideas and strategies from without. Knowledge is power, but only if it is applied. The cumulative knowledge in your organization is immense.
However, most businesses do not openly share knowledge, best practices, or mistakes. If you do not create the right environment, people hoard knowledge and hide mistakes in order to possess power or avoid embarrassment. You must encourage an environment where all knowledge, good and bad, is to be shared. Very often, some of your most innovative ideas will come from people you least expect. Be committed to finding the best way, not in having your own way.
Green Thumb Nursery Canoga Park located right in downtown Canoga Park is known for their talented garden experts, quality of plants, trees and garden decor. Jun 14, Login / Register · GARDEN CALENDAR · GARDEN BLOG · CONTACT US · Lake Forest · Canoga Park · Santa Clarita · San Marcos · Ventura.
As CEO, continually ask your employees: Learning is leverage. Find a mentor who has successfully mastered the company-building process and effective leadership. Again, use your coach to hold you accountable for learning, sharing and innovating. Look beyond your industry for ideas. Consider how other industries are marketing, selling, operating, and working.
Read trade magazines from different industries. Carry a notebook or minirecorder to capture fresh ideas. As you expand your mind, so expands your options, possibilities, ideas, strategies, and your business. The more of our spending we shift to inside Reseda, the more tax revenue returns for street repairs, park improvements, and infrastructure improvements!
Many businesses are offering special Discount Coupons. Go to www. FB for more information. FB for Discount Coupons or more information. Gather outside directors that can bring diversity, expertise, objectivity and experiences to your business. Add people who can raise issues, challenge you, and make suggestions. And finally, hire top-notch advisors CPA, banker, attorney, executive coach, specific consultants, etc. Hire ones that specialize in working with fastgrowing, entrepreneurial companies.
If so, they will more than pay for themselves. Financial Stewardship You must have a handle on the numbers. You should know constantly the financial health and trends of your organization. You must be able to look for ways to grow revenues and reduce costs. You must be able to understand an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement and what they are telling you. Do not try to manage your business by gut instinct; the numbers never lie. Such metrics are simple, key measures that let you know the performance of your business at a glance.
Depending on your company and industry, these metrics could be as follows: Do yourself a tremendous favor. Hire a terrific Chief Financial Officer or Controller to manage your accounting and financial matters. Make sure this person knows how to gather, interpret, and explain financial data in simple terms. Be sure that she is proactive in her advice to you and focused on the future, not merely past performance. Also, make sure you have a top-notch CPA, banker, insurance professional and financial planner as part of your adviser team.
Sharp advisers that understand the issues a business owner faces are worth their weight in gold. Do not cut corners here. Hire the best and their value and benefit will far exceed their cost. Must have this coupon present see Coupon link on website. Not valid on sale merchandise, finished goods, or consignment goods Visit www. Suggested Action Items: True leaders create clarity of direction, priorities, and expectations. To grow your business, freedom and fulfillment, you must grow your leadership capacity. Also, try to pinpoint your specific leadership areas to improve. Share these evaluations with your coach and other key advisers.
Have them hold you accountable for growing as a leader. No more excuses! For the first two weeks, act like a Chief Listening Officer. Get input from all your internal and external stakeholders employees, customers, CPA, banker, attorney, consultants, suppliers, vendors, investors, etc. Launch your vision from a platform of reality. However, create a powerful vision crusade that engages the hearts, souls, minds, bodies and imaginations of your employees. Share the vivid and exciting details of how the business will look in 1, 3 and 5 years.
Take speaking lessons if necessary. Also, be aware that your actions and where you spend your time and resources send a stronger message than your words. Relative to your vision, have your words and actions in alignment. Make sure your team is doing the right things, not merely things right.
With the help of your coach and key managers, be sure to focus your team on six primary areas: Test new ideas and keep the ones that work better than existing approaches. Conduct one-hour business improvement workshops every week. For every good idea worth pursuing, assign a champion, due date and key steps. Monitor progress and insist on aggressive implementation and followthrough. Cut costs and grow profitable revenues. Engage the best CPA you can afford. Repeat business is the life force of your company. Know the Lifetime Value of your customers.
Practice making decisions based on the known facts quickly, and change your mind, if at all, slowly. Congressman Sherman has held over Town Hall meetings during his time in Congress in a variety of formats, including visiting virtually every public and private high school and middle school in the San Fernando Valley numerous times to hear from students and Valley residents about the issues important to them and their families and to describe what he does in Congress. Sherman also set up a constituent service booth at the meeting to help dozens of constituents resolve problems they were having with federal agencies.
On Sunday, Congressman Sherman provided a brief update about his work in Congress before responding to questions about major federal issues including, taxes, the national debt, education, Social Security and Medicare as well as other issues facing Congress. Many people hold strong opinions about the issues currently facing Congress. Hearing from Valley residents, helps me better serve them. I want to stay up to date with what Valley residents are saying, so I can continue to fight for their needs in Washington. I would like to thank everyone who came to participate.
He encouraged constituents to visit his website www. He understands how vital it is to keep doors open at our adult day health care centers because we are a proven, cost effective, model that helps keep 37, frail elders and disabled out of higher cost institutional care. We are proud to have Mr. Earlier this year, when Gov.
Brown proposed elimination of adult day health care to cut costs for the program from the state budget, Assemblymember Blumenfield forged a compromise that resulted in AB 96, legislation that would have created the Keeping Adults Free from Institutions KAFI program. The bill was passed by the Legislature in June but vetoed by the Governor. With thousands of patients and their families facing a nightmare of uncertainty about the future, we must keep working together to find a viable and fair solution. The art work was a fitting tribute to a man who has made the care of senior citizens and disabled adults one of his highest priorities.
It could not come at a better time for them. This settlement is also great news for our state budget. We were about to spend more to provide health care for less people. The Councilman felt this was an example of government waste at its best and he was prepared to ask the tough questions.
Geraldine Knatz, General Manger of the Harbor Department made a presentation to the committee members where she justified the expense as a direct investment to the local economy. Councilman Zine has requested the Department to report back on the economic impact IAPH World Ports Conference will have on the local economy, including how much investment in dollars was a direct relation to the conference in South Korea as well as how many jobs, if any, will be created in the future.
The Department felt that it was justified because it had previous approval from their board in regard to this specific conference. Committee members agreed that any pre-approval should not preclude the department from conducting a price analysis to guarantee the best price for the taxpayer. This motion now moves to full council where Councilman Zine is expected to gain full support from his colleagues.
Councilman Zine pulled weeds, ditched holes, and helped plant beautiful flowers at the station. The project was a community led initiative to help restore the landscaping of the Topanga Community Police Station which opened in January of But due to the current financial crisis, the City is unable to pay for the landscape maintenance; hence, community groups, businesses, and volunteers have been working to maintain the station landscape.
If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact the Topanga Community Police Station at Every year, the City issues over 10, permits for utility installation and repairs on the public right of way, and many of them involve removing and repaving large sections of City streets. Although the City must be notified before the work is done, and the work must be inspected to ensure it is up to traffic safety and quality control standards, that is often not the case. The road repairs are often not up to standards and that compromises the integrity and safety of the streets.
Similar problems involving sewer construction have been mitigated by raising bonding requirements and tightening oversight of contractors. The motion calls for the Bureau of Contract Administration and the Bureau of Engineering to report to the Public Works Committee with recommendations on similar solutions to ensure that all street repairs are up to the City's standards. We were joined by City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. On average, the Unit carries a case load of up to civil cases at any given time and has represented thousands of Police Officers in civil lawsuits.
They are one of the leading litigation units in the nation and they set the standards that other American law enforcement agencies strive to meet. Drop off unwrapped, new toys, books or gift cards in the donation box at the Council District 12 Office, Monday through Friday, 9: CD 12 Office, Nordhoff St.
PALS offers valuable after-school programs, including sports, education, and mentoring with LAPD Officers to give at-risk youth in our community positive alternatives to crime, gangs and drugs. Please visit www. VEDC offers comprehensive business workshops designed to transfer critical management skills to small business owners. These workshops are open and available to anyone seeking additional information on how to start, operate and successfully grow a business.