By the time this magazine is in your hands, I will have been serving as editor of Green Industry Pros for almost a year. And my, what a year it’s been.
I’ve had the pleasure of attending the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ inaugural Elevate Conference, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s inaugural Equip Expo (formerly GIE+EXPO) and several new product launches in between.
Amid all that, I’ve gotten the opportunity to know you, our readers, and learn more about your day to day, those challenges that keep you up at night and what you’re most looking forward to in the future.
All of that said, we’re kicking off the new year with a look back at how 2022 went for the green industry and a glimpse forward into what 2023 holds.
In talking with many green industry professionals and manufacturers for that story, a few words came to mind: strong, steady and stable but also slowing. (Yes, it is just a coincidence that all those words begin with S.)
Homeowners are no longer banging down the doors of their local landscape companies like how they were when the COVID pandemic left them with a surplus of money to upgrade their outdoor spaces and nowhere to go.
And yet, those landscape companies—despite struggling to fill the labor gap and being wary of supply chain shortages and inflation—still reported a steady stream of customers in 2022. Our social media poll further confirmed that sentiment, with most respondents rating the industry as “excellent” or “fair” over “OK” or “poor.” You can find out more on that story here.
In the spirit of looking ahead at the new year, this issue also has several ideas on how your business can up its game in 2023: Our business management department digs into social media tactics to maximize your time and resources; our mowing and maintenance department offers tips for how landscape pros can get a leg up when it comes to spring cleanups; our hardscapes and design department gives the scoop on matching the right pavers and edgers to each application; and much more.
Wrapping up, I’m pleased to introduce Green Industry Pros’ new associate editor, Emry Lloyd. Emry graduated with honors from Rutgers University in 2021, and since then, she has worked as a senior editing coordinator at Wolters Kluwer, where she managed schedules, workflow and subject matter experts, among other tasks. I’m excited to have Emry on board and see how she can help us propel this brand to the next level in 2023 and beyond!
What are you most looking forward to about this year? I’d love to hear your thoughts—and I’m sure your fellow readers would too. Email your ideas to [email protected] or connect with me on LinkedIn by following the QR code.
Until next time!
