Scott Horoszewski, owner of Acme NLS in Swanson, Ohio, discusses his perception of the landscape industry, the headwinds his company has faced in the last several years and more.
Green Industry Pros: Can you talk to me about how this past year has been for your company?
Horoszewski: Every year there's an issue that needs to be addressed. This year was more of employee issues, trying to get the right employees and to hire them and then keep them on. It's getting more and more to where the employees are not wanting to do this type of work. They want to sit at home and do other things because they watch YouTubers and influencers that are on there saying, "Well, you can make money doing this." And so they don't want to be out there, out in the sun. It's affecting the industry.
Green Industry Pros: Are there any ways that your company is working to combat that challenge?
Horoszewski: Yeah, we're looking to hire more people at a higher rate and offering more benefits. One of the things we were looking at for next year is maybe looking at, instead of hiring one extra person, looking to hiring two people at part time and offering some partial benefits and stuff. We're looking into 401K and stuff like that for retirement, and hopefully that'll entice more people to stay because of the ability to have benefits and retirement.
Green Industry Pros: In addition to labor, are there any other challenges and trends that you're seeing within the industry?
Horoszewski: It's the changing of gas to battery. It's starting to get more popular, and it's just a matter of getting to the right point for the commercial end user to be able to yield straight battery.
Green Industry Pros: From a technology standpoint, is there any other technology that you've implemented this year or that you're looking to implement?
Horoszewski: We're looking at landscaping design software. I do a lot of it by myself and do it by hand, and I've been doing it for almost 30 years, but it would be able to easier to be able to go out and take a picture and add that design software and to be able to do that designing right then and there.
Green Industry Pros: Do you have any expectations for the next three to five years within the industry?
Horoszewski: The industry is getting bigger and bigger, and I see that it's a plus for solo operators, and I feel like there's going to be a lot more increase of solo operators. As we're getting bigger, there are more options out there for the green industry.
Green Industry Pros: What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
Horoszewski: Trial things. When I started, there wasn't anything like the CRMs (of today), and it took me a long time before I got a CRM. It's more about trying to let people know that there are plenty of sources out resources out there. Also, network with other companies. It's easier to network with somebody and find out what they're using and seeing if that can be implemented into your own business.
Green Industry Pros: Throughout your years in the industry, what has been your favorite part of the green industry?
Horoszewski: Networking with other landscapers and talking to people and seeing what somebody's doing in Florida compared to somebody what they're doing in California to what I'm doing, and then be able to talk to them and say, "What's your plan on this?" It's even talking to other local landscapers and seeing what they see happening trendwise for disease or insects to be able to get a good handle on it before it becomes overblown.
