MENTORMOMENT
Signing off, one last time LANDSCAPE TRADES PUBLISHER LEE ANN KNUDSEN retired in January, after
more than 20 years with the magazine. In this installment of Mentor Moment, Lee Ann reflects on her time with the publication, and looks ahead to what’s next.
takes to survive in the tough small business world. It was my job to promote prosperity by collecting sector-specific information our pros could not easily get otherwise.
What were some of the biggest challenges?
Magazines have an extraordinary level of accountability. The content we publish is permanent, and we My 20 years in publishing for the landscape sector always provide a name, address, and phone number really drove home respect for small business owners. – no anonymity to hide behind. So, every sign-off to I watched the pros across Canada making payroll, the printer is a very serious matter. I always found it LEE ANN KNUDSEN going after sales, believing in safety, navigatinteresting that the most successful landscape pros ing regulations and supporting their communities on top of it all. operate under the same model. A handshake is real, commitments Landscape and horticulture pros are exceptional citizens – they are are to be honoured. It’s all about accountability. honest, work hard and live their faith. I learned to embrace their busiAnother constant challenge was finding space to cover stories for ness model. several landscape sectors, since Landscape Trades serves contractors for several markets – construction, maintenance, irrigation, lighting, What are you proud to leave behind? snow – plus landscape designers, nursery growers and garden cenDuring my 20 years on the Landscape Trades masthead, I saw its mistres. Even though many readers participate in more than one of the sion as providing information that busy entrepreneurs could not get above, it’s quite the diverse range to cover. otherwise, such as how other business owners are solving problems. What made your job easier? The content is how we attract a loyal and energized audience and Every member of the Landscape Trades publishing team is a pro, thus attract advertisers. Reader loyalty was sky-high when I came on including both staff and freelance writers. They make an astonishing board, which we have maintained and even hopefully improved. We number of deadlines each year, but you never see the pressure. The have since implemented some new systems, striven to publish quality atmosphere is always calm, never panicked. They make it look easy. stories, improved our circulation, hired some star staffers and diversiReaders are fortunate to be supported by this team. fied offerings.
What did landscape pros teach you?
Since a magazine is a living thing, what can readers do better from their end?
A discouraging aspect of publishing is that when you do things right, all you hear is silence. But make one mistake and the calls and emails come pouring in! I am proud of the high level of engagement Landscape Trades consistently generates, which is quite rare in the magazine business. But I encourage busy pros to contact your magazine even more frequently, since you can guarantee your input will be heard and respected.
What bugs you about today’s publishing business?
Time and again, especially in trade publishing, I see writers talk down to audiences. That is terrible writing, but it also indicates the writer does not respect his or her audience and does not embrace professional standards. I always regarded Landscape Trades readers as the experts, and sincerely admired their achievements. After all, our Canadian landscape pros are proving every day they have what it 54 | MAY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES
What did you enjoy most about your career with Landscape Trades?
I really enjoyed the friendliness. This was among our staff, within the association circles and with business owners. There is no fakery in the landscape community. Everybody is open and willing to help.
How will you spend your retirement?
My husband Kerry and I have retired to a stone cottage in the mountains. We had great careers; we worked really, really hard and had lots of fun. We are so grateful for those years, but now we are enjoying a new kind of fun. For example, today we need to decide where to plant a ‘Blue Moon’ wisteria to align with a future deck. It’s a big switch to be living in the present rather than constantly planning for deadlines. LT
If you have a mentor to recommend or a question to suggest, please write to comments@landscapetrades.com.
