New Member Profile Snapshot
Accent Landscape Design 33846 N. Wilson Road Ingleside, IL 60041 www.accentlm.com
by Meta Levin
For the last 34 years, Nago Cruz worked for
a large landscape contractor in Chicago’s northern suburbs. Spurred by neighbors and friends who saw what he did in his own yard, in 2014 he decided to go out on his own. “I love landscaping,” he says. “I thought that if I owned my own business, I can do better.” So, Accent Landscape Design was born. Initially, Cruz’s business consisted of two neighbors and himself. People started talking, however, and posting photographs with positive remarks on Facebook. “They started recommending the business,” he says. “They were driving by to see what I was doing.” That led to more business. By 2015, he had to hire four men, then a couple of more laborers. Pretty soon, Cruz had to move over to full time sales and less hands-on work doing the planting. Now, with 80 customers in his neighborhood alone and 200 maintenance customers, with about 300 total landscape clients, it’s no surprise that he is looking to hire a sales and account manager. His son, Sebastian Cruz, works for the company doing communications and computers. Two years ago Cruz added his brother, Berto Cruz, who is a supervisor. “He has 28 years’ experience doing hardscapes, which is one of the reasons that I brought him on board,” says Cruz, putting him in charge of hardscape work. Berto Cruz also has 10 years’ experience in maintenance. In just five years, Accent Landscape Design has grown to 22 employees. “The key is to bring good people on board,” says Cruz. “That is the only way to grow.” Now the company offers maintenance, hardscape, seasonal color and design/build services to commercial office and industrial clients, homeowners associations, retail and mixeduse property, condo and apartment complexes, government agencies, hotels, institutional and healthcare customers, senior living communities and single-family residential clients. Cruz’s goal is to grow more on the commercial side. In order to expand his customer base, Cruz has learned that customers are looking for a good relationship and care. “They 60
like it when we respond quickly when they call,” he says. “That is the number one reason that they say they are going with us.” Clients also point to Cruz’s knowledge, honed over the many years he has spent in the industry. They appreciate that he not only knows the names of the plants, but can make recommendations about what will grow best in what location. “They say that they are looking for someone who can give them recommendations, who is experienced and knowledgeable,” he says. Cruz was familiar with ILCA from his previous job. His employer had sent him to many seminars, which he found valuable. “I’m proud that I took those classes,” he says. “In the next couple of years, I will be sending my key guys to ILCA seminars.” This year he took the plunge and signed up Accent Landscape Design as an ILCA member. “People respect it when they find out that we are ILCA members,” he says. “Especially people on the North Shore.” What he learned from ILCA seminars, as well as the fact that he now is a member, gives him a sense of security when he talks with his customers. “I know a lot of stuff, because I learned it” at the ILCA seminars. Cruz is married, with three children, the two oldest finished college. His daughter is a sales coordinator, who was a marketing major in college and his son majored in communication. “I’m working hard to get him to stay in the business,” he says. “He is taking care of the computers and the phones.” Cruz’s youngest daughter is still in high school. His wife, Maria, works in Accent Landscape Design’s office, taking care of money matters and invoices. And when he isn’t working in the business, Cruz is occupied fixing up his own yard. “I make sure that everything looks nice.” A sports enthusiast, he likes to play volleyball, primarily after work on Fridays. Cruz looks forward to growing a family business, one in which he can give his brother more responsibility and where his children can join him if they choose.
The Landscape Contractor January 2020