String of moves shows snow is an appealing investment opportunity REPORT BEGINS ON PAGE 22
Grunder
Joe Kiedinger
44 The devil is in the details
Closely reviewing contracts can protect your company from unnecessary issues
Brendan D. O’Brien
Train for uncommon but high-risk exposures like drugs, guns and
Is it really that bad?
Lackluster winter doesn’t spell disaster —but pay attention to the changes
Frank Lombardo 52 A hammer won’t fix a watch Match the right equipment to the jobsite for maximum efficiency
Jenny Girard,
SIMA // INDUSTRY VOICE
Reducing risk for low snow seasons
Forecasting the future isn’t about getting it right every single time; it’s about managing the unpredictability of weather.
Like many others, the greater Boston, MA, market I work in had another lower-than-average snow season. As I reflect on the past winter and prepare for the next, I continue to seek ways to improve and communicate with customers the importance of snow and ice services as an insurance policy for volatile winter weather.
As you evaluate your winter season, keep in mind that our climate is changing. Whether it’s because of human activity or just a natural occurrence, I don’t know; but meteorologists and climatologists can tell you that there’s more moisture in the air, causing more extremes, especially more snowfall and rainfall.
The kind of precipitation we record is also changing. In Massachusetts we are getting a lot of ice storms and mixed precipitation events that create a lot of ice and very heavy snow.
Rethinking contracts, pricing
Jonathan
Crandall, CSP, is chief visionary for JC Grounds Management. Email him
at jon@jcgrounds.com.
This shift in weather conditions impacts pricing, which you need to understand as you negotiate contracts. Costs are going up across the board due to the increased costs of managing more challenging storms, equipment and material price increases, and the diminishing labor pool.
The immediate reaction is often to transition to mostly fixed seasonal contracts. However, be wary. Some years ago a large snow and ice removal firm had almost entirely fixed contracts. They had one over-performing winter and went bankrupt. That created a ripple effect that bankrupted subcontractors, too, and left many customers with no services for the rest of the winter.
I continue to be a proponent of the cap seasonal contract model, which offers a fixed fee for a certain number of inches, with a reasonable cap. For instance, if the average snowfall in Boston over the past 20 years has been 52 inches, we could offer a fixed rate contract for 50 inches a year. If it snows 70 inches that year, the customer pays above and beyond the cap using perinch rates.
Words of warning: Long-duration
Sometime around 2010, costs to plow a typical 1- to 3-inch storm increased—but most contractors haven’t caught up to the change. More challenging (and more frequent) mixed precipitation events take several more hours to manage, even though the snowfall totals might be the same.
In a recent winter, we experienced a major loss in one long-duration, mixed-precipitation event. A huge storm lasted for more than 24 hours but produced only three inches of billable snow. In response, we added a contract clause that enables us to bill hourly for equipment for mixed precipitation events lasting 12 hours or longer. We proactively discussed it with our customers, and they agreed that they want us to be healthy and for our team to have the resources to service the property well.
Managing unpredictability
Forecasting the future isn’t about getting it right every single time; it’s about managing the unpredictability of weather. Although the past couple of winters have been below average in measurable snow, we saw aboveaverage precipitation in Boston. I have been in this business for 27 years. I strongly believe we have many big winters, more challenging winters and potentially more extreme winter weather events ahead.
WINTER RECAP
The WeatherWorks team takes a look at the recent winter but also historic trends. The story begins on Page 48
POSTSEASON RISK REVIEW
SIMA is hosting a webinar on 4/24 to talk contracts and other risk topics to consider before next season. www.sima.org/webinars.
RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB
When winter weather is in the forecast, you need to launch a full-on assault. The all-new MARAUDER™ line of stainless steel hoppers from Western Products does just that. The line includes seven capacities and your choice of delivery system—conveyor or all-new HELIXX™ auger technology—so your operation can select the right hopper based on vehicle application and deicing material.
Business Development, Tech and Innovation interest groups
SIMA’s interest groups are a great way for our members to engage with one another and facilitate a dialogue on ways to improve their business. Our Residential and Women in Snow groups continue to be successful venues for our members, with over 80 people actively engaged on both forums.
Building on the success of these interest groups, we are excited to introduce two new SIMA Interest Groups: Business Development and Technology and Innovation. Business Development kicked off March 26 with Membership Services Manager Amanda Pruss leading the charge. The Tech and Innovation group begins April 23. Interest groups are free to active members and $180 for non-members. Learn more at www.sima.org/interest-groups.
Improving processes for joining SIMA
Now is a great time to join SIMA! Start preparing for the 2024-2025 snow sales cycle or take advantage of the member exclusive discount for the Snow & Ice Symposium and Leadership Forum this summer.
Our membership team has worked to improve our “Join SIMA” landing page and the overall onboarding process for new members. Our monthly payment option is positioned more clearly, alongside our annual and supplier memberships. If you know someone who is interested in learning more about SIMA and the many member benefits, or how to get started, visit www.sima.org/join
Webinar: Risk Review
Noon EST / April 24
Jack Demski, Ansay & Associates
Patrick McGuiness, Zliman & McGuiness
By late April, we’ll have put the winter season to bed and will be immersed in spring cleanups. But your winter work isn’t finished. In addition to preparing your equipment for storage, conducting postseason site reviews and debriefing with your teams, you need to review your contracts and insurance to insulate yourself from unnecessary risk. Webinars are free but registration is required. RSVP at sima.org/webinars
Sponsored by
Workplace Survey coming soon
The SIMA Foundation commissioned a survey to explore the dynamics of snow companies’ workplace and culture. The Snow & Ice Workplace Survey provides compensation data for 10 job titles and will allow you to benchmark your company on key items like salary and wages, staffing by position, and use of subcontractors. The final report should be ready by May 1 at sima.org/workplace. A Symposium session is planned for 8:30 am on Friday, June 28, to review the survey. Learn more at show.sima.org/education
HLA Snow is committed to providing industry professionals with reliable equipment designed for commercial use. That’s why at HLA Snow we not only offer top quality components, we also offer a 2-Year Commercial Warranty on all Angle Blades, Snow Pushers, and SnowWings for our 3000 Series and above.
So whether you’re the operator, or the bookkeeper, HLA Snow gives your business results you can bank on.
SIMA // MEET A MEMBER
Katie Pufnock, ASM, Account Manager
emi landscape Macungie, PA
Years in the industry: 9
What do you love the most about the industry?
The people. It takes a certain breed to do what we do, and I find myself gravitating to the wacky people who love nothing more than working a storm for 72 hours straight on little to no sleep, and no shower. Ha!
Tell us about your family: I have a 3-year-old daughter who is my world and my continued reason for plowing the way for women in the industry. I want to show her there’s a place for all of us in commercial and industrial networks!
One piece of equipment you can’t live without: Metal Pless
Best SIMA resource you’ve used since joining: ASM (Advanced Snow Manager program) and Fundamentals of Anti-Icing and Liquids.
Top tip or piece of advice: Continue growing your teams by sharing what you know through your wisdom and experiences.
Todd Cullen, Commercial Landscape and Snow Manager
Land Design Walpole, MA
Years in the industry: 8
Why did you join SIMA: Following the industry’s best companies and latest equipment/software.
What do you love about working in the industry? Working with people as passionate about the snow industry as myself.
Share your craziest snow story: Winter of 2015, when we had 6 feet of snow in a span of a month. Working over 100 hours a week trying to keep up with it all. I’ve never seen anything like it. Our team powered through the endless days and nights of snow that year.
Tell us about your family: I have three daughters 15, 18 and 27. I love spending as much time with them as possible. We enjoy traveling to North Conway, NH, and Point Judith, RI.
Piece of equipment you can’t live without: Skid steer with an 8’ blade.
Best SIMA resource you’ve used since joining: Training videos
Top tip or piece of advice: If your eyes start fluttering during the middle of the night, take a power nap. Safety first.
New Symposium experiences for 2024
When attendees from across North America converge on Pittsburgh for the 27th Snow & Ice Symposium, you’ll get everything the Best Show in Snow is known for—education, networking and trade show. But this year, you’ll get so much more with these new offerings:
SIMA+ Pass
For the first time in Symposium history, we’re offering a limited number of SIMA+ passes that include several exclusive benefits in addition to the traditional full show pass:
• Early access to the trade show on Thursday, June 27
• Early entry to the Welcome Reception and Thursday Night Party
• Reserved education session seating
• Private SIMA+ Lounge (Enjoy refreshments and plush seating away from the action, access exclusive charging stations, and network with other SIMA+ attendees)
• Coaching Session: “Stepping Beyond the Limitations of Management: How Leaders Can Win the Hearts and Minds of Staff and Customers” with Jackson Kerchis
SIMA Show Sidekicks
With over 40 education sessions, nearly 10 networking events and 130+ exhibitors to choose from, it’s easy for a first-time attendee to become overwhelmed. If you’re new to the Symposium, sign up for a FREE Sidekick during registration. You’ll have the chance to connect with your Sidekick before the show, at the First-timer Reception and throughout the week. There’s nothing like a friendly face in a crowd of over 1,000 people.
How Do I?.
Volunteer presenters will share 20 minutes worth of tips on a variety of topics before the trade show opens on June 27. Check out the topics on Page 14.
SIMA Connections
For several years, we’ve ended the first day of the show with roundtable networking for various roles in snow and ice. This year we added two opportunities to make SIMA Connections—by region (Wednesday, June 26, after the keynote) and by facility types (Thursday, June 27, after the Breakfast Jamboree). This industry thrives when we work together—make new connections and expand your network all week long!
SIMA Garage
CONNECTIONS
Send your ops team to the SIMA Garage to talk shop on Thursday and Friday during the trade show. Equipment safety and troubleshooting, safe driving and compliance, and mechanic-focused sessions are planned. Check out the topics on Page 18.
Education
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS—Tuesday,
June 25 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
| Novice, Intermediate
Option 1: Sales + Estimating Workshop
Winning business in the snow and ice management industry requires precision-like focus on setting goals, knowing your numbers, choosing your ideal clients and building and presenting proposals to help you seal the deal. Learn all of this and more during this interactive workshop:
Prospecting and Qualifying Leads
Marty Grunder
The Grow Group
Estimating and Job Costing
David Gallagher
Spiritus Business Advisors
| Novice, Intermediate
Option 2: Hiring + Retention Workshop
Developing and Presenting Proposals
Andy Lakatosh
Inspire You
Sealing the Deal + Bonus Sales Q&A
Michael Sloopka
Selling Solutions
Consistently named as the #1 challenge in the snow and ice management industry, this workshop will cover the key topics that should be part of your hiring and retention efforts:
Hiring Today’s Team Members
Amy Tincher and Allison McDowell Rocky Fork Company
Eddy Zakes, CSP, ASM Earth Development
You Have a Great Team … Make Sure You Can Keep Them Team presentation and Q&A
The Interview Begins Long Before The Meeting
Scott Lesak, CSP Kasel Rocks Landscape Company
Developing Onboarding and Training Programs
Michael Vollmers, ASM Iron Valley Equipment
Workshop fees are $95 per person and must be selected in advance. Limited availability.
OPENING KEYNOTE | Wednesday, June 26
What Makes the Great Teams Great
Great teams understand their “why.” They feel collectively connected to a greater purpose. Learn how to constantly remind your players and employees of who they are in service of while being acutely aware of the downstream beneficiaries. The impact is often much more than the immediate customer— when we can connect and truly feel why
what we do matters, it heightens the amount of discretionary effort we put into our tasks and responsibilities.
The more a company creates “Feel-it Moments” or “Mission Moments” for team members to understand their greater purpose, the better off the team will be when it comes to enduring any challenges along the way.
Session Key
This year’s brochure features additional information to help you select the sessions that will most appeal to you. Each session has color-coded dots representing various roles in snow and ice and recommendations on experience level of the information being presented.
= Business = Sales and Marketing = Operations = HR
Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, All
Don Yaeger
Education
Wednesday, June 26 | 10:45 a.m.
| All
Break the Blue Collar Stigma to Attract the Next Generation of Talent
Mikayel Ter-Grigoryan—Just for Snow
Mikayel will share how his company built a culture that attracts, motivates and retains the next generation of talent. He will also share strategies on how to attract the next wave of talent and build a culture that yields results, camaraderie and work ethic.
| Novice, Intermediate
CapX, Labor and ROI of Liquids
Jordan Smith—Storm Equipment
Jordan will lay out what liquids equipment may be needed to support certain business sizes in unique markets and how much it may cost to set up and maintain. He’ll explore the expected ROI based on market conditions, material and labor costs, and average weather events in those markets.
| All
Death and Destruction—Are You Ready for It?
Amanda Pruss—SIMA
Doug Freer, CSP—Blue Moose Snow
William Akehurst—Akehurst Landscape Service
The snow industry is not for the faint of heart. You are strong, but are you prepared? How resilient are you? Is your team adequately prepared to handle a worst-case scenario?
Amanda, Doug and Bill will discuss how their team handled their worst-case scenarios and the lessons they learned.
| All
Negotiate Your Way to Success
Michael Sloopka—Selling Solutions
Proper negotiating skills, training and coaching are critical to achieving organizational and personal success in today’s increasingly complex and competitive marketplace. Michael will share negotiating strategies and powerful tips, phrases, and questioning techniques.
| Novice, Intermediate
Team Productivity and Performance Management
Rick Kier—Forge Ahead Consulting
Learn how to set reasonable goals for your team, keeping them focused on getting the work done in a timely fashion while maintaining safety and quality as their top priorities. Rick will cover the techniques and tools you need for successful performance management.
Wednesday, June 26 | 1:30 p.m.
| Intermediate, Advanced
Subbing Across State Lines
Jeff Heller, CSP—Innovative Maintenance Solutions
Christopher Kolt—American Service Professionals
Learn how to manage contracts, pricing, forecasting, operations and communications when working with a customer that is several states away and handling properties across several states.
| Novice, Intermediate
Accounting for Inflation in Your Snow and Ice Business
Sydney Smyers Conway—Know Your Worth PGH
Everything today costs more, which can negatively influence your profitability if you don’t have guardrails in place. Sydney will share how you can account for inflation in your contracts, wages and purchasing processes to protect your bottom line.
| Intermediate, Advanced Mergers and Acquisition in Snow and Ice
Don Mahoney Jr., CSP—Mahoney & Associates
Roger Zino—Socratic Dialog
David Hare—Kian Capital Mergers and acquisitions activity in the snow and ice/ landscape industry has been particularly strong in recent years. Don sold his company after nearly 25 years in business. He, Roger and David now work in tandem to take Mahoney & Associates to the next level. Hear from them on the process, benefits and considerations that need to take place before you decide to buy or sell.
| Novice, Intermediate
Staff Accountability Secrets for Rapid Growth
Danny Kerr—Breakthrough Academy
Danny will share four signs your culture has an accountability problem and how to regain control; how highly effective leaders get staff to understand what’s expected of them; and a weekly management ritual to beat targets while strengthening relationships.
| Novice, Intermediate
Reduce Salt without Reducing Service
Michael Wagner, CSP, ASM—Designscapes Colorado
Monitoring and reducing your salt usage doesn’t have to negatively impact your operations. This session gives you tools for planning, analyzing and making decisions for salt usage while maintaining a service level that keeps you competitive in your market.
Wednesday, June 26 | 2:45 p.m.
| All
Strive for a Win-win with Property Managers
Panelists TBA
Snow professionals and property managers that have relationships built on trust can result in a win-win situation. Hear from both sides on how they approach the procurement process, pain points that can affect the relationship and more.
| All
Leadership Lab: Get Unstuck!
Christy Uffelman, CEO and Founder—EDGE Leadership Solutions
Leadership development coach Christy Uffelman, MHCS, BCC, will facilitate a dynamic group coaching experience where the participants guide the interactive experience. Don’t solve your challenges alone! Own your career and ignite the leaders around you by sharing best practices—as peers—together.
| Novice, Intermediate
How Much are Your Clients Worth?
Are They Worth Keeping?
Doug Freer, CSP—Blue Moose Snow
How do you decide how much to invest in both retaining clients and selling to prospects, and how do you decide which clients provide you with the best return on your investment? Hear from Doug on how to calculate current and lifetime customer value to help you make those decisions.
| Novice, Intermediate
Tame the Chaos: SOPs for Overwhelmed Owners
Danny Kerr—Breakthrough Academy
The solution for scaling contractors is to add structure to your businesses by intentionally using standard operating procedures (SOPs) and overcoming your biggest headaches. Because when any contractor faces massive growth, they must slow down to go faster.
| Novice, Intermediate
Documentation: It’s in the Details
Jenny Girard, ASM—RM Landscape
Documentation is a crucial part of the snow and ice business but is often overlooked. It can seem overwhelming, daunting and frustrating. With key elements, technology options and team involvement you can transform your documentation to build stronger teams and save money.
Education
Thursday, June 27 | 9:30 a.m.
| All
Improve Hiring with Tech and Flexibility
Laura Means—Brian-Kyles Landscapes
Carlos del Pozo—Team Engine
Taking the same old approach to hiring could be limiting your prospects. Laura will share how a flexible approach and the use of technology can improve the hiring, onboarding and retention process.
| Novice
Is Your Company Ready for a Business Management System?
Stephanie Leveling and Tina Shaw—The Integra Group
A business management system can streamline processes and create workflows that can eliminate manual tracking, increase efficiency, reduce manual labor and more. Stephanie will guide you through the steps you need to take for a successful purchase and integration into your business.
| Novice, Intermediate
From Team Member to Team Leader
Angel Campos-Chavez—ImageWorks Landscaping
Jake Howard, ASM—Outdoor Pride Snow & Ice Management Operations team members seeking advancement opportunities will hear advice from team leaders on what it takes to grow from team member into leadership positions.
| Intermediate, Advanced
Marketing Your Business to the Next Level
Darci Knowles—Darci Creative
Regardless of where you are in your business journey, marketing (from building your brand to digital and social) can play a vital role in elevating your presence in the marketplace. Darci will share strategies to help you grow to the next level.
| All
Peer Talk with PA Snow Pros Panelists TBA
A group of Pennsylvania snow professionals—small and large—will come together to share how they’ve built a peer network that strives to elevate one another despite being in competitive markets.
How Do I? ….
New for 2024 are our “How Do I? …” 20-minute minisessions on quick tips covering these topics: 10:45 a.m.
Conduct an effective meeting | Melt more in less time | Develop an onboarding program | Use social media effectively | 11:10 a.m.
Conduct a job hazard analysis | Sell liquids to your property manager | Reduce the risk of an insurance claim | Conduct a client lunch and learn |
Friday, June 28 | 8:30 a.m.
| All
The Power of Women in Snow
Amanda Ochoa—Tricon Group
Jillian Burns, CSP—Burns Landscaping
Katelin Pufnock, ASM—emi landscape
The snow and ice industry has been dominated primarily by men. However, more and more women enter the field each year. The panelists will share the importance of women in leadership roles, how to navigate bias, adopting a growth mindset and more. This isn’t a women-only session—all are welcome!
| All
Emerging Climate Trends Impacting the Industry
Frank Lombardo and Rob Reale—WeatherWorks Inc.
Frank and Rob will identify emerging climate trends; distinguish between winter weather variability and climate change; and discuss how these factors are impacting the industry as well as how property managers are responding and adapting.
| All
SIMA Foundation Research:
Snow Industry Workplace Survey
Steve Wolf—WolfWorks Consulting
For snow and ice service providers to stay competitive in the marketplace, access to company organizational structure, salary, compensation and workplace culture is essential. Hear key results from the SIMA Foundation’s Snow Industry Workplace Survey and how you can use the results to benchmark your company.
| Novice, Intermediate
Build a Seasonal Staffing Plan
John Mocharko—Acacia Facility Services
Evan Tachoir—Consultant
In an industry that relies heavily on seasonal workers, John and Evan will focus on building and executing a seasonal staffing and training plan that will allow people to develop careers within your company and build your workforce for the future. They’ll also share the importance of collaboration between operations and HR during the recruitment process.
| All Practical Approach to Using AI and Tech for Growth, Efficiency and Execution
Patrick Baglien—Vue Robotics
Todd Reinhart—Reinhart Landscape & Snow
Isaac Howell—Acacia Facility Services
Learn how your SIMA peers use AI, camera and sensor technologies to expand their business, find operational and cost efficiencies, and use it to execute in the middle of winter events.
CLOSING KEYNOTE | Friday, June
28
Understanding
and Influencing
Modern Consumers
Our collective culture and modern consumer behaviors are changing and evolving faster than at any other point in history. The way consumers spend their time, gather information, make purchases, communicate, and even the voices they trust look drastically different than they did even two years ago. If you expect to sell to these people, to influence these people, to form relationships with these people, you have to start by understanding them and understanding how to talk to them.
networking
Tuesday, June 25
First-timer Reception
Sponsored by Caterpillar
Attending a show for the first time can be intimidating—but not at SIMA. First-time Symposium attendees are invited to this reception, where they’ll connect with SIMA’s Board of Directors, volunteers, SIMA staff and more.
By invitation only.
SIMA After Hours
We have the scoop on the best places to keep the party going after the show closes for the day. Meet up at Pittsburgh hot spots for fun, fellowship, drink specials and more! Check the SIMA Show app and show.sima.org for finalized locations!
Wednesday, June 26
Breakfast + Award Program
Sponsored by Caterpillar
Kick off the 27th Annual Symposium with a prekeynote breakfast. We’ll honor the 2024 award winners and provide SIMA updates.
Snack & Chat
Sponsored by WeatherWorks
Need information or advice on a particular topic or want to connect with snow professionals who are in a similar position? We have you covered with our popular topic-focused Snack & Chat. Grab lunch and pick a table!
NEW! SIMA Connections: Region
Sponsored by John Deere
After the keynote address, attendees can gather outside the ballroom to network with others who work in similar regions. Whether it’s talking about challenges you’re facing or trends/changes you’re seeing that are impacting your businesses, these are safe spaces to seek advice.
SIMA Connections: Roles
Sponsored by John Deere
Come together after Wednesday’s education sessions to network with snow professionals in similar roles. Whether you’re seeking advice or want to give back to the industry by sharing your knowledge and experience, these informal gettogethers are a must-attend event. Roles: owners, management, operations, sales and business development, and women leaders in snow and ice.
Welcome Reception
Sponsored by WeatherWorks, Winter Equipment, Pro-Tech, TrucBrush, True Weather, LLC
We’ll wrap up the first day of the show with our annual Welcome Reception on the Rooftop Terrace at the Convention Center. The event is free and open to all show attendees, exhibitors and sponsors.
SIMA After Hours
Sponsored by Pro-Tech
After the Welcome Reception, hop over to Sienna Mercato’s Il Tetto Rooftop Beer Garden for more networking! Grab a drink and some delicious meatballs to end the day in style.
Thursday, June 27
Breakfast Jamboree
Sponsored by Fisher, SnowEx, Western
More than 40 presenters will be on hand to share talking points, take questions and invite peer discussions on a variety of topics. Interested in sharing your knowledge?
Scan the QR code to submit a session topic.
NEW! SIMA Connections: Facility Types
Sponsored by John Deere
Snow is snow, right? But, there are nuances and challenges depending on the property types being serviced. Find your niche and chat with like-minded snow pros.
CSP + ASM Reception
Sponsored by Camion Systems
You’ve done the work, now enjoy the rewards! SIMA celebrates its new and current Certified Snow Professionals and Advanced Snow Managers with a dedicated reception each year. Grab a beverage and mingle with your peers.
By invitation only.
Friday, June 28
Closing Event | Gateway Clipper Dinner Cruise
Sponsored by Caterpillar Pittsburgh is home to the Three Rivers, and we’re going to cruise them all on the Gateway Clipper. Enjoy the sights and beautiful skyline while chatting with fellow attendees and guests. Need a group photo? We’ll plan to stop at the fountain at Point State Park along the way. $150 per person—tickets are limited.
Thursday Night Party
Join us for “retro-tainment” at its finest as SIMA takes over Shorty’s Pins x Pints in Pittsburgh’s popular North Shore district. Stop by after the trade show for duckpin bowling, arcade games, bocce ball, shuffleboard and more! Networking, food and fire pits also await you along the beautiful Allegheny River. The event is free for all show attendees, exhibitors and sponsors.
Check out the SIMA Show app for directions and shuttle information.
trade show
Sideshows Return
Sponsored by LMN
Take a break from walking the show floor and sit in on 30-minute “Sideshows” in the Sideshow Lounge, located in Aisle 1400, diagonal from LMN’s booth (1321):
5 Ways You Can Use ChatGPT in Your Snow Business
John Paganini—CrewTracker Software
Build Safety Standards into Your Snow Business
Michael Wagner, CSP, ASM—Designscapes Colorado
Elevate Your Mechanics from a Supporting Role
Richard Bevilacqua, ASM—Maple Crest Landscaping
Growth Potential of the Emerging Residential Market
Greg Moore and Bruce Olson—Avalanche Applications
The 3 Bs—Brooms, Brine and Behavior—Can Save Time and Money
Michael Vollmers, ASM—Iron Valley Equipment
Reduce Chlorides with Premium Liquids
Joe Cashin—Innovative Surface Solutions
2nd Annual Symposium Replay
Whether you miss a session in Pittsburgh or traveling to the Snow & Ice Symposium isn’t in your plans for 2024, hear from select speakers and suppliers during the Symposium Replay on July 17 beginning at 11 a.m. EST.
The Symposium Replay is included in the cost of a full Symposium registration. Day pass or nonattendees can register for the Replay for $59 at show.sima.org/attend
SIMA Garage
Operations and maintenance teams can visit the SIMA Garage to talk shop and get safety and troubleshooting tips on these topics:
Sidewalk Machine Safety
Speaker TBA
Plow Safety and Troubleshooting
Jeen Stork, Stork’s Plows
Spreader Calibration and Troubleshooting
Jeen Stork, Stork’s Plows
Reconditioning Schedules
Richard Bevilacqua, ASM—Maple Crest Landscaping
Truck Safety and Compliance
Rick Kier, CSP—Forge Ahead Consulting
Loader Operations and Site Safety
Speaker TBA
UPDATES: SIMA will use push notifications as the primary means of communication during the show. Make sure these are activated in the app settings.
PLAN: Use the agenda widget to verify session times/locations, access documents and rate the sessions.
CONNECT: Share your contact info with attendees and exhibitors.
EXPLORE: Use the app to view our 2024 award winners, win prizes and more!
Exhibitor Lineup
Plan your time on the show floor. Scan the QR code or visit show.sima.org/tradeshow to check out the exhibitors who will be on hand to showcase their products and answer questions.
REGISTRATION
Conference and Hotel Locations
The majority of Symposium events will take place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Room blocks are available at the Westin Pittsburgh and the Drury Plaza Pittsburgh Downtown.
David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Westin Pittsburgh Hotel (connected to convention center) Drury Plaza Pittsburgh Downtown Hotel
Hotel booking links will be sent from SIMA in your confirmation email after registration. NOTE: Booking outside of the official room block through a third party is done at your own risk.
Rates increase by $50 after May 24, 2024.
Includes access to keynotes, education sessions, trade show, Snack & Chat, Breakfast Jamboree, Welcome Reception and Thursday night party, After hour parties.
Includes full show pass offerings, PLUS access to exclusive SIMA+ Lounge, private leadership coaching session, reserved session seating, early access to trade show floor on Thursday, Welcome Reception and Thursday night party. Limited passes available.
Includes access to education sessions, special events and trade show. For selected day only.
SHOW ONLY PASS
Includes access to the trade show (Thursday, June 27 and Friday, June 28) and educational Sideshows and SIMA Garage on the show floor.
PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT
Non-member
Select one of the following options: (1) Sales and Estimating Workshop -OR- (2) Hiring and Retention Workshop $95
CLOSING EVENT
An evening on the water! Enjoy a delicious meal, drinks and the Pittsburgh skyline as we travel up the Three Rivers on the Gateway Clipper cruise line. $150
Join us in Pittsburgh this June! Register at show.sima.org/attend .
Attending for the first time?
Sign up for a FREE SIMA Show Sidekick during registration for a personal guide to help experience the show.
UNTANGLING M&A
String of moves shows snow is an appealing investment opportunity
BY PATRICK WHITE
with contributions from SIMA Education and Content Director Cheryl Higley SPECIAL REPORT
The press releases that often come out after the sale or merger of snow industry companies give the basic outline of the deal: Company A bought/merged with Company B; both will now operate under the name of Company A; the CEO of Company B will now be VP of Company A, etc. While useful information, these summaries sanitize what is usually a grueling process—professionally and personally— for the companies' founders and for their teams.
The reality is that any merger or sale between two companies is a complex endeavor. There is usually an initial courtship to explore the benefits, questions about financials and culture, deep thinking about the ramifications, worry about and on the part of employees, legal paperwork, and then more worry and details to work through even after the deal is done.
Motivating forces
Why take on a merger or acquisition if the process is difficult? Often the motivations outweigh the challenges. “I had major concerns and many sleepless nights about making this move. It is a life-changing process and not something you just jump into,” says Long Island-based Mahoney & Associates founder Don Mahoney Jr., who last year partnered with Kian Capital and Diamond Landscaping.
His rationale for undertaking this process was to continue to grow the company and his team. “This will allow our team to grow the company and give career advancement opportunities to my team that I could not have done on my own without borrowing the capital personally. The partnership allows us to accelerate many of our long-term goals.”
Last year also saw Strauser Nature’s Helpers in Pennsylvania become part of Schill Grounds Management (SGM), based in Ohio. Zech Strauser says he started down that road with the realization that all companies, including the one he founded a quarter-century earlier, inevitably find new owners.
“All companies have to have succession plans, whether
I did an ESOP or some of my employees took it over, or maybe I sold to a local competitor or to the biggest of the big industry companies—at the end of the day, there’s one guarantee: we’re all not going to be here one day, so the idea of thinking everything is forever and walking around in this bliss, that isn’t reality.” That fact, says Strauser, led him to start doing more estate planning, and to begin charting the best path toward continued growth for his company. In the end, he decided that partnering with SGM made the most sense.
SGM President and CEO Jerry Schill says it’s natural for owners to reach a point in their careers and begin to think about a transition plan and want to explore their options.
“It’s not uncommon for founders to feel like they have hit a ceiling with their business and start looking for help. Often they are not ready to exit the business, so they begin thinking about aligning themselves with a strategic partner.”
That was the case in early 2024 when Massachusettsbased Case Facilities Management Solutions and Landscape Effects Property Management in Ontario merged. “We’ve been talking about merging for about a decade,” says Jason Case, CSP, ASM. “I think it was the right time for both companies…it was almost a perfect alignment of culture, service delivery, customer base, target audience, processes.”
Both brands will remain, with Case serving as CEO of the combined company and Paul St. Pierre, founder of Landscape Effects, becoming a shareholder board member, while also helping to manage the integration.
The result, St. Pierre believes, will be not simply a larger enterprise (servicing some 21,000 sites in two countries), but, more importantly, a stronger one. “We believe that by joining forces, we can better address the evolving needs
Continued on page 24
&A
Continued from page 23 of our customers and stay competitive in the market,” he says. For example, St. Pierre says that “gaining access to Case’s extensive resources, including technology, talent and market reach can enable us to accelerate our product development, expand our customer base, and drive greater value for our stakeholders.”
St. Pierre encourages anyone undertaking the sale or merger of a company to understand their goals very clearly. “Whether you’re looking to expand your business, exit the industry, or strengthen your market position, defining your goals will help guide your decision-making process and ensure that you pursue opportunities that align with your strategic vision,” he explains.
Getting aligned
A solid alignment between the entities and people involved is the foundation of any successful transaction.
Case says it was the degree of communication and sharing between himself and St. Pierre, as well as the clear alignment between their brands, that put him at ease about merging: “Because Paul and I were so open and honest, I didn’t have major concerns about merging. I have high respect for the professionals they have on their team. Both companies have super strong brands in each marketplace they serve—our cultures were very parallel.”
St. Pierre says he and Case had a lot of discussions on how to harmonize company cultures, communication channels, and strategic objectives to foster collaboration and unity within the merged entity.
Similarly, Strauser says that one of the reasons he opted to partner with SGM is the level of dialogue he had with Schill. “There are a lot of similarities in our careers, and I think that helped a lot,” he says. That dialogue revealed many other complementary aspects of the two companies, including service offerings and geographic footprint.
Schill agrees that these were important considerations in moving the deal forward. He emphasizes that acquiring
Buying the business is the easy part. Getting the operating systems deployed and earning the trust of our new team and the communities they serve is the challenge. And that still takes people working with people.”
— JERRY SCHILL
I'm playing in the sandbox with multibillion entities and knew what I had to do to invest to compete and accelerate our differentiators. My name is on the building. I wasn't ready to exit the business, I just needed support to help it grow.”
— JASON CASE, CSP, ASM
(or merging with) a company needs to make sense on a case-by-case basis. Schill uses acquisitions as a tool to enter new strategic markets. “We’re focused on the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic regions. These are markets we understand. Geography, the weather, people, and our ability to support partners after the sale,” Schill explains. He says it’s important to remain focused on your core competencies. “One reason we’ve been able to maintain best-in-class margins and organic growth is because we remain disciplined and strategic on where we go to market.”
Beyond business mix and the strategic qualities of a deal, Schill says there is nothing more important than ensuring there is a talented management team in place: “People are the primary driver behind our acquisition strategy. It’s extremely difficult to organically open a branch in a new market without a strong bench. Identifying a partner that has a strong culture and core values that focus on people, ensures a much smoother, less disruptive transition after the close.”
Maine-based Piscataqua Landscaping & Tree Service has acquired six companies since 2017 to grow its brand and market footprint. President Justin Gamester, CSP, says you never know when an opportunity will arise, so you have to be ready. “We make sure our core business is operating well and then we try to expand that to new locations or bring new team members into the fold. The door is never closed, but we always put our team and our customers first with an emphasis on continuing to deliver on quality and services, so it has to be right!”
Difficult details
Mahoney encourages anyone considering selling or merging their company not to rush and to fully prepare for the process.
“Take lots of time and think long and hard about the decision, as it will be life changing,” he says. “The overall process, and specifically the diligence process, is a massive undertaking—exhausting and mentally draining. It is not Continued on page 26
1
BUILDING COMPANY VALUE
Many business owners may think the value of their company only matters when it’s time to sell the business. While it’s a key component in exit strategy planning, understanding your company’s value also brings insight to the inner workings of the business, helps you shape goals and decisions, and offers the opportunity to course-correct management and operational issues more quickly. There are multiple business valuation methods, which is a topic for another day. This issue of StartUp focuses on key areas of your business that can help improve your company’s value.
BRAND
Your brand is more than a logo and a mission statement. It represents how your company is perceived by customers, employees, stakeholders, community and competitors. It characterizes what you do and the unique way you do it.
2
customer / market focus
Clearly define the marketplace that you are going to compete in. By working only with your target market and staying consistent with your service offerings, you build a stronger, more specialized identity and a more manageable, profitable business.
3
systems development
Developing and implementing systems helps to standardize company operations. This will trickle down into just about every aspect of your business, particularly with your employees’ day-to-day activities.
4
performance measurement
You should have mechanisms in place to earn year-over-year growth and indicators to help you identify areas for improvement. Performance is often measured through key performance indicators that can provide better accountability within your business, while allowing team members to understand their day-to-day roles.
building a brand
Branding is simply the impression someone has when they think of a company. No matter what size the company, what channels are used to engage customers or what type of product or service is being sold, perception is reality. So why is branding so important? In essence, a great brand leads to higher sales and profit.
As important as it is, it can be difficult for a small- to midsized business. Whether you’re bogged down with invoicing and operations or equipment maintenance and employee training, the uphill battle of trying to distinguish your company’s service above your competition can take years to accomplish.
While there’s no substitute for things like quality workmanship and timely, consistent service, the one thing that smaller companies should be doing is often neglected: brand management. Brands that get people talking about a product, especially through a clear vision and a consistent, permeating message, will resonate with clients and prospects.
Of course, to manage your brand you must first create one, so let’s dig into some best practices of brand creation.
Set yourself apart. What distinguishes your company from your competition? If you don’t have at least one item on the tip of your tongue, then your brand has an identity issue. It is an important litmus test in determining if you are innovating or just following the pack. Can you succinctly describe what you do or how you do it? What is the benefit to the client if they buy from your company instead of a competitor? Companies today are trying to articulate the oft overlooked question: Why do we do what we do?
Don’t discount the fact
that many believe a company can’t just plow snow anymore … there needs to be a higher meaning. Perhaps you are intrinsically vested in keeping people safe or have a passion for environmental stewardship. Your ability to go to this higher level of branding may help you define what you do and how you do it. If your company is genuine in its stated purpose, it can be a powerful facet of your brand and will attract a client sector that you may not currently connect with using standard service branding.
Build your image. Many companies have a difficult time developing an identity in a crowded field of competitors. Your company is not only identified by name but through many different elements: colors, voice, imagery, shapes, taglines, font, etc. It is important that these elements are purposely selected and managed so as not to dilute or confuse your brand.
Conduct a competitor analysis. Flip the script and pretend you’re looking in your market for snow services. Do you see your company and competitors in a different light? You are essentially performing a competitor analysis that may help you determine what is missing in your market and guide the direction of your brand. A competitor analysis identifies the strengths and weaknesses of your competition, which ultimately determines opportunities and threats for your company. When you add brand perception to this exercise, it can help guide your branding objectives and efforts.
Remember, building a brand for the ages starts well before your logo and color scheme. It begins with deciding who you are, how you do things and why you’re different from every other company. Combining a strong, recognizable brand with a business model that consistently produces the value promised by the brand gives you powerful competitive advantages. Prospects seek you out. Making sales is easier. The best employees want to work for you. Customers are more loyal and refer others.
core values
vision
The right vision statement will inspire and give greater purpose to your existence. It makes your business about more than a paycheck for employees and moving snow for customers.
mission
Your mission statement is not a road map; It creates a rallying cry for employees and customers alike, something to look to on those cold nights when maybe one doesn’t want to go shovel that walk.
Your core values document the principles upon your company operates provides services. values allow you to talent, operations experience with a of thinking that ensures you do business is It also tells customers you’re about.
Refine your customer / market base
When your brand name is heard, you should ask yourself if your market segment is clearly identifiable by your customers, employees, suppliers and competitors. If it’s not, you’re already at a huge disadvantage to competing brands that can say yes to that question.
If prospective customers and potential employees aren’t able to quickly identify your company with the market segment and services you provide, the likelihood of them seeking you out versus you pursuing them is low. By branding your company in the segment or niche in which you intend to compete, you can become identified as
a go-to brand in that space. So when someone brings up hiring a provider for their snow removal needs, your name should ideally be the first name that comes to mind.
Niche snow and ice management professionals solve problems for their customers better than anyone else. They make the pain or the problem go away, which is how a niche provider defends and prospers in the space. Developing a niche focus means learning what goes on in the segment down to the most finite details. This will get your company
When your brand name is heard, you should ask yourself if your market segment is clearly identifiable by your customers, employees, suppliers and competitors. If it’s not, you’re already at a huge disadvantage to other competing brands that can say yes to that question.
values document upon which operates and These to align and service shared way ensures how carried out. customers what positioning
The snow business can be very competitive. So, what makes you different? In creating a positioning statement, you clearly define for all who, what, why and how in a way that’s clear for your team and customers to understand. It’s your elevator speech … the advertisement that each team member echoes when asked, “What do you do over there?”
developing a niche
recognized by the players in that space and lead to a competitive advantage over other providers. Plus, market niches allow small companies to play a larger role when they identify market segments that they learn to master.
1 Fulfill a need. Identify a need and then set out to become the fulfiller of that need at a higher level than anyone else in the marketplace.
2 Look around. Often there is an example in your marketplace where someone has already created a model you can study and gain insight from. This will help you determine the reality and risks of what is needed to succeed.
3 Grow your customer base. Study your customers to understand the niche services you’re already offering (and may not realize) or markets you’re already servicing. If you look objectively at your customer base, you will likely find that 20% of your customers produce 80% of the benefit your company enjoys. Most companies continue taking on more of the 80% type of customers that don’t provide a large return versus investing the focused effort to bring home more of the 20% crowd that does.
4 Recognize your drive and passions. If you find a niche you are passionate about, it’s going to be hard for the competition to stop you from dominating that space. Becoming a niche organization is a very deliberate practice. It requires great discipline to succeed. But if you are able to align your strengths and values with a niche you are passionate about, you can produce a winning formula and create a company and or brand that can dominate its market niche.
BRANDING TIPS:
• Create an emotional impression of your product
• Be consistent in frequency of advertising and tone of message
• Ensure it permeates every consumer experience
systems strengthen your company as an asset
How can systemizing your business improve the company’s value? The benefits are far-reaching:
• Increase your business’s efficiency while reducing labor costs
• Deliver consistent results
• Reduce reliance on people
• Make scaling easier
Define and implement your systems
You must have systems in place to run the repeatable parts of your business, whether it’s administration, HR, sales and marketing or production. Once systems are developed and properly implemented, they help standardize company operations.
In most small businesses, your best people are the systems, and they don’t always get the relief they need, especially during peak times. Well-configured systems can provide relief by taking over repetitive needs and issues, which reduces a lot of heavy lifting your staff would otherwise be doing with manual processes. This also allows you and your team to be proactive when facing business challenges and planning for your future. And when someone leaves or positions need to be added, having proven methods and systems in place make this much simpler to achieve.
Measure performance for continuous improvement
To be successful in business, everything should be analyzed to measure the effectiveness of the team and the system in place.
One way is to use key performance indicators (KPIs) to provide better accountability within your business, while allowing all team members to understand their day-to-day roles.
“Organize around business functions, not people. Build systems within each business function. Let systems run the business and people run the systems. People come and go but the systems remain constant.”
- Michael Gerber, author of E-Myth Revisited
A well-crafted KPI provides better accountability within your business by using measurements and metrics to evaluate any area of your company to determine if you’re reaching specific targets; identify what’s working and what needs to change in a part of your business; clarifies employee roles and responsibilities within your organization; and can be used in the short-term to correct a regularly occurring issue in the company.
Software solutions that can help standardize and maintain systems have become more specialized, more flexible and more affordable.
If you look at the areas in your company that cause you the most grief or take you the most time to complete, you might be able to alleviate some stress associated with these functions by using a simple technical solution that doesn’t take a lot of time or cost a lot of money to purchase and learn.
They also act as a single source of truth for your company and help you review your performance and identify areas of improvement.
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Continued from page 24
fun at all but necessary. It will challenge your mental focus and ability to stick with it.”
Mahoney says “deal fatigue” will set in at about 85% completion and the stress might make you want to walk away. “This is where it is so important to have a team of advisors around you to get you back on track and refocused.” (Sound familiar to anyone who has worked a major storm event?!)
St. Pierre says: “In the lead-up to a merger, it’s natural for concerns to arise regarding various aspects of the integration process, including the impact on the team, brand, services and organizational culture.” Managing these concerns effectively, he advises, “is crucial to ensuring a smooth transition and maximizing the potential benefits of a merger.”
Schill has a team dedicated to making the integration experience as efficient and transparent as possible to reduce friction in the process. “We operate from a well thought out, detailed playbook, and there are people on our team assigned to each one of those functions,” Schill explains. Even with all the systems and expertise in place, the process is just naturally complex and time-consuming. “We believe in a very hands-on approach,” he adds. “We’re relationship builders, we like to show up in person during the process and show them we care enough to be there. Buying a business is the easy part. Getting the operating systems deployed and earning the trust of our new team and the communities they serve is the challenge. And that still takes people working with people.”
The people part
As difficult as it is for an owner or top leaders to execute a deal, the impact extends to the companies’ teams. Concerns about how a sale or merge will affect team dynamics,
Merging two companies with different organizational cultures can present challenges in terms of alignment, communication and collaboration. For us it was important to acknowledge and respect the unique strengths and values of each culture while also identifying common ground and shared goals. ”
— PAUL ST. PIERRE
Take lots of time and think long and hard about the decision, as it will be life changing. [The partnership] will allow our team to grow the company and give career advancement opportunities to my team that I could not have done on my own."
— DON MAHONEY JR., CSP
job security, and morale are common, St. Pierre cautions, noting the importance of transparency and communication with the teams throughout the deal. “Providing regular updates about the merger process, sharing information about the company’s vision and strategic objectives, and offering opportunities for team members to ask questions and provide input were paramount for me to help alleviate anxiety and build trust,” he says.
St. Pierre adds that the focus on the people needs to continue after the deal is complete. In his case, he notes, “Jason and I built our business in parallel over the last 12 plus years; we already knew we were compatible in regard to our brands. But merging two companies with different organizational cultures can present challenges in terms of alignment, communication and collaboration. For us it was important to acknowledge and respect the unique strengths and values of each culture while also identifying common ground and shared goals.”
Strauser took a similar approach, noting he didn’t want to pretend to be “some mastermind striking a deal behind closed doors and then surprising everyone one day.” Instead, over the course of a year, he incrementally brought key team members into the process, beginning with his controller. “She was always a part of knowing all the different angles I was approaching, so she was always part of the conversation. At times, she might have wished she wasn’t, because I’m sure that was kind of a heavy feeling to have on her shoulders.”
When a letter of intent was finally signed, Strauser says he was able to share the news with the entire company at a morning meeting. Despite ensuring everyone that their jobs were secure, and that he would still be around to help them, Strauser learned that it took a continual process of reassuring staff for the message to be fully received. He also chose to share some of the deal proceeds with every member of the team based on their company service time. “That was a really prideful part of the whole process for me, to share some of this with the entire company,” he states.
After the ink dries
Ready for Market
They say in sales you should ABC—always be closing. As a business owner, it might be better to ABS—always be salable.
“One thing I’ve learned over the last 30 years is that every business should be built with the intention to sell. It’s never too early,” says Schill Grounds Management President and CEO Jerry Schill. “When you’re growing your organization, you need to make sure that your business is being built to stand the test of time.” Sustainability is the key to salability, he emphasizes. “If you have a business that’s doing $5 or $10 million a year, and you don’t have a solid management team in place or standardized operating systems, you are not going to maximize the value of your business.”
Putting the right systems and team in place makes your company more attractive to potential partners, he explains. “When we begin a process with the seller, we are evaluating and trying to identify change agents and the future leaders of the organization. Our greatest responsibility as owners is to ensure there is a transition or business continuity plan in place for the organization.”
Businesses are more sophisticated and complex than ever before, so you need to begin planning for a transition well in advance of a sale, Schill adds. “It is never too early to start thinking about your succession plan. Everybody’s circumstances and goals are different. Lean on your family and trusted advisors during the process.”
There’s a natural inclination to feel like, once the papers have all been signed, the hard work is over. But the integration between the two businesses still needs to take place. And, perhaps more surprisingly for company founders who have ceded control to whatever extent, there is some processing that needs to be done as they explore what their own futures will look like.
Mahoney remains active in management and has been able to focus on the bigger-picture aspects of the business, which excites him.
“The transition has been very smooth, and it has been exciting to have a larger team around me with a true partner to help support our operations as we continue to grow,” he says. “It was not an easy task and very stressful to make the final decision on the partnership. But I look back a year in with no regrets, and know I made the right decision for myself and the team.”
Strauser feels that one of the most challenging aspects is working through the emotions about the undertaking: “In hindsight, I probably would have met with someone, like a
All companies have to have succession plans. At the end of the day, there's one guarantee: we're all not going to be here one day, so the idea of thinking everything is forever and walking around in this bliss, that isn't reality.”
— ZECH STRAUSER
Opportunity comes in all shapes and sizes. The door is never closed but we always put our team and our customers first with an emphasis on continuing to deliver on quality and service, so it has to be right!”
— JUSTIN GAMESTER, CSP
coach, to say ‘What happens after the deal? How do I start mapping the things that are going to go on emotionally?’”
He adds that it would have been helpful to write goals for himself, his family, the team and the partnership “and get a little bit more in front of it.”
Still, he encourages those contemplating a sale or merger to prepare as best they can. Even for owners who remain involved post-deal, there is a change to contend with as they take on new roles. “My new word to describe it is dynamic,” Strauser says. “It’s not necessarily positive or negative, but it’s dynamic.”
Mahoney & Associates' Don Mahoney Jr., CSP, and his partners from Kian Capital and Diamond Landscaping will speak more on the M&A process during the Snow & Ice Symposium in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, June 26, at 2:45 pm. Learn more at show.sima.org/education
follow the money
Private equity becomes a key financing tool for owners looking to grow or transition
When Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he famously replied: “Because that’s where the money is.”
For the same reason, business owners looking to grow or expand have traditionally turned to banks for financial support. But more recently, a new source of cash has become available: private equity (PE).
The snow and landscaping industries have key characteristics that appeal to PE firms: relatively stable, reoccurring and repeatable income, and a degree of resistance against recessions and scalability. PE is more of an investment partnership that injects financial resources into a company to help it expand, diversify or become more profitable—or all three. In other cases, PE can serve as a well-funded buyer for a company owner looking to retire or transition roles.
For Jason Case, CSP, ASM, private equity was the best way to achieve the goals he had for Case Facilities Management Solutions. “The bigger the business, the bigger cash and investment needed to achieve the next level of growth.” For more than a decade he had invested
positive PE impacts
profits back into the business, to the point where CFMS became a national powerhouse. But he knew that strategy could only take the company so far.
“Other businesses had multimillion-dollar backers that, if something wasn’t trending well, could pump money in to get the business back on track. I had to look in the mirror and ask, ‘Where do I want to take [the company]?’” For Case, the answer was partnering with The Halifax Group in 2021.
The right fit
Schill Grounds Management (SGM) CEO and President Jerry Schill has acquired 12 companies supported by funding from Argonne Capital Group since 2020. This has helped Schill expand its reach from Indiana to Pennsylvania and north into Canada.
Schill says that PE sometimes gets a bad rap. “There were a couple transactions over the last 20 years that soured people’s impressions or view on private equity,” he notes. “Private equity has made huge investments in our space in terms of capital and technology that have led to the professionalization of our industry.”
Like snow and ice companies, PE
The entry of PE into the landscape and snow space has impacted companies that have nothing to do directly with private equity.
SGM President and CEO Jerry Schill feels that this development has helped to spur increased professionalism across the industry: “When private equity enters a space, with it comes innovation, cash, technology, professionalism, and interest from investors.”
Paul St. Pierre, founder of Ontario-based Landscape Effects Property Management, which recently merged with Case Facilities Management Solutions, says forward-thinking companies have an advantage: “Companies that embrace technology and innovation can gain a competitive edge in the market and attract investment from investors looking to capitalize on these trends. As a result, we can expect to see continued activity in mergers, acquisitions, and investment in the coming years.”
There are also personal benefits beyond the sale/growth of a business. Strauser Nature's Helpers founder Zech Strauser notes that the business expertise that PE investment professionals provide has given him a chance to learn. “Like a lot of founders who built a company from the ground up, it’s not like I had any formal education on leadership or running bigger companies. So this has been an opportunity to listen, learn, ask questions.”
Mahoney & Associates Don Mahoney Jr., CSP, agrees: “I don’t have an MBA or accounting degree—I built a company I am very proud of by working hard. Now I have vast resources through key strategic advisors and partners that I could not replicate on my own.”
firms have their own culture, approaches to business and investment strategies. Case says selecting the right partner took a year and involved a lot of time and consultation so he didn’t make the wrong decision.
“The selection is important based on culture, philosophy, investment strategies and protecting our team and employee base and what kind of opportunities for growth might be available for them, maybe even equity opportunities. That’s something I wouldn’t have brought to the table without someone to help guide me,” he says.
Ask questions about all of these factors, Schill advises. “You need to be certain that both organizations are aligned culturally, operationally, and strategically for the employees, clients, and the communities they serve.”
For Don Mahoney Jr., founder of Mahoney & Associates, a private equity partnership was not even on his radar in 2022. But a conversation during a peer group meeting sparked his interest. He went through an exhaustive process of identifying eight potential partners, ultimately choosing Kian Capital and their residential landscaping platform, Diamond Landscaping.
“I felt confident that we had alignment on the vision and growth plan for the business and I was excited to join a larger team with additional capabilities and resources,” he says. “Kian and the Diamond team were crystal clear on their focus and they have not wavered or compromised on the vision or mission.”
There are also private investment companies that don’t fit the mold of typical PE firms. Maine-based Chenmark is a family-owned holding company that builds its company and
subsidiaries with internally generated capital.
Chenmark’s first foray into the green/ white industry came with its purchase of Piscataqua Landscaping & Tree Service. Piscataqua President Justin Gamester, CSP, says the Chenmark partnership came about when the company’s founder, Booth Hemingway, wanted to retire. Since the initial deal, Chenmark has done six more deals, folding those companies into the Piscataqua brand.
“Opportunity comes in all shapes and sizes, and we review each opportunity to see if it fits our strategy,” Gamester says. “We enjoy working with Chenmark because they genuinely care about what’s best for the business and our values are very aligned.” Chenmark partner James Higgens says:
“Our goal is to create the conditions for our companies to be successful now and for the next several decades.”
Future focused
In the Poconos of Pennsylvania, Zech Strauser spent nearly 25 years building Strauser Nature’s Helpers into a successful landscape and snow services company. He says the pandemic gave him time to not only reflect on that achievement but also to think about the future. From there, Strauser says he became “really focused on building a team, on building financial discipline. The whole motive was if we could get better organized around financials and budgeting, it would either allow me to have some space within my company or allow me to pursue other things.”
Shortly thereafter, Strauser began talking with Schill about becoming part of the SGM platform. It’s an example of how PE involvement doesn’t have to mean an end to the purchased company’s brand (Strauser Nature’s Helpers still exists) or the exit of the owner (Strauser is now an advisor to the larger SGM enterprise). Strauser now has a “seat at the table” in discussions about where the SGM platform is heading and that likely would not be the case if he had chosen to simply sell to a national company.
Since partnering with Kian Capital, Mahoney has remained active in the business, focusing on areas he is passionate about like client relationships and business development. More importantly, Mahoney notes, his team is still in place.
“My team has been instrumental in building the firm and they have been 100% dedicated to our success. I needed to know they would be protected and their jobs not in jeopardy post-partnership,” he explains. “One of the main reasons I decided to partner with Kian was their commitment to ‘business as usual.’”
A good catch
Most business owners believe their company is firing on all cylinders. But a potential buyer is going to look at your business differently. Schill says a lot of prep work goes into being an attractive acquisition target: “If you don’t have your house in order, it’s going to be difficult to go out and find a partner willing to pay a premium multiple for your business.’’
A seller needs to have solid internal financial and operating systems in place, a talented management team, “and a compelling plan for the future of the business before beginning a sale process,” Schill adds.
Patrick White has covered the landscape and snow and ice management industries for a variety of magazines for over 25 years. He is based in Vermont. Contact him at pwhite@meadowridgemedia.com.
private equity suitors
Investments in the snow industry remain strong
BY RON EDMONDS
Private equity firms continue to take a strong interest in the snow and ice management industry.
While overall private equity deal volume across all sectors fell in 2023, the business services sector—and facilities services in particular—continued to be a bright spot attracting attention.
Many private equity firms favor investing in what can be described as essential services and either recurring or reoccurring services. This theoretically provides some insulation from downturns during business cycles. Snow and ice management fits that description, although the exposure to
large fluctuations in revenue dilutes some of that interest. Snow and ice service companies that have found ways to moderate that risk are likely to be the most attractive investments.
In addition to the industry’s attractiveness, after initial investments are made in an industry, there is a certain amount of “follow the leader” as other private equity investors may seek similar successful investments.
While private equity activity in the snow and ice management industry is still limited, private equity investment in landscape services and related businesses has grown very rapidly. There are now over 70 private equity platforms investing in various segments of the greater landscape services industry.
Investment targets
Private equity firms have a few ways to invest in snow and ice management,
RECENT NOTABLE TRANSACTIONS
Case Facility Management Solutions partnered with The Halifax Group in 2021. In early 2024, Case merged with Landscape Effects Property Management, a prominent provider of landscaping, snow and ice, and other exterior services to commercial customers across Canada.
The Cambria Group invested in Wisconsin-based Earth Development in 2021
The Riverside Company acquired Clintar, the Canadian snow-removal and landscaping franchise system, ultimately folding it in as a brand under its multibrand franchisor, Eversmith Brands. In early 2024, Riverside acquired US Lawns, the commercial landscaping and snow removal franchise unit of Brightview. Clintar and US Lawns comprise the landscaping and snow removal division within Eversmith Brands, under the leadership of US Lawns’ long-time president Ken Hutcheson. Clintar and US Lawns combined total approximately $300 million in system revenue.
and some companies operate in more than one of these segments:
• Invest directly in service providers who mostly self-perform services.
• Invest in facility management companies whose services are mostly provided by third-party contractors.
• Invest in companies that are primarily known as landscape services businesses.
A variety of private equity investors are in the market:
• Traditional firms raise funds from institutional investors and invest the funds on behalf of their limited partner investors. These funds typically have a fixed term, and the investments are ultimately sold with the proceeds returned to the investors.
Wisconsin-based Winter Services, LLC, has been backed by private equity firms Soundcore Capital Partners and Two Roads Partners since 2019. Since then, it has completed six add-on acquisitions.
Advanced Service Solutions, a facilities management company with its roots in snow removal, was acquired in 2023 by Powerhouse, a multi-service facilities management company backed by Lincolnshire Management. Advanced Service Solutions was previously a portfolio company of BHMS Investments.
Private Equity Platforms in Snow and Ice
• Family offices often act similarly to traditional private equity but use funds from one or more wealthy families to invest in acquisitions. Family offices are not as constrained as traditional private equity firms in how long they may hold an investment; although in practice, those time horizons are often not greatly different.
Impacts on snow and ice
The trend toward private equity investment will change the industry and affect all snow contractors, whether they are candidates for sale to private equity or not. Here are some of the potential impacts:
• For some contractors, private equity firms are potential buyers. This would include larger and more established contractors.
• Some smaller contractors may be attractive add-on opportunities for existing private equity-backed snow contractors.
• Private equity-backed snow platforms will likely result in more
These are among the private equity
industry since 2018:
The top private equity-backed landscape contractors, including Brightview, Yellowstone Landscape Group and Heartland, have significant snow services. Brightview has been a major player in snow removal for years. Yellowstone and Heartland have both expanded north in the last few years with many acquisitions, including snow services. In addition, Heartland owns Exterity, a nationwide facilities management company that offers snow removal services.
consolidation of a portion of the industry, resulting in larger companies and a potential change in competitive dynamics.
• The presence of private equitybacked companies may enhance the trend toward professionalizing the snow and ice industry.
• Private equity-backed companies may invest more heavily in technology and cutting-edge equipment.
• Private equity backed-snow contractors may use more professional and effective selling techniques that may provide an advantage over smaller contractors.
New opportunities
Consolidation also creates opportunities
for other companies not involved in private equity. There may be customer acquisition opportunities as changes happen with the large players. The changes associated with consolidation may displace some key employees who can boost other companies’ human resources. Even with these impacts, the industry will remain very fragmented with new contractors emerging all the time.
Ron Edmonds is a partner in Principium | White Oak, which focuses on M&A advisory services for business owners and investors in sectors including
It’s personal
The impact of selling your company goes beyond the money
BY RICK KIER, CSP
You’ve been running your contracting business for 10, 20, 40 years or more. You think about your business most of your waking hours. You’ve built it up to a first-class operation. It is not just a 40-hour-a-week job, it’s a lifestyle you live day in and day out.
Then, one day, you realize you can’t do this forever. You hear about others selling their businesses and begin to wonder: What are my options? How do I exit my business? How hard would it be to make the change? Before you have a chance to think too long, from out of nowhere someone wants to talk about buying your company—and you figure, it can’t hurt to listen.
You meet and before you know it, you have an offer. You’re filled with an unexpected rush of excitement from the fact that someone wants your business.
Look beyond the $$
It might be a good or even a great offer; but before you sign, think about how selling your company will affect you personally. We all dream of selling for lots of money and washing our hands of those day-to-day headaches, but what will it really be like? Will you miss the feelings of ownership and belonging to something you built? What will it be like to not have new challenges thrown your way all day long? What will you do with your time? Can you really go from 100 mph to 100% retirement?
This is an aspect of mergers and acquisitions most sellers never give much
thought to; but in my opinion, this is one of the most important considerations when thinking about selling your company. After all, you want to be happy and be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor with your family and friends. If you find yourself unfulfilled and regretful after selling your company, the sale will have done you no good. And you can’t just change your mind and get it all back. So, you had best be sure before you make a deal to sell your company and transform your life.
Consider the pros and cons
Just like other major changes in your career and in your business life, you need to take an objective look and consider all the options and their pros and cons. You might want to make a chart listing different aspects of what your life might be like if you were not owning and running your company. You could be amazed at how many ways your life will change—from where you get your gasoline and how your lawn gets mowed to how you think about the world around you and what you are going to do day to day. Is there another career you’d like to pick up after you sell the company, or a hobby that you’ve just never had enough time
If you find yourself unfulfilled and regretful after selling your company, the sale will have done you no good. And you can’t just change your mind and get it all back. So, you had best be sure before you make a deal to sell your company and transform your life.
for? Is your spouse excited to spend more time with you, perhaps traveling? Maybe the freedom will allow you and your family to move. I recommend that you spend serious time considering all aspects of what your new life might be like.
Of course, no matter how well you prepare, once you actually sell, your life may change in ways you never imagined. The impact hits everyone differently, so do the best you can to think through every detail and keep an open mind for where this new journey could take you and your family.
Get an early start
There are things you can do to help with a smooth transition to life after the company. Don’t wait until you have sold the company to start your new life. We have all heard of “work/homelife balance.” Many of us have ignored that concept for years and spend an inordinate amount of time focused on our businesses. For some, that intense focus is what made us so successful. But it does not have to stay that way.
Once you’ve reached a certain level of success, it’s okay to back off the throttle and spend more time on other endeavors. Even if you are not thinking about selling, make an effort to balance how much time and energy you spend at work. Be cognizant of how much time you spend on work vs. family, home, hobbies and anything else outside your workplace. Get involved in your
community and other non-work-related, people-focused activities.
If you think you might want to start another business or take on a new job, do some research and figure things out long before you move to sell the company.
In my case, I started my consulting business seven years before we sold Pro Scapes Inc. Once I stopped working at my old company, I already had something else to dive into. For me, helping other snow and landscape contractors all over the US and Canada has been extremely rewarding. I have really enjoyed helping others grow their businesses and showing them how to leapfrog all the challenges that took me 40 years to learn by trial and error.
You will have your own personal aspirations for the next stage of your life. Consider opening the door to them now.
Stay or go?
Thinking of working for the new owners? This is a great option for many. Sometimes things stay the same and people love it. In fact, I’ve heard some say that they enjoy it more than when they owned the company. They don’t need to worry about meeting payroll, filing taxes or many other aspects of company ownership. They may have additional advantages from the new owners such as business consulting/ leadership and group buying power.
Other times, though, there can be big changes under new ownership, and that could be hard for you to accept. And, of course, not every buyer wants the prior owner to stay. Even if they do, they may have a totally different idea of what your role should be or how you should carry it out.
From my discussions with prior owners who have sold their businesses, working for the new owners was just too difficult. As owners, they were used to doing things their own way and at their own speed. Many contractors are just too set in their ways to go from owner/leader to employee—even if they are in a management position.
Selling a company that you built from scratch or owned for decades is no small undertaking. Starting a new
life after selling your company can be equally consequential. Long before you make any moves, be sure to consider how you will be affected personally and prepare yourself completely. If you do, you can move on to the next phase of your journey and have a rewarding and successful life.
Rick Kier, founder of Forge Ahead Consulting, was the president and owner of Pro Scapes Inc. in Syracuse, NY for 41 years before he sold the business. He is a founding SIMA board member and now consults for snow and landscape companies across the United States and Canada. Contact him at rick@rickkier.com or www.rickkier.com.
future focus
Not in the market to sell? Increasing business value still plays off
BY GRANT HARRISON
Being a landscape/snow business owner is hard. There are a million things vying for your attention, and it’s usually only the most urgent ones that get it. Meanwhile, your business keeps going—but is it growing? Has it increased in value over the last year? The truth is that most snow management business owners have no idea what their business is worth or how it’s actually doing. They’re usually fantastic technicians, happy to be working in the business, but rarely on the business.
But knowing the value of your business and understanding the steps to increase its value are critical for its growth and health. It will increase profitability now and make your business more attractive to potential buyers—whether you’re looking at selling now or in the future.
Let’s look at six pillars of business and identify best practices and tools you can implement fairly easily to increase efficiency, productivity and profit.
The health and safety of your staff is your greatest priority. A Health and Safety Committee should be actively engaged in your business, and their recommendations should be taken seriously by leadership, along with a review of all accidents and near-misses.
Ensuring your staff are trained in health and safety is an easy way to eliminate potential hazards. We recommend standardized safety training for each employee, with most of the training taking place before the employee begins fieldwork. This will reduce the chance of accident or injury. We also recommend weekly tailgate talks to keep health and safety at the forefront of employee’s minds by reviewing proper procedures and identifying potential safety hazards. Your staff are your greatest asset. Keeping great staff is not only economical but essential to your success. To attract and retain staff, make sure you have systems in place for recruiting, training, evaluating and growing.
Hiring well is critical to business success. It’s important to hire based on your company’s core values, not based solely on a need for a spot to be filled.
Providing employee orientation and an onboarding plan is extremely helpful to the employee and to the organization. It ensures that everyone is aware of the job duties, expectations, company culture, training schedule and organizational structure. It sets up an employee for success right from the start.
Additionally, providing regular communication to your employees keeps everyone on the same page, creates confidence in your employees, and gives you control over your company’s messaging. Consider a monthly town hall meeting, a quarterly newsletter and a one-day kickoff each spring and fall to help build company culture and show your appreciation. Happy staff are integral to a company’s success.
Your customers can make or break your business. Turn your customers into fans by providing them a great experience and managing their expectations.
Just as you use an onboarding program for employees, consider an onboarding program for clients. In the same way that it provides clarity for your employees, it will do the same for your clients. You can communicate how the job process works, the
payment schedule, how any delays are handled, who to contact if there’s an issue, etc. It puts clients at ease because they know what to expect and this builds their confidence in your company.
Communication with clients is key. If there’s one complaint we hear regularly about contractors, it’s that we’re famous for not communicating with our customers. Set your business apart by providing proactive communication to your clients. For example, send an email to your clients to let them know when snow or ice is expected in the forecast and when you expect to start operations. Send them a weekly report that indicates when you were on site and what service(s) you performed. There really is no such thing as overcommunication when it comes to customers.
A lot of landscapers will stop reading here, simply because they saw the word “financials.” Most cringe at the thought of financial reports and spreadsheets, but ignoring the numbers can often be the downfall of a business. Learning how to create a budget, review budgets to actuals and read financial reports is imperative to understanding your business and where changes can be made to increase profit and efficiency.
To ensure the stability, longevity and profitability of your business, make sure you're creating and reviewing budgets (weekly, monthly and annually), checking your margins and creating systems to keep you on track.
Determining some best practices for operations is one of the quickest ways to affect the efficiency and profitability of your business. It also eliminates frustration, confusion and miscommunication.
Consider standardizing processes and equipment throughout the company and creating an operational manual. There are plenty of programs and apps that can assist with this. To track your progress, it’s important to have key performance indicators identified for each division. Measurements like hours vs. budget, fleet costs, measurement of quality of work being completed, and gross margin on each job are key.
A company is only as good as its leadership. Leaders must be committed to continually learning and growing and modeling that to their staff.
Creating a regular meeting rhythm is one of the most effective ways to start building cohesion in your leadership team. Scheduling regular SWOT meetings and strategic plans will keep everyone informed, which will help create consensus and accountability. Sharing your leadership’s vision and core values with your staff will help to create “ownership thinking” from the staff.
Investing in the professional development of your staff will add value to your operation and instill in your employees a greater sense of
to demonstrate the opportunities for advancement available at your company. It shows your employees that this can be a career, not just a job. Understanding the value of your business requires a comprehensive evaluation of various business areas. By focusing on safety, staff, customers, financials, operations and leadership, contractors can increase the overall value of their business, which will not only benefit the current operation but will also attract potential buyers and increase the likelihood of a successful sale.
value boost
Strong organizational structure and systems are attractive to buyers
BY DAVID GALLAGHER
Throughout my life, I have met two primary types of businesses—those where every decision and all knowledge resides with the owner and/ or one key employee, and those with a structure that allows the team to make day-to-day decisions and where knowledge is spread throughout the team through a system of processes in place to run the business. The latter often includes a leadership team that not only makes day-to-day decisions but also sets and leads the strategy for the business.
When a potential buyer evaluates a business, they typically prefer a business with structure and a system in place. This reality reduces the risk of losing key knowledge and effectiveness of the business. And it greatly increases the likelihood that the business will continue to operate and produce as it did pre-acquisition. Business owners are often looking to exit in short order postacquisition, even when they say or think they aren’t—and buyers know this.
System benefits
Businesses that have a formal system in place often are more profitable, can grow more effectively and with less pain, and are more likely to be sustainable. These are all reasons a buyer would be more inclined to consider purchasing a business. If they are already operating a business in the
Scalability, sustainability and profitability have a direct impact on the potential sale price of a business.
jumpstart solutions
1 Create an organizational structure that requires others to participate in the day-to-day operations.
2 Empower that team to make decisions and act on the customers’ and business’s behalf.
3 Implement a standard system with a software program to run the business.
4 Create and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the team to follow.
5 Hold the team accountable to established goals and key performance indicators (KPIs).
same space, a formalized structure and system are more likely to align with or at least be comparable to their existing business(es). This makes them easier to integrate and operate long term and provides for less revenue and profit interruption when they do so.
Scalability, sustainability and profitability, therefore, have a direct impact on the potential sale price of a business. A business with no formal structure, no scalable system in place and where all the customer and operational knowledge resides with the owner, is basically only worth the salary value of the business owner;
unless there can be some guarantee of the owner delivering a transition of not only clients but also the knowledge they hold in operating the business.
Ease the transition
A business with a capable and builtout leadership team, as well as formal systems in place to manage customer relationships and the business operations, can easily be transferred to the new owner and continue operating without the continued employment of any one individual.
There would commonly be customer contracts in place that provide at least some guarantee of continued customer engagement and the risk of losing the “knowledge” of the business is much lower because it is carried by multiple people.
When you consider the possibility of selling your business, ask yourself how well the business can operate without your day-to-day involvement? If the answer is truly that it can’t, I suggest spending the time and energy to change that before you put your business on the market.
David Gallagher is principal for Spiritus Business Advisors. He has over 25 years of experience as a senior service-oriented leader on all aspects of property service. Contact him at david@spiritusba.com.
Fundamentals of Anti-icing and Liquids
The prevention of snow/ice bonding to a paved surface is more efficient than the management of precipitation after bonding has initiated. From a sustainability and risk standpoint, bond prevention is critical and can often be achieved by a trained workforce employing the use of liquids and solids in an effective anti-icing strategy.
SIMA’s online certificate course teaches:
• The core science of how anti-icing and liquids work
• Insights into major deicers and their pros and cons
• Operational planning and implementation of liquid applications on sidewalks and in parking lots
• Introduction to making brine
• Liquid spray system calibration and application rate calculations
• Safety and environmental controls for storing, transporting and applying liquids Visit www.sima.org/liquids Get your team up to speed on liquids
The past, present and future of the business all impact the deal
BY JACK DEMSKI
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can be a simple or very complex process for any entity to consider as it investigates the options and benefits. The purpose of this article is to arm those getting ready to sell or looking to buy with tips, tricks and considerations as they engage in the process. Together, let’s look at a timeline detailing the past, present and future—all impact M&A.
Where we have been, what we have, and visions of the future are not the only questions to be asked when we consider M&A activity. The purpose or intent of why we are at the table must be the focus, and we should always strive to make sure that we don’t lose the focus of our directive.
Jack Demski is a licensed commercial insurance advisor with Ansay & Associates, specializing in risk management for snow and land contracting. Contact him at Jack.Demski@ansay.com or 414.491.5918.
Your report card of accomplishments,
Claims and paid losses. These are among the most important items to consider and finalize because they are directly tied to your future insurance premiums and because of the impact they may have on your performance. When reviewing claims, we often look for a few key points:
Timeliness of reporting. How long it takes for a claim to be reported, settled, paid and closed.
Open items or reserved claims. These are claims that have been reported and a reserve has been allocated to pay the future settlement. These are extremely important to get a handle on before buying or selling since any open claims will be seen as liabilities or potential lawsuit issues.
Trends and patterns. Past claims and losses give us a deeper dive into the inner workings of a business and its pitfalls, training impacts, and overall performance. These can also show us areas where improvements are needed to increase the performance for years to come.
Good faith. When we look back at what we have completed or accomplished, it is always a selling point to have a proud history or specific unique story that adds value and purpose to what you do.
Equipment. What unique assets do we have and, more importantly, what levels of experience do our employees have using them? Not all equipment purchases come furnished with experienced professionals who are proficient in the operation and use of the equipment. The hours and time saved by not having to train can be a big asset to any company.
Unique contracts. Who we have as clients, what contract language we have adopted, and what we have learned over the years of operations is important. Most contractors have stories for days and will tell you about the life lessons they have learned on the job; however, very few tell you about the time behind a desk. They spend a lot of time fixing the problems and having others fix their contracts to make sure no one has to repeat the solutions.
Relationships. The world is a small place, and in the snow removal business everyone seems to know everyone. What relationships are exclusive to your business, what relationships have you cultivated or do you currently control, and what relationships have you burnt or failed to develop over the years of service and operations? These can be great selling points, or they may adversely impact your evaluations.
What we have and what it is worth to others
Assets. In today’s world of supply chain problems, used and new equipment wait times, and restocking shortages, an itemized inventory and updated equipment list can be a massive multiplier for any business looking to sell, or a quick and fast way to increase service potential and replenish older fleets for buyers. Keeping everything on a master asset list would be a great idea; or spending time itemizing what is on hand would be a great use of some downtime.
Service area. Are you poised or positioned in a market that is unique, advantageous or modeled for future growth? If so, knowing the value of where and how you service accounts and areas is a big-time selling point and can be a swing vote for buyers. Spend some time doing a SWOT analysis of your operations and area to really know the potential you are sitting on.
Relationships. Who you know and who you service are always big talking points at the negotiating table. The people that make and build a company and the way everyone conducts business can help increase your multiplier or overall business evaluation. Keep building those key relationships and keep your key employees happy.
Expertise/employees. The talent and commitment to the day-to-day grind is often overlooked when valuations are conducted; but any good business broker or savvy entrepreneur will tell you that a business is only as good as the people within it. A business’ ability to reinvest in its training, culture, safety and overall services will outpace and outperform its competitors.
Where do we see this going?
Partnership. What is the long-term play by selling or buying a business, and are both parties happy with the conclusion and way forward? Does the path to a brighter future even come into play for the decision-makers, or is this the retirement strategy? Lots of questions about your business’ future also depend on your and your employees’ needs. This tends to be one of the hardest steps to overcome.
Buying power. Scale and size have always been a way to leverage pricing. The bigger you are, the more considerations and favors you can expect from suppliers and services. However, the costs per capita still need to be managed to leverage any scaling benefits, and you should be ready to discuss how this will be achieved through the M&A.
Competitive advantages. How will this alignment help increase service offerings, talent, marketing, or overall competitiveness within our service area? What is being added that we didn’t have before, and what are we sacrificing to align for the future? These are tough questions to answer and harder to ask, but the answers need to be spelled out and clear for both parties.
Diversification. Not the buzzword and definition we all think of, but the idea that snow doesn’t fall equally and is not always fair with who gets hit the hardest. I don’t have to tell you that the more service areas and states a company can work in, the better it is protected from local, regional and continental trends or weather patterns. Most buyers use this to their advantage and will even try to purchase locations where snowfalls are on the rise to ensure future revenues.
Vertical or horizontal integration. This M&A product might be a way to leverage the competition in a region or to lock down pricing for national accounts and multiple service locations, thus creating a horizontal integration. On the other hand, it could also round out the ownership's portfolio and allow a large landscaper to easily enter the snow business or vice versa. Many venture capital groups like to scale size and offerings when working with seasonal operations—and yours could be just the right piece for their vertical integration puzzle.
WITH MARTY GRUNDER
Strategy + structure = Execute
Surround yourself with people who make up for your weaknesses—it’ll help you go farther.
Amentor of mine once told me that structure always needs to follow your strategy.
This means that you need to have a strategy: simply put, an idea of what you’re going to do and not going to do. Then you can create a structure for how you’ll execute that strategy. It’s often easy for companies to skip the strategy part and jump right to the structure—many snow professionals are born problem-solvers after all. Jumping to the how is often second nature, but without a strategy, any structure created is often wasted and pointless.
For about 35 years, Grunder Landscaping Co. avoided doing snow. Looking back, I don’t think this was a smart strategy, but it at least was a strategy. We didn’t think the wear and tear on our equipment or the hours it would require of our team were worth it for the amount of snow our area receives in a year.
We reevaluated our strategy about 5 years ago and charged at some of the self-limiting beliefs we held head-on. We decided it was time to make snow and ice a key revenue item for our company so that we could do more work in the winter, and we got started putting a structure in place that we could follow.
As we landscape in the warmer months, we want to be sure we don't lose sight of the winter work that needs to be done, so we already have a strategy and structure in place for snow for the 2024-2025 season and beyond. Here are my three tips to help you do the same.
Stay ahead on planning
1
Having a strategy in place that helps you to know what you are and are not going to be doing 12 months from now is important.
Our team at Grunder Landscaping Co. plans for the next 3-5 years during quarterly leadership team meetings; and with a clear strategy in place, we’re able to talk both about the big picture (e.g., we’re going to provide these services to these types of clients in this geographic region) and the detailed structure (e.g., how many extra trucks or team members we’ll need if
we hit our revenue goal). We can get plans in place to make sure we’re ready.
A vision without a plan is a hallucination
2
You can talk about what you want to do all day long, but you have to actually execute. Once strategy is in place, you still have to create structure.
I’ll confess something to you all now: I’m really great at hallucinating. I am the big-idea guy at our company, but executing is not always my strength. This has held us back in the past, and I’m grateful today to be running alongside our company president and master executor Seth Pflum. Surround yourself with people who make up for your weaknesses—it’ll help you go farther.
Make sure everyone on your team knows the plan
3
If you want your team’s help executing, they need to know the plan. Communicate year-round with your teams so they’re always up to speed on the plan and their role in making it happen. And make sure you can clearly answer this great question: “A year from now, to know we’ve been successful, what specifically needs to happen?” Then set out to do just that. Even when the peak of our work is seasonal, our businesses are not. We must be constantly working on our businesses if we want to get better, grow and reach our goals. I challenge you to do that this spring and summer, so that you’re ready to maximize the next snow and ice season.
Marty Grunder is founder of Grunder Landscaping Co. and The Grow Group coaching firm.
SCALE TO NEW HEIGHTS
You’ll be in snow mode soon enough. Head to the mountains for hiking, a Jeep excursion, lay by the pool or shop in town—you can do it all in Vail. Share this epic adventure with your family—all are welcome!
sima.org/leadership. Register at
SIMA Leadership Forum August
11–13, 2024
Grand Hyatt Hotel—Vail, CO
Revitalize
CONNECT
A powerhouse slate of business speakers will share insights that will inspire you personally and professionally.
Event Sponsors
This industry is hard—don’t do it alone! Build a network of peers you can count on during our receptions, recreational activities and downtime.
WITH BRENDAN D. O'BRIEN
The devil is in the (contract) details
Vague terms
such as
the “land,” the “site,” the “property,” and the “walking areas” should be avoided. These terms can be interpreted numerous ways, which can lead to a contractor facing a claim in an area that it had no responsibility for.
What am I supposed to do? This fundamental question can get a contractor in serious trouble if it doesn’t have a clear answer.
It is critical that for every contract, every customer and every location, a contractor knows when it is supposed to be working, where it is supposed to be working, and what it is supposed to be doing.
When?
The question of when a contractor is obligated to work at a particular site may seem basic, but it is crucial for protecting against potential claims.
exactly when the contractor is obligated to be at a property and when its work is finished.
Where?
Where a contractor is responsible for working is an equally important question.
Condition triggers. Every contract should specify what exact conditions trigger the contractor’s responsibility to go to a site. The contract should clearly state whether a certain amount of precipitation is required, such as a contractor being required to go to a site only after 2 inches (or some other amount) has accumulated. Every contract should also describe specifically what type of precipitation is being referenced. For example, an inch of ice may obligate a contractor to go to a site, while an inch of snow may not.
Monitoring obligations. It is also critical that every contract state clearly whether a contractor is obligated to monitor and/ or inspect a particular property when there has not been any recent precipitation. If the contractor’s obligation is not well-defined, it could result in a claim despite a slip and fall or other accident occurring weeks after the last precipitation.
Customer responsibilities. Finally, every contract should be clear about the customer’s responsibilities. Is the customer obligated to request service if there has not been a recent triggering event? Can the customer approve of the contractor’s work so that the contractor can be confident that it has satisfied its contractual obligations after a particular event? These questions should be answered in every contract so that the contractor and the customer know
Be specific. If a property has parking lots, sidewalks, walkways and stairs, the contract for that property needs to be clear about where the contractor is obligated to work. Specificity is key. If the contractor is responsible only for plowing parking lots, then the contract should state that explicitly. Similarly, if stairs are excluded from the contractor’s responsibilities, that exclusion should be clear from reading the contract. Avoid vague terms. In any contract, vague terms such as the “land,” the “site,” the “property,” and the “walking areas” should be avoided. These terms can be interpreted numerous ways, which can lead to a contractor facing a claim in an area that it had no responsibility for. To the extent a contract uses such terms, the contract should also include clear and unambiguous definitions for what the terms mean.
What?
Specifics are also key with respect to what activities a contractor is obligated to perform.
Contractor obligations. The exact activities and the exact areas where those activities must take place should be spelled out in every contract. For example, if a contractor is obligated to plow a driveway, plow and apply salt to a parking lot, and shovel and apply ice melt to a sidewalk, the contract should state each of these details as clearly as possible. Again, any vagueness regarding what the contractor is obligated to do could lead to a claim for something that the contractor never anticipated.
Brendan D. O’Brien is an attorney with Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC, based in Manchester, NH. Contact him at bobrien@ primmer.com.
TOUGHER THAN WINTER.
When winter gets tough, get even tougher with the FISHER® XV2™ v-plow. Built to power through any storm, the FISHER XV2 v-plow comes equipped with extreme flared wings—up to 45"—and double-acting cylinders to easily handle anything thrown in its path. Plus, it’s qualified for vehicles up to Class 6, so it’s as versatile as it is hardworking.
Unique Features
Trip-Edge Design
Protects you and your equipment. Only the bottom edge trips, so the blade stays upright and plowed snow stays in front of the blade.
Exclusive X-Bracing Design
Four vertical ribs and eight X-bracing ribs reinforce the blade for structural integrity and torsional strength.
be on alert
Train for uncommon but high-risk exposures
By MICHAEL WAGNER, CSP, ASM
While working in the snow and ice management industry, you may be exposed to a variety of safety hazards that pose a threat to your personal health and well-being. Today we’re not talking about equipment incidents, operational errors, or slippery pavement; we will address the need to be aware of additional exposures to risks like drugs, guns, alcohol, violence, and even urban hazards. Specific roles may be more exposed than others, and it’s important to have a general understanding of how you must handle these situations.
Urban hazards
The first of these kinds of risks are urban hazards, which can include working on sites and properties where you are exposed to hazards like needles, drugs, weapons and working near homeless encampments. Many of these risks can be avoided or greatly reduced if you are aware of your surroundings:
• Visually inspect the area or site before, during and after work is completed.
• Listen for noise, commotion and people that may be onsite or in hidden
areas where personnel isn’t performing snow and ice operations.
• Be careful when using your hands to clear, clean or pick up any objects.
Diligence
General awareness and observation of the site and objects on the site is one of the best preventive measures. Another important tip is to never work alone on sites. Sometimes this may be challenging; but in most cases when it comes to snow and ice operations, plow drivers, equipment operators, walkway crews, or even site supervisors will be on hand. It is important to be aware of who is working with you and your response methods in case an incident arises. Having additional help on site can aid in:
• Fewer people approaching you because you’re not alone.
• Help to provide first aid and seek medical attention if a personal injury occurs from accidentally being cut, poked or hurt by another person.
• Reporting incidents and confirming information through eyewitnesses or additional victims.
Urban hazards are everywhere, and knowing what to look for provides greater preparedness in the event of an incident.
Weapons
Of the many exposures, one of the more frequent findings is firearms on site or potentially inside vehicles and
equipment. If you happen to find a firearm or weapon inside a companyowned asset, make sure you know your organization’s policy for handling the issue, and do not touch the weapon. You must advise the correct authority within your organization to handle the situation, as well as to ensure the safety of others. On the other hand, if a weapon is found on a client’s property, or you come into contact with one not on company property, it is important to contact immediate supervisors and local authorities so it can be properly handled. If you find a weapon on a site, do not touch the weapon and instead let the authorities gain possession of it the way they need to.
Drug awareness
Another possible finding is drugs. With the many possibilities and varieties of drugs, it’s challenging to know what to look for, as well as the places drugs may be, and how to properly report it. If you find any suspicious contents, chemicals, bags or storage containers, you should not handle them until the proper authorities arrive, as well as any other authoritative person or company with the ability to do so safely.
If you find drugs in company vehicles and equipment, you must immediately alert supervisors, who will identify the proper company to come and test the interior surfaces of the vehicle, as well as any other
chemicals or materials that may have been found.
What makes the contamination so difficult to handle is that many drugs are oil-based, and those oils soak into porous materials. Coming in contact with chemicals such as methamphetamines or fentanyl can be extremely harmful or even fatal.
Typically states have specific rules and processes that must be followed to ensure that the proper sanitation of vehicles has taken place to keep drivers safe from exposure to harmful chemicals.
Alcohol preparedness
A more common hazard you may be exposed to is alcohol in the workplace, which can include finding alcohol in vehicles and equipment, in the company yard or facilities, or on a job site.
It is important to confiscate it immediately wearing PPE such as gloves and even safety glasses, and report it to your supervisor, safety personnel, or the human resources department. Although this may seem like a strong reaction, you don’t know where it came from, who has consumed it, or what the contents are.
Following this, the handling of employees that are under the suspicion of using alcohol before or at work must be done appropriately; and you should notify the same personnel that can properly manage the situation.
Determining if an employee is using alcohol at work can create volatile situations, and this should be left to trained employees who can properly manage stress, drug testing and reporting, as well as potential disciplinary action or termination. Whether an employee is suspected of usage due to the smell of alcohol on their breath or open containers in a vehicle, any situation can escalate quickly depending on the circumstances.
Better safe than sorry
When you consider the different exposures and circumstances discussed here, you can see how employees such as field staff, mechanics, or supervisors traveling to and from sites can all be exposed to this variety of hazards.
It is important to know how to observe and be aware of your surroundings, as well as understand how to prepare yourself for a possible incident response effort to manage it properly and safely and get assistance from the designated company personnel.
Nobody in the industry is exempt
from potentially being involved in one of these scenarios, so take the time to prepare yourself and keep you and those you work around safe.
Michael Wagner, CSP, ASM, is Director of Operations at Designscapes Colorado Inc. Contact him at 303-328-5554 or mwagner@designscapes.org.
TRUCKS AND RISING COSTS
is it really that bad?
Lackluster winter doesn’t spell disaster — but you should pay attention to the changes
By FRANK LOMBARDO
We’re coming out of another winter where many snow contractors were felled by another lackluster season. We have been knocked down this year in most markets.
The immediacy of the impact of yet another light winter makes it easy to forget that just three years ago many areas of the United States and Canada were blasted by two intense storms that left heavy snow, record-breaking ice and brutal cold in their wake.
But the concerns are real for snow contractors who are facing challenges presented by changing global weather patterns. Among the most frequently echoed concerns I hear are that a) winters aren’t as cold; b) there are shorter or even snowless winter seasons; c) we’re seeing more mixed events and ice storms; and d) lighter, fluffy snow is being replaced by heavier wet snow.
To help differentiate whether some of the changes observed by contractors may be due to climate change or are just part of normal swings associated with winter seasons, our WeatherWorks team reviewed thousands of weather records across the United States and Canada with a
TEMPERATURE ANOMOLIES: Warmer average temperatures but also fewer exceptionally cold days are impacting snow and ice management companies. This map shows the average winter temperature in the last 5 years compared to the 30-year normal. The Midwest and East have been the warmest.
focus on Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA; Columbus, OH; Denver, CO; Minneapolis, MN; Montreal, QB; Chicago, IL; and Washington, DC. Some of what we found validates what we’re hearing from the industry; other data debunks certain patterns that seem to have occurred; and yet other findings still leave us with more questions and research to do.
In January 2024, the mid-Atlantic region—including Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York City—saw plowable snow for the first time in 700 days. The mid-Atlantic has been the most severely affected by the lack of snow over the past decade, significantly driving climate averages down with the help of two nearly snowless winter seasons (2019-20 and 2022-23).
Shorter snow seasons or snowless?
In some markets, there has been a notion that the snow season is becoming shorter, and when it does snow, it doesn’t last long. To determine if the snow season is becoming shorter, meaning less snow outside of December-February, we analyzed data and trends in the eight markets.
In all locations, we found that slightly more snow is occurring during the heart of winter with a decline in average snowfall amounts in the shoulder months (October-November and March-April). The one outlier was the Denver market, where the snow season seems to be growing and less of the annual snowfall is measured between December and February.
Are we seeing more mixed events with marginal temperatures?
As you would expect, warming average temperatures result in more frequent marginal temperatures during winter events. That should, in theory, lead to more mixed events or “all snow” events with temperatures at or above 32°F. The data confirms that this has been true in most markets, particularly the ones that are warming the most. The exception has been in the Rockies, which has actually seen a slight tick down in the number of mixed events in the past 15-20 years.
More mixed and ice events. Mixed events, defined as events that had both snow and freezing rain, have slightly increased over the last 15 years. The greatest increase has been observed in the traditionally colder and snowier markets that are now seeing more marginal air in storms. Thus, the greatest increase in mixed events has
Continued on page 50
Year-to-year volatility?
Year-to-year snowfall volatility, defined as the top 10 greatest changes in snowfall from one year to the next over the past 100 years, mimics temperature trends across North America. Cities such as Boston, MA, Washington, DC and Columbus, OH have seen 6-8 of their most volatile winters within the last 30 years. A normalized number should be only three occurrences. Meanwhile, through most of the Midwest and Rockies, there hasn't been much correlation in recent years.
The takeaway is that areas in the Rockies, Northern Plains and upper Midwest are likely to experience somewhat normal year-to-year variability (1 extreme swing every 10 years); the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, however, are more certain to see bigger and more frequent year-to-year extremes with a significant swing up or down on average every 2-4 years.
OPERATIONS // TRENDS
Continued from page 49
been in the Minneapolis and Buffalo markets. The Interstate 95 corridor from Washington D.C. to Boston has seen a more subtle increase.
Is our industry becoming obsolete?
Climate change is certainly a concern for the future state of the snow and ice industry across the United States and Canada; however, winter weather and snowstorms will continue to occur in all markets. As of this writing I anticipate at least one more sizable event across the country by mid-April.
There have been many lean snow seasons in the past century, but they have always been balanced by a swing back to snowier periods. Even in a warming current state of the atmosphere, several markets have seen a slight uptick in snowfall totals.
We must sharpen our pencils, stay on top of current trends and become more creative and innovative on how
Are winters getting warmer?
On a global scale, rising temperatures over the past 100 years are the most glaring effect of climate change. This not only includes warmer average temperatures but also fewer exceptionally cold days. As a result, many contractors are now observing a longer growing season. This has been most prevalent east of the Mississippi and all southern states where average winter (Dec-Feb) temperatures have been climbing. Philadelphia, PA and Montreal, BC have seen six of their all-time highest yearly average temperatures within the last 10 years; and winter temperatures have been rising. Other snow markets in the Midwest and Rockies have seen either fairly consistent temperatures or even cooling trends. In Denver, for example, the average winter temperature during the last 30 years has actually cooled a bit. The same holds across much of the Northern Plains.
Is snow becoming heavier and wetter?
In most markets that we studied, there is a definite trend indicating an increase in snow falling at warmer temperatures. We reviewed the total number of hours in the last 20 winter seasons where snow fell when temperatures were above 32°F and the number of hours where snow fell at temperatures 25°F or lower.
Our findings were consistent in the eight markets we investigated, with one exception. The Denver market has actually seen a recent increase in the number of hours that snow falls at colder temperatures. This would mean more hours of fluffy snow and less of the wet, heavy snow that other markets are seeing.
we integrate these changes when responding to the needs of property owners. Winter variability is a normal occurrence and will continue to bring year-to-year volatility to certain snow markets. Although some markets may see a continuation of more mixed events and significant year-to-year swings, rest assured winter is here to stay.
Snow removal professionals rely on their equipment to be ready when they’re needed. That’s why the leading contractors trust the durability and quality of the only wear parts backed by a satisfaction guarantee. Have confidence in your equipment all season with Winter Equipment.
The WeatherWorks team will present a Snow & Ice Symposium session on Emerging Climate Trends Impacting the Snow & Ice Industry at 8:30 am on Friday, June 28. Learn more at show.sima.org/education
Frank Lombardo is president of WeatherWorks, Inc.
Data analytics for this story were compiled by Rob Reale, Simon Wacholz and Elijah Sumner. Learn more at www.weatherworksinc.com.
a hammer won't fix a watch
Match the right equipment to the jobsite for maximum efficiency
BY MIKE McCARRON
My dad used to say, “Before you get started, get the right tool for the job.” He meant that while a hammer is an excellent tool for banging nails and securing hubcaps, it’s the wrong tool for fixing a watch. This concept applies tenfold in our industry. It’s more critical than ever, given the increasing labor shortages and skyrocketing business costs. We’re all striving to acquire the right tools for our jobs.
When buying equipment and tools to build your inventory, consider two things:
1 Can this tool or equipment be used in multiple seasons?
2 How many of your service locations can use this tool or equipment?
Running your purchase options through these filters helps you to match the right equipment for the job and maximize equipment usage for productivity and efficiency. Let’s review some site location setups and what may be best for your company.
For many reasons, sidewalks are one of the most challenging areas to control and maintain. Many smaller locations are manageable with
push or straight shovels. Most large jobsites (as a rule, anything over a few thousand linear feet of sidewalk) require mechanical help.
With an investment in mechanical equipment, you can handle multiple locations more easily. The latest technology can plow and spread granular products at the same time. Some high-end equipment can apply brine while plowing for a cleaner single-pass setup. The availability of automated sidewalk machinery is also on the rise. These upgrades and innovations to sidewalk treatment equipment will continue to develop and improve over time.
Before you buy a new piece of equipment, do some general homework and figure out a) if you will use the new equipment enough to justify its purchase, b) the cost of using it on a “normal” storm, and c) the potential cost savings for using it. This homework is especially critical on contracted sites where you are experiencing labor shortages.
Plow designs and features have continuously evolved as jobsites and customer expectations have changed— often becoming more demanding and requiring more flexibility. An example of such a change is using the “fixed”
blade vs. the “floating” blade. In our service region, many older properties suffer from poorly graded parking lots, which significantly affects drainage from one end of the parking lot to the other. The grade and terrain vary so much that traditional fixed plow blades do not effectively clear these areas, often leaving snow trails that freeze when temperatures fall. A floating plow allows the blade to adjust with the terrain and “float” 4-6 inches from side to side, providing a very clean pass and reducing salt applications on the back end of the storm.
Consider keeping blades of various sizes on hand to best service your clients’ properties and their unique challenges. For example, our account managers have 6-foot blades on their mini trucks to tighten up any unique property features, such as around fire hydrant openings and bus stop locations, they encounter during site checkups.
Super-sized distribution centers and 24-hour operations warehouses are particularly challenging jobsites that drive innovation in our industry. Such industrial sites often feature loading bays for 53-foot parked trailers that frequently move in and out of the parking lot, making large-scale removal and treatment capabilities imperative.
Manufacturers now offer containment plows and pushers with a variety of edges and features designed to more efficiently clear large amounts of snow. These types of setups save time and allow for simultaneous plowing, stacking and clean-up operations for each property.
Relocating loaders from one jobsite to another during snow events can be challenging and dangerous. If you can, keep this equipment at a specific jobsite for the duration of a snow event. This allows for increased billing since the machine is already on location and ready to go.
An 8- or 10-foot pusher works best if you service small- and medium-sized
locations. More significant sites will require equipment up to 16 feet wide with hydraulics to move wings in and out as necessary.
Take time to review and evaluate your company's contracted sites. Some service providers focus only on largescale operations like shopping and distribution centers. In contrast, others prefer to focus on smaller operations like fast-food drive-throughs and parking lots with less than 50 spaces. The level of workload and the types of equipment needed to service these varied environments are very different. Ensuring the equipment you have fits the size and scope of the job is critical to your success.
Remember: Use the right tool for the job! Regardless of size, each jobsite requires a focused analysis of its challenges, production requirements, client expectations, and the equipment, training, and personnel needed to service it effectively. Make such evaluations and plans long before the next weather event when your team’s services are required.
Oh! And while you're planning for the next winter season, I highly recommend attending the SIMA Symposium this June 25-28 in Pittsburgh, PA. There, you will meet many like-minded contractors from all sizes of companies who are happy to share their experiences with you. I look forward to seeing you there!
Mike McCarron is president and founder of ImageWorks Landscape Management, a commercial landscape maintenance and snow removal firm in the Northern Virginia market. He has 20+ years of industry experience. Email him at mike@imageworkslandscaping.com.
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SNOW & ICE EQUIPMENT
OPERATIONS // PROCESS
End-of-season reflections shape future goals, ID training needs look back to move ahead
FBY JENNY GIRARD, ASM
or most, spring is in the air! The smell of flowers blooming, the fresh buds on trees with spring cleanups underway. You have pushed your last pile, shoveled your last walk, accounted for tools, made repairs and closed the door of another snow year. With everything that needs to be done to wrap up the season, what most forget to do is an end-of-season review with yourself and team. This is a crucial step to a successful next season.
Reviewing items in real time is critical for feedback and training, but the reality is that's difficult when you’re in the trenches during the season. A year-end review gives you a chance to dive deeper into issues that occurred and allows you to fully address everything, and not just one-off situations. In these reviews you will likely find the gaps in training and abilities.
So where do you start?
Add this review into your end-ofseason to-do list. You want to make sure you review the following in order to identify training that can be done in the off-season to improve performance the following season:
• High level review: Start, Stop and Continue with yourself and team
• Set goals
• Team member review
• Collect and use data
Start, Stop and Continue
What is “start, stop and continue”? It is a reflection point with easy-to-use metrics that allows for high-level review without getting stuck in the weeds. This method forces you to think of actionable items that will produce results.
Ask yourself and your team,
“START” EXAMPLE:
Start statement: Proactively educate clients prior to season.
Start root cause: Need to educate clients on expectations versus what is correct (e.g., oversalting).
Start goal: Have education materials for clients by September; schedule meetings to review in October; schedule follow-up after the first event.
without thinking of one-off situations, what you would like to start, stop and continue doing to reach company and personal goals. This exercise is a personal reflection on contributing factors of success and failure.
When you write your own reflection, review your metrics, events and personal involvement. It is essential to find your own gaps within your reflection. Pick the top 3 key metrics that work best for you within your company’s goals. Once you have the metrics, write out the start, stop and continue items. I find it best to free flow write without reviewing the document until I am done to avoid
overthinking each situation.
Review each section, see if anything is overlapping or repeated, and ask yourself the root cause of each statement. From there, narrow your statement and ask yourself what is really going to move the needle in the right direction? Within that space write obtainable goals that are defined within a certain timeframe that can be measured and tracked. Ideally, you want 3 to 4 goals, or one for each section—more is neither better nor obtainable. You can always come back once you have achieved those goals.
Perform this exercise with your
team—this can be used on all fronts of the team from the front line to management. Depending on the size of the team, you may want to include breakouts that involve front-line leadership together to allow for open and honest communication. Have the team write down their own “start, stop and continue.” Guide them by asking for the top 1-3 ideas in each section. Once that is completed, come together as a group and review.
Take note of the feedback you receive, especially if it is consistent. These exercises of personal reflection will reveal how the team is performing, along with their fears, pain points, and what they are most proud of.
Once shared, find the commonalties within their “start, stop and continues.” Dive in with the team on the root cause of each one. Pick one for each section that will move the
Continued on page 56
team “START, stop and continue”:
Start: Improving communication. A resolution example could be teamwork training and proactive team communication, training front-line leadership on jobsite management, etc.
Stop: Overservicing. A resolution example could be scope of work training for the team.
Continue: Training. A resolution example would be to ensure this continues to be successful. Embrace this as a win. Reiterate how this was successful with examples when training new team members and with existing team members after the season. Dig in more on why it was successful and how can it be improved.
“It cut very well. It got all the
and
-Ben G.
OPERATIONS // PROCESS
Continued from page 55
needle. Have the team come together with a plan on how they will achieve these goals and set measurements and timeframes around them.
Start, stop and continue is a great opportunity to identify root causes of issues and what training you need to build for future team development. It will also allow your team to evaluate the entire season—not one or two situations. It will allow them to align as a team, especially with front-line management. Note: it can be beneficial in larger settings to pulse survey frontline workers on improvements as well.
You can follow this same exercise to review by team, property, event, client, asset management and more. Since it is broken into manageable metrics, you can create, manage and measure goals in each segment. When writing the goals, make sure they
If you utilize this in other segments within the company or outside of your management, ensure you are not reviewing one-off situations, unless it has critical consequences.
Team member review
The next step in documenting for training is to review with leadership whether people are in the “right seats.” I mean this literally and metaphorically. Review each team member on company fit/ culture, performance, development and understanding/knowledge before season’s end. Is there someone that is not catching on to driving a loader or plow truck? Is there a site suffering from lack of leadership or ownership? Did someone stand out and step up on multiple occasions? (See Critical questions at right).
Collecting data
Real-life data will resonate with team
identify commonalities and point out training gaps from reports, feedback and photos. You can utilize these genuine situations to train current and future team members:
Photo review. Most of us have tons of photos from the season of things we see in the field or from clients. Most times these photos are never put into storage. At the end of season, review your photo logs—upload them to the cloud or a shared space for training purposes.
Client feedback. Review all the feedback that you receive from your clients. Having postseason conversations with clients on how you can improve can be critical for training. Document and store all the feedback you received.
Repairs. Take photos of repairs that are needed to sites and equipment. Review with the team prior to closing the season. Note on maps where site
critical
questions
While reviewing, it is important to include the following statements in the forefront:
• How many times did you witness ________________________________ (the action)?
• How long has team member been in _______________________________ (the role)?
• Did they receive training? Did they comprehend the training? Was it assessed? Was there follow-up training?
• Were expectations delivered and understood? Was there confirmation?
• Do they have the capacity to move forward?
• Is it trainable? Do they have the willingness to learn?
During the end-of-season team review, it is essential to answer these questions, especially before moving forward on negative evaluation. In some cases, it is assumed that if the information is given then the person must have comprehended it. In other cases, the person will comprehend but if the skills are not used consistently people can forget. Is this person a good fit for their role but may not have the capacity to do more currently? In most cases the skills are trainable, but in some cases the person may not be willing to learn. That is OK, if the team member understands where that fits within your company. If you answer "no" to any of these statements, it will highlight where you have gaps within your training program. Find commonalties in team members and this will identify key training components that are missing.
Jenny Girard, ASM, will present a "Documentation is in the Details" session on Wednesday, June 26 at 2:45 pm at the Snow & Ice Symposium in Pittsburgh. Learn more at show.sima.org/education
HAKKAPELIITTA TRI
The first winter tire for tractors, Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI , makes sure your winter contracting has all the grip and control you need –with or without studs.
Get out of the weeds
In conclusion, reviewing the season outside the trenches is critical. This is when you can see the whole forest and not just the weeds. Collecting data, training, and evaluating throughout the season is key, but so is what you do with that information. Evaluating this information and implementing obtainable objectives at the end of the season will set you and your team up for success for the following year.
Jenny Girard, ASM, is an area manager for New York-based RM Landscapes. Contact her at jgirard@rmlandscape.com.
HAKKAPELIITTA LOADER
The first winter tire for wheel loaders, Hakkapeliitta Loader, offers you speed, stamina and control. Unmatched grip and durability in the market –both winter and summer.
Unlock Profitability and Efficiency with Aspire
The winter season is notoriously challenging for snow and ice management companies. Combine the unpredictable nature of inclement weather with the need to coordinate crews, materials and equipment at a moment’s notice, and you have a chaotic situation that can quickly—pardon the pun—snowball.
Snowstorms aren’t just overwhelming for snow removal companies; they’re also difficult for their clients, primarily due to a lack of communication.
“I think the biggest thing you hear in our industry is that clients always complain about not knowing what’s going on,” says Brian Maurer, president of Brian-Kyles Landscapes of Distinction in Lorain, Ohio.
Technology can help you manage client expectations, quickly dispatch crews, and save time during snow events, not to mention increase profitability—a must for the inconsistent revenue of the winter season.
Aspire clears the way for your snow and ice crews to do their jobs quickly and safely—while maximizing profits and providing superior customer service.
Measure Properties, Material Quantities with Precision
One of the toughest challenges for snow and ice management businesses is accurately estimating quantities and takeoffs.
Aspire’s integration with PropertyIntel allows you to capture accurate takeoffs and supply quantities with precision measuring tools designed for landscapers, eliminating any guesswork. You can instantly isolate snow and ice areas by overlaying green and snow/ice measurements on a sitemap. Estimating calculations are readily available, allowing you to build accurate estimates and make informed purchases.
Aspire also allows you to pull snow material kits from the catalog, saving time and ensuring all the necessary labor,
materials and production factors are accounted for when tackling any snow or ice event.
Easily Dispatch Crews and Subcontractors
Coordinating and aligning teams can be the most challenging task during a snow event. With labor and supply costs rising yearly, you can’t afford to waste labor hours on inefficient scheduling and routing.
Detailed sitemaps provide valuable property and project information to inform and align your teams, ensuring they can meet client expectations and clear more sites faster.
By displaying entry and exit points with directional arrows and indicating the location of snow pile storage, your crews and subcontractors can work safely and efficiently. Aspire’s time-based scheduling, scheduling assistant, and route
planning and management features simplify scheduling, including overnight shifts and crew routing during an event.
Your crews can clock in and out and enter materials on the go in Aspire Mobile, ensuring accurate and timely recordkeeping while allowing you to track costs in real time.
Track Crews and Performance in Real Time
In a snow event, you need to know where your crews and your jobs stand—and every minute matters. Business management software like Aspire allows you to visualize your crews instantly and ensures proper coverage and knowledge of jobs in progress when it counts.
Monitor jobs and track your crews through Aspire’s schedule board and time-entry screen. Work ticket lists grouped by invoice type provide a comprehensive view of estimated versus actual costs and hours, allowing you to analyze job performance effectively.
By drilling into time and materials tickets, you can review detailed information and make necessary adjustments. The inventory location feature enables you to monitor and adjust quantities of snow materials immediately, ensuring adequate supplies.
Close Out Snow Events in a Matter of Days
Maintaining good cash flow in your business is critical, and that starts with closing and invoicing snow services promptly and accurately. Aspire facilitates this process by starting with accurate time and material estimates. By displaying the estimate on the sitemap, you can quickly determine the exact salt amounts and estimated time required.
Aspire’s T&M work ticket and invoicing features simplify billing during hectic snow seasons and ensure accurate costs. You can generate purchase receipts, review work tickets and create invoices with just a few clicks.
Brian-Kyles can invoice events within 36 hours with Aspire— sometimes as little as 12 to 18 hours—ensuring accurate billing while the job remains fresh in the crew’s and client’s minds.
“Features like tags (in Aspire) streamline the process so you’re done with the job when the storm’s over,” says Director of Operations Shaun Keefer.
Save time and reduce the risk of invoicing errors by generating fixed-payment invoices in bulk. Your accounting team can access frequently referenced reports like aging accounts receivable, enabling easier payment tracking, faster payments, and, in turn, create better cash flow.
Snow season doesn’t have to be stressful. With a centralized system like Aspire, you can visualize your profitability and performance at a glance and minimize communication gaps.
By automating key estimating and measurement tasks, efficiently managing crews and subcontractors, and closing out projects promptly, Aspire gives you the tools you need to meet winter challenges and deliver exceptional service to your clients.
SPOTLIGHT ON TRUCKS, PLOWS & ACCESSORIES TOOLS
Sno-Way International, Inc.
The 29RVHD is a combination you can’t beat for moving the most snow. It is a flared wing V-Plow with patented independent hydraulic end wings, Down Pressure, Ground Hugger blade with MaxAdjust leveling system to keep the blade on the ground to eliminate snow trails. www.snoway.com
Fisher Engineering
Armed with an adjustable blade attack angle, the FISHER HDX snowplow dials in and provides superior results regardless of the weather or terrain. With its oscillating A-frame, the HDX straight blade plow pivots from side-to-side, allowing the blade to follow the contours of the plowing surface for improved scraping and even cutting edge wear. www.fisherplows.com
Arctic Equipment Manufacturing Corporation
Don’t let size fool you! Introducing the SV90P—your key to hassle-free winter mornings! Crafted with over 50 years of industry know-how, this nimble snowplow is perfect for ½-ton trucks. Upgrade to the SV90P for a stress-free snow removal experience.
www.arcticsnowplows.com
Henderson Products
The MARK E dump truck body comes with nearly unlimited options, matching both need and budget. Select from multiple head sheet configurations, side/ brace options, side profile options, floor options, tailgate styles, steel types, etc. Engineered so precisely that same-size tailgates are interchangeable! Designed for use with many other Henderson products like tailgate sanders, wedge tanks, V-box spreaders, liquid application systems and more. www.hendersonproducts.com
Arctic Snow & Ice Products
The RazorBack Retrofit Kit brings the innovative, unmatched features of the Arctic Sectional Sno-Pusher and Sectional SnoWing to pickup trucks! With independent moldboards, impact absorbing polyblock design, AR500 tripping cutting edges and free floating, hydraulically adjustable wings, the RazorBack is just as forgiving as the dependable Sectional you already love. www.razorbackplow.com
Lawson Products
Gold Rush! is formulated to provide excellent water resistance and corrosioninhibiting qualities. A wide temperature range makes it suitable for most industrial and fleet lubrication needs. Extremely low water washout value of 1.75%. Very high Timken rating of 65—performs at extreme pressure applications. Wide temperature range: –20°F to +350°F (–28°C to +176°C). www.lawsonproducts.com
WESTERN
The rugged MVP 3 V-plow gives you all the power, productivity and performance you need for commercial snowplowing. All MVP 3 models feature a clean-scraping 70° attack angle, and come with a standard 6” high-carbon steel cutting edge to reduce wear and extend the life of the blade. Each blade features independent trip-edge design with heavy-duty coil springs for protection when encountering bumps and obstacles.
www.westernplows.com
Meyer
Meyer’s hydraulic snowplow mounting system is engineered with simplicity in mind, able to connect and disconnect effortlessly to save time and increase productivity. It enables operators to mount and dismount the plow from one side of the plow with spring-tension release pins and a hydraulic switch. Only 3 easy steps! www.meyerproducts.com
TOOLS // TRUCKS, PLOWS & ACCESSORIES
Evolution Edges
The Sabre Stealth VST Blade is your key to effortless, vibration-free plowing. Conquer any challenge with the ultra-tough, long-lasting Sabre_HD blade encased in cold-weather rubber. Our innovative bolt system simplifies installation and absorbs vibrations 50% more, while wear indicators keep you informed. Plow smarter, not harder, with the Sabre Stealth VST. www.evolutionedges.com
Woolwax
WoolWax is the most trusted name in vehicle undercoating protection. Municipalities, fire departments, undercoaters, and snow and ice removal companies trust WoolWax for their corrosion protection needs. WoolWax is a heavyduty industrial grade lanolin/woolgrease formula that provides powerful long-term corrosion protection. Because WoolWax is built thicker, it is more resistant to wash-off than other products. Available in clear and black. www.woolwaxusa.com
Buyers Products
A powerful V-plow for your ½-ton pickup truck! The stainless steel SnowDogg VMXII is optimized for the light-duty pickup. The floating A-Frame allows the plow to contour to the pavement, while the chain lift makes for easy stacking. www.buyersproducts.com
Monroe Truck Equipment
The Snow Fighter is a non-CDL package you can add to your fleet to quickly and cleanly control snow and ice. When the weather warms up, the plow and spreader can be removed so the dump body can be used to tackle landscaping, road maintenance and more.
www.monroetruck.com
SnowEx
The SnowEx adjustable-wing POWER PLOW offers the versatility to expand plow width by moving the wings outward (WIDE PASS) or increase capacity by angling the wings forward (BUCKET BLADE) to match plowing conditions. A snowplow in compact mode for transport and narrow areas can quickly be expanded for extra-wide plowing passes by simply pushing a button. Plow wings feature builtin pressure relief and full-trip moldboard. www.snowexproducts.com
tune in to snow talk
Season 6 of SIMA’s podcast is up and running. If you missed an episode, catch up wherever you stream your favorites or at www.sima.org/podcast
EPISODE 1
Setting standards in snow and ice
Jim Monk, CSP, of MPS Property Services and Gerald Boot of Boot’s Landscaping in Ontario discuss their advocacy work in working to establish a recognized standard for the snow and ice industry, their approach to insurance and more.
EPISODE 2
Elevating employees with recognition and self-improvement
Earth Development President and CEO Eddy Zakes, CSP, ASM, shares his approach to:
• Company culture
• Education and personal development
• Recognition and rewards
• A deep bench of emerging leaders
• Leadership authenticity and transparency
EPISODE 3
Using technology as a customer service tool
David LaFore of Colorado Green Pros and DTSI Software shares how technology, such as GPS tracking and real-time monitoring systems, can improve customer satisfaction by providing transparency and accountability. He also highlights the importance of using technology to communicate internally with teams and subcontractors to ensure efficient operations and customer service.
ADVERTISING // INDEX
Mention of products and their attributes does not constitute an endorsement by Snow Business, SIMA, its agents or staff. Snow Business assumes no liability for claims made in regard to products appearing in this magazine.
GET MORE PRODUCT NEWS!
Visit the Snow Business Tools Online page at sima.org/tools or scan the QR code for more in-depth product information:
• Check out videos of the latest products and services
• Save on purchases with SIMA Deals
• Subscribe to the Test Drive e-newsletter
LAST WORD WITH JOE KIEDINGER
3 key steps to creating a high-performing culture
When your employees see that you are truly listening and making an honest effort to address their needs, they are much more likely to be engaged with their work and their team.
Every business owner aspires to create a high-performing culture within their organization, and it’s no wonder why. Research has shown that organizations with great cultures outperform their competition in most metrics, including productivity and profitability.
What defines a high-performing culture can be unclear because it evolves constantly. What motivates employees to perform at their best evolves as people change their expectations of what their employer should provide them.
Here are three solid, actionable steps you can take to build a high-performing culture within your organization.
Build employee engagement
Gallup defines employee engagement as “the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their workplace.”
In the worst-case scenario, your employees are actively disengaged—they put little to no serious effort into the work they do, display no care for your company’s objectives, and don’t collaborate well within their teams. In the best-case scenario, your employees are actively engaged and go above and beyond their responsibilities to make an impact.
As a leader, one of the best things you can do to build employee engagement is to listen to your employees. Provide a safe platform for them to candidly express their concerns and opinions, and then absorb what they say purely as information. When you fully understand what your employees need from you, you can take action to provide it and resolve their concerns.
When your employees see that you are truly listening and making an honest effort to address their needs, they are much more likely to be engaged with their work and their team. And actively engaged employees are much more likely to stick around, grow within the company, and have a lasting impact on performance goals.
Resolve conflict the healthy way
Conflict is a given. Even the best leader wouldn’t be able to remove conflict
from an environment that involves human collaboration. Some conflict is healthy and is a critical part of creating growth and innovation in your business.
However, personal disputes, petty grudges, and dignity violations are not productive. Many of these conflicts crop up due to a misunderstanding. When you don’t understand somebody’s intent, it’s easy to make the most negative assumption possible and act as if they are attacking you. It’s easy because our brains are wired to negatively think most of the time.
But when people understand others for who they are, understanding intent becomes a process of discovery rather than assumption, and unhealthy conflicts are resolved quickly. This means that your employees can collaborate much more effectively and turn over better results together.
Prioritize the employee experience
These days, creating a great employee experience is non-negotiable. Over the past few years, job seekers and employees have raised the standard of how they expect to be treated by their employers.
Beyond the bare minimum elements like fair compensation, comprehensive benefits, career growth opportunities, and paid time off, today’s workforce is prioritizing organizations that offer a good work-life balance, flexible working options, minimized stress, and an overall attentiveness to their mental health.
When these needs are met, your employees are satisfied, and satisfied employees tend to be contagiously positive. Furthermore, a satisfied employee is much more likely to go above and beyond to achieve their goals, grow and support their company’s strategic objectives.
Building a high-performing culture is something we all aspire to do. The best way to start is to do your research, create a plan, and set specific, time-based objectives to pursue.
Joe Kiedinger is founder and chief executive officer at Dignify. Contact Joe at joek@dignify.com
