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November 15, 2011 By Nanette Seven Leave a Comment

It is hard to believe that just last month all of my energy and attention was focused on Include’s User Conference, the launch of iCREWtek, GIE and all the facets that go along with it. Now just a few weeks later, I am at my computer and thinking about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and finishing the November Newsletter which deals with SNOW and I am behind the eight ball! It already snowed here in Maryland, and New England. REALLY? REALLY!

SNOW!

One of those other four letter words. A word that I believe you either LOVE or HATE. Children LOVE snow, adults, not so much, well that is if you are not in the “White” industry. Those known as Snow Contractors, well they are a different story. They LOVE LOVE LOVE snow. Truly a different breed.

I watched our snow contractor clients in the midst of GIE as they scurried to prepare remotely, change flights to get back to the office and instruct those at the “shop” to change over the fleet from doing leaf removals to snow removal. The 2011/2012 Snow Season was thrusting itself upon them unexpectantly, pansies in most areas were not even in the ground and here they were scrambling to be ready for the first snow event with smiles on their faces of what was to come. SNOW! Preparing for the season poses certain challenges; most just dug in and got it done. Amazing to sit back and watch with a new appreciation all that goes into the “White” business.

This past spring I challenged myself and our team with understanding more about the snow & ice industry. This was an industry that we (Include) needed to look at and understand closer. What are the needs that drive this industry? What are the challenges that they face? After all, understanding clients’ needs and providing a solution is the premise on which Asset was built. And I really didn’t think that we had a GREAT handle on their needs.

We set about talking with several Include clients and snow industry experts, snow publication editors, and countless others. This communication has allowed us to understand more about this aspect of the industry. Terms like equipment optimization, per push, per inch, per contract, per event, are all common terminology now. What are the criteria for managing slip and fall, how does this need to be documented, tracked and much more.

We incorporated all of this knowledge into iCREWtek, the next version of our hand held application, to make it even better than it was before and to incorporate features into the “app” so that we would be able to address the needs of the “snow” contractor. Based on the feedback we received from our users at GIE and the “snow” experts, this is exactly what we did – iCREWtek hit a homerun! In fact, one client emailed me and said:

“We didn’t get home until Sunday to over 12” of snow!!! (snow bound in Louisville….) – unbelievable – was wishing I had the iCREWtek setup and my snow scheduling done!! It would have saved me HOURS!”

We’re really excited about iCREWtek here at Include. If you want to learn more about it, please give me a call!

Filed Under: Client Care, Communication, Efficiency, Landscape Industry, Team Include, Technology
July 15, 2011 By Nanette Seven Leave a Comment

How do we CHANGE our culture from being couch potatoes, and inspire and energize ourselves and our neighbors to get off the couch and use the outdoor environments that contractors throughout the country have created?  How can we get better use out of the spaces that:

  • families have paid for but are relatively unused because they are too busy with work or “playing” on their Wii and not on their turf?
  • municipalities have mandated to be constructed to preserve “green spaces” and help combat global warming?
  • builders have constructed to appeal to their tenants who want to “go-to” their office, sit in their cubicle at their desk, and work?

How do we change the mindset?  How do we inspire our culture to use the outdoors for learning, health, happiness, and quality of life?

We have to start with the first step: to look within ourselves.   Ask yourself if you want to make this change?  Do you want to be healthier?  Happier?  Do you want the same for your children and grandchildren?  Do you want to help preserve our natural resources?  Our planet?  If so, then take the first step.  Make a goal.  It could be as simple as taking a walk at lunch around the business park, or taking your child to the park to ride a swing.  Whatever it is you decide as your goal, be inspired and find it within yourself to take action.

I want to leave you with this conversation I recently had with a client and friend.  This person owns one of the most prestigious landscaping companies in the United States.  Their average residential landscape project costs more than most of the homes we live in.  They work for some of the wealthiest and most famous people in the country.  They’ve won countless awards, employ hundreds of people, and make outdoor living spaces that should inspire everyone to get outside.  But given all this success, when I asked him what is the one project that they did that he is most proud, his answer was “the work we did at Millennium Park”.  Curious, I asked why that singular project was so important.  He said it’s because it’s “lasting”.  He talked about his children and grandchildren being able to play there, as well as the countless other children and adults who benefit from the park.

Think about what a tragedy it is to underutilize such a great place as Millennium Park or the countless other outside venues near each of you.  Visit your local fishing hole one extra time this year.  Take your kids ice skating this winter.  But most of all, enjoy getting outside!  I challenge you to “Come Alive Outside”.

Filed Under: Communication, People
July 14, 2011 By Nanette Seven Leave a Comment

As I get ready to journey into Chicago’s Millennium Park for the first time I am thinking about this month’s newsletter on change and how what I thought I was getting into with JP Horizon’s Come Alive Outside event is quite a change from what I initially thought it was going to be.

Now depending on the way you are geared you could take this change as being bad or good. For me I am taking this change as WORK. As a Smart Company Facilitator I THOUGHT I was going to be spending a day leisurely leading a group through the park, exploring the different areas, seeing the “bean” in person, networking with friends, clients, and colleagues. I figured we’d then come back the next day, and in typical JP Horizons fashion, brainstorm ideas, narrow them down, and come up with the one great thing we could take back to our companies to inspire others to Come Alive Outside. This is what we have done in the past, so it did not seem unreasonable that this is what we would be doing again. Right? WRONG!!! I was WRONG! Seriously WRONG. Dead WRONG! OMG what did I get myself into WRONG? I should have known that our leader, Jim Paluch, would throw us a curveball at our outdoor “change” conference!

Again, depending on you and how you are wired, you have probably drawn a conclusion that I am either upset about the change of approach or I am happy. Well, I am ELATED with what we have in store for the next two days. This is in spite of having an EIGHTY EIGHT page “Field Guide” to help facilitate my group on our mission, which is to:

• Create a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation that will show how our company will COME ALIVE OUTSIDE.

The PowerPoint will ENERGIZE a company culture, DEFINE a company’s marketing and message and GROW a company’s sales.

Sounds simple enough, right? There’s a catch, this is a competition, and I am one of the most competitive people I know. I don’t like to lose. Now, I didn’t get to pick my team, they were picked for me. Hmmm. I know some of the players, but not all of them. How do I challenge them to want to win this as much as I do, to be on the cover of Pro Magazine.

Will I have to change my mindset? Will I have to help others change theirs? Only time will tell, but I will be sure to let you know who wins, and I’m sure we can all learn something from it.

Filed Under: Landscape Industry, People
May 26, 2011 By Nanette Seven Leave a Comment

The last week of May in Annapolis has always been, to native Annapolitans (folks who live in Annapolis), “Graduation Week” or “Commissioning Week” at the US Naval Academy.  Each year’s class of over 1,000 midshipmen graduate and receive their commissions into the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.   The week-long celebration includes such events as The Ring Dance, Herndon Climb, dinners and concerts, but the most notable, which can been seen from almost any place in Annapolis, is the aerial demonstration by the US Navy’s Blue Angels.  We are privileged to watch the Blue Angels practice on Tuesday, perform for the graduates and their families on Wednesday, and conduct their congratulatory flyover at graduation ceremonies on Friday.  Eyes don’t leave the sky in Annapolis during commissioning week as there are always sights to see.  But this week we will not be looking to the sky to see their precision and execution.  The Blue Angels have been ordered to stand down. Their commanding officer stated that a lower than normal maneuver took place during the team’s performance on Monday and caused a safety issue to the members of the team.

If you have never seen the Blue Angels fly you are definitely missing a remarkable show.  There is nothing to compare their precision and execution of their maneuvers in the sky.  Their formation, wings that appear to be just inches away from one another, barrel rolls and dives that send your heart racing, are truly extraordinary displays of practice, execution, discipline, and planning.  To hear the news that they were grounded and not performing because they “messed up” was alarming.  They have gone back to the “office” to review their reports, re-work their plan and then execute or practice their revised plan.

It started me to think about the Blue Angels and how their work model applies to the businesses that Include Software comes in contact with every day. Precision, accuracy, and the ability to recognize when something goes awry and needs to be corrected are needs that we all have in business.

We work with outdoor service providers on a daily basis and we continually are asked what can our software do to make their businesses better?  To have more time, to have information (reports) to make strategic business decisions when needed and ultimately to make more profit.   It goes to the same ethics that are instilled in the Blue Angels: the discipline to create a plan, the process from which you execute the plan, and the people and products that are needed to make the plan happen.  Once these things happen and the business plan has taken root, you should have a business that is based on precision and accuracy.

But what happens when the people & products change?   If you’re not careful, the processes change, the plan changes, and the business changes.  You start running the business yourself, and stop managing.  You fail to stop and analyze, review, and rework what needs to be changed.  You can soon be faced with a business that was once well run, but is now no longer making money and just barely getting by.

Take note from the Blue Angels, even though they were to perform at one of their biggest venues of the year, they had to stop, review, and revise.   This was a very difficult decision that is negatively affecting ten of thousands of people.  But it’s a decision that is probably saving lives because their commanding officer had the discipline to stick to the plan that was already worked out, making an otherwise tough choice much easier, because he’s just following protocol…with precision and accuracy.

Filed Under: Efficiency, Landscape Industry
April 5, 2011 By Nanette Seven Leave a Comment

It is hard to believe a month to the day has passed since I made a commitment after attending Come Alive Outside at the University of MD to myself my kids and my community to make a difference, to make steps to turn away from the norm and change. To get out from in front of the computer, away from the Wii and electronics, to get outside, to play, to commit to making a difference in myself, my community and most importantly my children.  To Come Alive Outside.

I was truly inspired on March 5th and I am still a month later.  I have made strides to make a change to make a difference.  I have reached into the network, to the relationships that I have forged through my association with the JP Horizons team and the wonderful clients and contacts I have made in the land care industry.  And I am proud to say that change has occurred.

For myself to Come Alive Outside, I have entered and will run my first 6K in Baltimore for Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation, Inc.  Which has required me to actually get off the treadmill and hit the pavement a first. To keep the momentum going, my friend Debbie and I have committed to running a race for a charity at least once a month.  My kids are now out riding their bikes & scooters, playing lacrosse, skipping rope and digging for worms.  They need to have fun, to put the ‘weeee’ back in their vocabulary.  Right Jim!

In our community – we organized and cleaned up our local elementary schools landscape.  A group of volunteer parents, students, teachers and staff edged, pruned, weeded and spread 22 yards of mulch this past Saturday.  Prior to Saturday I asked my local landscape contractor friend what we needed to do and he gave me direction and resources to which I was able to get most everything we needed for the school, donated.  And wasn’t it ironic that as the volunteers are doing the clean up that another client from Northern VA, a good hours drive away, happens to drop his daughter at the same school at the same time for a soccer game.  Do you think it made an impression on that executive from VA to see his software vendor sweaty, muddy with pitchfork in hand loading wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of mulch?  I think it did.  It was a great day and a great accomplishment.

I am continuing to get the students of our school outside.  During Earth Week I will be introducing a new “Environmental Literacy” program at the elementary school.  We have plans to create and install a Monarch Butterfly garden, join monarchwatch.org and institute a new curriculum within the school to coincide with the installation of the Monarch Garden.  The curriculum includes tagging and releasing the Monarchs, tracking the eco system that is created as the Monarchs transform themselves and migrate to Mexico.  It is really an amazing program for the kids of the school to be able to be a part of.

In addition to the Monarch Butterfly Garden we are creating and installing an Eastern Bluebird garden. Will be building Bluebird boxes and involving the kids in the mating, nesting and feeding patterns of the Eastern Bluebirds.  These programs are all designed with the help of AACPS to get the kids from behind the desks, out of the classroom and outside.

I hope that this blog helps to inspire you, to know that you can make a difference.  I have not done this work alone, I have picked up the phone, sent emails, asked questions and most importantly asked for help.  You too can be the catalyst in your family, your community and in yourself, to be a difference to Come Alive Outside.   Together we can make a difference.

Here is a quote from Play Again a film by Learning by Nature.

“What they do not value they will not protect and what they will not protect they will lose”!

We need to see the value to Come Alive Outside, to protect our children our planet our natural resources.  Be Innovators, Be Catalyst, Be Alive.

Filed Under: Landscape Industry, Musings
March 23, 2011 By Nanette Seven Leave a Comment

At first, the thought of going to Illinois in March posed some obvious concerns.  But knowing the experiences I have had in the past with PLANET’s Student Career Days (SCD), even if the snow wasn’t gone from the blizzard, it would be well worth going.

SCD is an annual three-day competitive event among students enrolled in landscape management/horticulture programs in colleges and universities across the county.  What started in 1977 at Mississippi State University with 5 schools and 18 industry members has grown to over 60 schools, more than 900 students, and 80 some green industry companies.

Include Software began supporting SCD several years ago by providing internet access to the students by sponsoring the “Internet Café”.  The Café is a lounge area where the students can gather and print resumes for the career fair, study for their upcoming events, and hang out with their friends.  We really had no idea what we were getting into when we first agreed to sponsor the Internet Café as we had never previously attended this event.  What was first a day trip, now has me attending for four full days.  The students bring such energy and enthusiasm to the event it makes you want to contribute in as many ways as possible.  Each year I seem to be doing just a bit more.  For instance, this year I helped in setting up a couple of clients’/friends’ booths for recruiting students to their companies.  I took videos and photos to help create a YouTube video for the 2012 SCD.  I was even a judge in the Plant Installation competition (very honored to be asked – thank you to High Grove for letting me part of your team for the day).  And, of course, I sacrificed myself and did a lot of networking and socializing.

SCD is an event that Include will continue to sponsor in future years.  We have begun to see the students we met several years ago now getting ready to graduate and enter the workforce.  One of my favorite students, Mark Gonzalez, from the University of Maryland won the sales competition TWO years in a row.  This was a first.  Congratulations Mark!  We see them now working in the businesses that use our software.  And then there are those that started their own businesses while in high school cutting their neighbor’s grass and decided to go to school and to study horticulture, landscape architecture, business management, etc.  It is truly a great event.

This year in addition to the Internet Café Include decided to do something else for the students.  We created a contest to give away an .  We had well over 500 entries and the contest was a great success.  We are happy to announce that Erica Wilmes of Oregon State was our winner.  Her entry through Twitter won her the iPad2 and cover!  Thanks Erica for the tweet.

We are looking forward to SCD at Kansas State University in 2012, taking on more volunteer duties, connecting with friends and clients, seeing returning students from 2011, and the new faces of 2012.  Hope to see you in Kansas!

Filed Under: Landscape Industry, Musings
March 18, 2011 By Nanette Seven Leave a Comment

What happened when JP Horizons brought 70 industry professionals and students together for an afternoon at the University of Maryland?  I became more inspired and invigorated than ever, as I was part of the group of 70.

Come Alive Outside is a campaign created by the team at JP Horizons as part of the Better Way.  On March 5th the first of six events scheduled for the year took place. The goal of Come Alive Outside – to get people off of their couches and  away from their electronics – to step outside and Come Alive.  It seems simple enough, but when you think about it, it can be pretty difficult.  I decided after my day at U of MD, that I was going to make some changes in my life to take some time to slow down and Come Alive Outside, not only for myself, but for my kids, as they are not outside enough either.

Think back to when you were a kid.  For me, it is very different than the way my kids are living.  When was the last time you remember just going outside to “play”?  In an unstructured activity?  Let your imagination wander? To ride a bike, walk through the woods, dig in the dirt and find worms?  Has it been awhile?  It had been for me; it was what I did as a kid.  My dad whistled into the neighborhood when it was time to come home for dinner.  We were dirty, exhausted and hungry, and ready for bed.  Very different from today.  We all need to make changes, to stop and smell the roses, literally.

I think about my daily routine now and what it entails.  I start every morning at about 4 AM.  The first thing I do after getting myself ready for the gym is to check my email.  I head to the gym (inside), do my work out, then head home to get ready for the rest of the day.  We are off to work and school where the majority of the day is spent inside at a computer, on the phone, in meetings, and at a desk.  I head home to go to after-school activities, eat dinne,r and then get ready for the next day.  Most of my time is spent inside.  My kids are much the same with the exception of their work being done inside a classroom, their recess time cut, their gym time cut.  Their schedules jammed from the minute they get up to the minute they go to bed. I can’t imagine this is good for them; in fact, I know it is not.  Childhood obesity is higher than ever.  Did you know our children’s generation is the only one whose life expectancy is less than our own?  This is the first time it has ever happened since statistics have been kept.  How scary is that?  Don’t we want better for our children?

It is up to me to make a change for them. Come Alive Outside has inspired me to do so, to get the message out, and to get ourselves outside.

Filed Under: Landscape Industry, Musings
March 8, 2011 By Nanette Seven Leave a Comment

I recently returned from attending PLANET’s Executive Forum at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island, Florida.  This was the eighth year I attended.  I look forward to going each year as it always presents the opportunity to meet new people, network with others, catch up with friends, make memories and learn something new.  This year was no different.  I had great dinners at new restaurants with friends old and new.   I learned that there is a race called the “Death Race”, and I actually know someone who is going to participate in the race.  My bet he is not going to die; his training schedule is grueling!  This article in the Washington Post tells Bruce’s story… after you read it you will probably agree with me: he will survive and I would wager he might even win.

I also found out you can actually fit 12 adults into a Lincoln Navigator given you double up on laps and seats.  Now that was a picture.  Did I mention that I love the smell of cigars?  But what was I thinking when I actually wanted to smoke one?  The taste in my mouth the next morning is one that I will not soon forget.  Like I said, memories and education.

Going back a number of years, PLANET’s Executive Forum was intended to educate top executives in the morning and then play in the afternoon.  This year’s agenda left no open time for afternoon activities, its focus on Technology and Innovation filled our days.  Given that technology is the field in which I work, I was a bit skeptical about what I would take away from the sessions.  But my skepticism soon diminished as I was engrossed with the keynote speaker, Carmen Gallo, his topic “The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: 7 “Insanely Different” Principals for Breakthrough Success”.  Now this was intriguing, I personally think Steve Jobs is an incredible visionary.  One I highly respect.  I also happen to be an Apple fan; I think I might have mentioned this before.  Could it be because I feel like I relate well with Apple?  I have an “A” personality, “A” for apple.  Get it?  I think some of the reasons I like Apple everything is that their products and their company are innovative in so many ways.  Their marketing for instance, is minimal, neat, clean, simple and uncluttered – my comfort zone.   As I was getting ready to listen and learn from someone who has studied Steve Jobs, the minimalist on the surface but so much more underneath, I was ready to take it all in.  It resonates with my core.

From the first minute Carmen started his keynote address I was captivated.  I took copious notes, my mind now stockpiled with thoughts and ideas.  Some I am actually using here at ISC; after all, we are a technology company and innovation is our vision.  But Carmen’s message is applicable to any business in any industry.  How you choose to apply it as a contractor, designer, snow contractor, lighting specialist or just about any other business, is up to you.  Find ways to use Carmen’s Seven Principles.  I hope you will be inspired.  I know I still am.

The 7 “Insanely Different” Principals of Innovation

1.  Do What You Love

  • What is your passion?
  • What does this passion do for the world to make it better?
  • Share this passion with your clients.  Let them know how your passion is going to change their lives.

2.  Put A Dent in the Universe

  • Take a chance.
  • Don’t follow the status quo.
  • Be bold, specific and concise.

3.  Kick Start Your Brain

“Creativity is just connecting things.” – Steve Jobs

  • Think differently about how you think.

4.  Sell Dreams, Not Products

  • Sell the Vision
  • How will we make their lives & company better?
  • Get rid of the bad and focus on the good.

5.  Say No to 1000 Things

  • Don’t try and do it all FOCUS – what are the three areas of improvement I can make today.

6.  Create Insanely Great Experiences

“People don’t want to just buy computers anymore.  The want to know what they can do with them, and we’re going to show people exactly that.” – Steve Jobs

  • Think differently about your brand.

7.  Master the Message

  • Think about how you can tell your story differently.
  • Create a Twitter-Friendly Headline to tell your story.
  • Tell what your product, service, company, project or cause is in 140 characters or less.
Filed Under: Communication, Landscape Industry, Musings, Technology
January 21, 2011 By Nanette Seven Leave a Comment

As I sit on the plane heading to Chicago I am a bit nervous but mostly excited about the next couple of days. A couple of months ago I mentioned to a colleague and friend that the Illinois Green Industry Association was honoring one of our clients at a dinner in January for his achievement and leadership in the Green Industry. For the past 25 years he has led the North Shore of Chicago in landscape design, installation, maintenance and customer service. Quite an accomplishment for a son at the age of 17 who stepped into his father’s shoes and took over running his fathers company when his father was in the hospital with leukemia. He did what was expected of him and did what he needed to do to support his mother, brother and sisters. He did it willingly and without regret. I know because I had the chance to talk to him about it in October. He has accomplished more than we probably even know, but what I do know is that I wanted to be there, to honor him and so did my friend, so we made reservations and we were set to go. Then my friend had an idea. He suggested that we invite all of the members of the honoree’s peer group to the dinner. And that is what I set out to do. Six weeks later and a couple dozen emails back and forth with another friend, we have managed to get all but one member of his peer group to attend the dinner, there will be 14 of us. I was told to get the camera and tissues ready, while the award is one thing having his peers there without him knowing, PRICELESS!

 Thanks Jason for the idea, Jim for your emails to the peer group member and Bill for your support! It is going to be a FABULOUS night! Check back in to the blog next week, I will be sure to have photos and details of the evening.

Filed Under: Client Care, Musings, Team Include
January 18, 2011 By Nanette Seven 1 Comment

It never ceases to amaze me the shear volume of electronics we need for a trade show.   Today, while sitting at the airport, I looked at my electronics bags and laughed at all the hardware technology I had packed to effectively demonstrate the latest advances in our software technology.  I am taking technology to demonstrate technology… 

I have a MiFi for internet connectivity, and two laptops – one for demonstration purposes and the other to loop a PowerPoint presentation.  Then I need the GPS to actually help me find my way to and from the trade show, because Chicago is not always easy to navigate, especially with traffic.  Then I have the “Smartphone” so I can show how our CREWtek handheld software works. 

I also have the electronics that I need personally to survive my five days away from the office and home; iMac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod.  I think I got an iHernia carrying it all to my hotel room. Yes I am an Apple fan.  It is truly a wonder where things have come in the 16 years I have been working in the software industry. The electronics keep getting smaller, faster, and better.  The information you need to be more competitive, more responsive and more equipped is now more important than ever. 

So what do I do with all this technology when I am approached at the booth and asked about our integrated software?  I put it aside.  What I really need to do to determine whether our technology can help your company is to get to know you.  I need to ask questions, listen, and understand what it is that you need.   Is it software?  I don’t know until I ask questions.  Until I get to know you.  Who you are, what drives your business, who are the people that work for you and you work for?  What are you struggling with?  What do you want to accomplish?  When?  What have you tried?  What has worked and what hasn’t.  I put technology aside and I get back to having an honest conversation.  And after I find out the answers to those questions and get to know you, I can determine whether or not I need to bring the technology back into the conversation.   Most likely I will, but first I want to get to know you.  When we meet and you ask me to show you the “software” and I don’t.  You will now know why.  I would rather listen first.

Filed Under: Musings, Technology
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