[A1 [email protected]]

Dane Skag

I would ask him one question. Tell me everything that has happened to you from a business point of view from the time you decided to hang out the shingle until now. My reasoning for this is that he has reinvented himself, his company, and his product so many times that he just has to have a wealth of knowledge I can use.

 

[Gene $immons]

Tom Fazzio

He is arguably the best golf course designer in the world. I have played on some of his courses and they can't be beat.

 

[bluemoon]

I would like to meet and visit with George Toma. I am not sure but I don't think he has (any) formal education.
Just many years of experience and he has probably forgotten more than most people will ever know.
Bluemoon

 

[J.Henderson]

As many others have said, I would have loved to have met Eric. The question would be HOW???????

 

[MOW ED]

First off as the last winner I disqualify myself if that wasn't already the rule.
Reading some of the replys brought back a fond memory as I have been lucky enough to actually sit down with Eric and talk. On top of that I also bought him breakfast. He has over 4800 posts in these archives so if you are looking for info just search.
I had a great relationship with him and miss him dearly as I know many do.
If I could sit down and talk with someone in the industry, I couldn't really pick one. There are so many different styles of businessman as well as guys that aren't good businessmen but are tremendous workers that it would be hard for me to pick one.
Thats why we are so lucky to be able to sit down and read what lots of these professionals say right here.
Thanks for that.

 

[Duncan Lawn Care]

Bobby Gedd without a doubt. Would love to ride around with him for a day and get all those great stories. It might turn into a book or maybe a miniseries on TV.

 

[lawnagent]

Without a doubt. with all I haveheard about him on here, it would have to be Eric Elm.

 

[stevo22]

there are several that i would like to "pick their brain"...but if i had to pick one i would pick John Allin...although i do not expect to re-write the book on the green industry, i would like to ask him many questions regarding vision, goals, expectations, advertising, hiring, etc etc...after reading his posts re "large owner salary", i realized that this man has accomplished alot and appears is not no where done...big fan of john...

 

[Sean Adams]

Boy, I hope I win this Give Away....ha ha ha

But I thought I would pitch in my response.

If there was one person I could sit down and meet and have a discussion with, it would be myself 15 years ago.

I could have advised myself, smacked myself upside the head a few times, and made it clear that efficiency, systems, and knowing your numbers is the key to having a successful business in this industry.

If myself was unavailable (ha ha), I would have to say Marty Grunder. Although I have talked to Marty on the phone several times and exchanged a slew of email with him, I have never had the pleasure of meeting him face to face.

He's an energetic guy who really knows how to market a business in this industry. I think it would be an interesting conversation....

The one question I know I would ask him is....

Do you realize that you look like Conan O'Brien?

After that question, I would ask him how he developed his plan to promote his company, and from there how he goes about maintaining his edge in his market?

 

[Jimbo]

I think Sean is on to something I believe I would talk to that Marty Grunder gentleman as well.

My question would be:

Will you coach us through the "Benefits" (paid) portion of this website?

Jimbo

 

[SprinklerGuy]

Brady Baird

www.justlawns.com

Some of you may not like the way he does things...i.e..smallish lawns and lots of them per day.

However....he has carved a niche out for himself doing something lots of guys don't want to do.....I think he is a big thinker....he figured out a way to simplify the landscaping maint. business in HIS NICHE MARKET.

 

[Matt'slawncare]

I would have to choose Jim's Mowing. I would ask him how he got to be so successful, and how he managed to make everyone happy so he could be that big. I also would ask him some other questions to that i cant think of at this moment.

 

[DUSTYCEDAR]

i would like to talk to the founder of chemlawn. what made him think this would work and how he made chemlawn a household name. i feel they paved the way for many other fertilizing company's to follow and to help make America think they need a green lawn to.

 

[battags]

I've alway had a fasination with 'tinkerers', the average guy who invents something out of necessity, never intending to capitalize on the idea.

My favorite example is Leonard Goodall. It is said that around 1935 he ticked off his wife by ripping apart her washing machine, which was not your every day household appliance, back then. He took the two cycle (yes, a two cycle washing machine engine!) apart, attached it to a home-made mower deck, extended the shaft, and threw on a blade. After a few years of friends and relatives bugging him about how great his idea was, he started a company which came to be known as Bunton.

 

[The Lawn Boy Pro]

No, I aint tryin to suck up here either. Honest-to-goodness, I would have to say Mike (LGF). Mikes been in the biz for quite some time, and he pretty [email protected] well knows every aspect from the desk work to the dirt work. I greatly appreciate him sharing his knowledge to me about different mowers and machines, the pros and the cons of them, and things like that. I believe that he has quite a sweet rig goin, and I believe he has gone through almost every possible machine to own (quite a few at least) and I believehe can give honest answers to specifics about them. Thanks Mike

 

[TurfGuyTX]

I know I replied earlier, but didn't see it anywhere. My answer would David Minor.

 

[TreffertLawnWrx]

:angel:

 

[TreffertLawnWrx]

In all honestly I would like to talk with the most important person in the green industry, God.
He is the one that determines all of our success, our failures our rainy days and of corse our droughts. without his guidence none of us would be doing what we are weather running a million dollar biz or just starting out with our first walkbehind.
I would like to talk with him and say thanks for blessing me with a wonderful family and the guidence for what is ahead. remember this is a post for who I would like to meet, please keep any negative comments about beliefs to yourself, thanks Scott.

 

[Got Grass?]

I would sit down with MOTHER NATURE. The questions I would ask her is why since I've started this business for myself she keeps playing games with me. Is it a learning experience to see if I can handle the worst? or is it a sign I'm heading down the wrong course? I should also ask her plans for the next few years.

I honestly cannot say what living person I would like to meet.
I've meet soooooo many members here & a good portion of the PS members. I would like to sit down an talk to many people again, but yet no specific one person.
No one person knows it all, everyone no matter how much or little they make, how large or small of a company they have. How big or little of a name they are. How long they have been around or how new to the industry they have been around. There is always something to gain from them. Weather it be advice, connections, networking, ideas, realization, what mistakes not to make, or anything else that would give me an advantage over my compition.
You will never know who will be of the most help. $ always gives you motivation, but more so overall being happy is the goal. $ cannot buy that.

 

[KerryB]

I would like to sit down with a combination of two men; Bill Phagan and Charles Vander Kooi.
Both have a vast knowledge of the greenindustry and many years of hands on exp.
I would ask them about all the secrets they have learned over the years. Maybe between the two of them an LCO just might grow into a very large company and avoid all or most of the pitfalls, headaches, sleepless nights,ulcers and other related pains in our industry. lol