Why A Step Backward Can Propel Your Greenhouse Business Forward

It sounds counterintuitive, keeping a foot in the past while doing your level best to thrust the other forward, maybe even a bit like standing still. But really, it is all about gaining perspective. You re-think, re-group, re-assess, then stride confidently forward from a position of power. It is not about a do-over or a new beginning. It’s about learning from our mistakes, holding fast to the best of the past and leaving the garbage behind. It’s about building on your history, then throwing the door wide open to new possibilities.

I thought a great deal about stepping back to move forward after reading “Mike’s Backyard Success”. One line really stood out, “McGroarty isn’t afraid to try new things, but he also knows when to go back to what works best.”

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Mike McGroarty of Mike’s Backyard Nursery isn’t the typical grower you read about in our cover stories, but like other growers we feature, he has valuable lessons to teach us. He’s learned from the mistakes of his past, kept them in perspective and moved on to embrace new opportunities. It’s no surprise that he has found his place — one that he is comfortable with, but not comfortable enough to turn down trying something new when the opportunity presents itself. What I like best about McGroarty is he uses what he has learned to help others, something that so many in our industry do so well. We are not afraid to share what we know to help others find success.

Every year we give growers the chance to share their insights from the past and help others in the industry through participation in the Greenhouse Grower Spring 2015 Recap Survey. You might compare it to a round table discussion between some of the best growers in the business. For instance, I loved this nugget of wisdom from one grower.

“It was a great spring, but the key is to put plans/investments in place to assure we continue the momentum into fall and into 2016. Precise forecasting for 2016, continued focus on developing/training people and continuing to invest in innovation are keys. No time to celebrate — now is the time to drive more growth with great planning/execution.”

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Editor Laura Drotleff does a masterful job of breaking down the 2015 Recap Survey and highlighting the most relevant information growers shared in “Rain Soaks Spring Sales”. Learn about the biggest challenges growers faced this spring and what solutions worked best to address those challenges, and find out what were the biggest opportunities they capitalized on this spring and much more.

While I have spoken about looking back at the past, let’s not forget the possibilities the future holds. And what better way to do that than to focus on the lifeblood of our industry — the plants.

We put the annual call out to breeders to choose four new varieties for 2016 that they think are worth your attention. Their top picks are showcased in the 2015 New Varieties Guide in the August issue. Many of the varieties are not only promising in terms of drought tolerance and growing solutions, but the range of new crops gives you a lot of options for diversifying your crop mix next spring.

Seeing page after page of new crops reminds me that the future is very much a product of the past, especially where genetics are concerned. More importantly, the future is replete with endless possibilities that are only limited by our imaginations. If you want to capitalize on those possibilities, take a step back to gain the perspective you need to turn them into opportunities that propel your business forward.

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