Articles written by guest contributors
The Willow Gates contingent at HNA. Left to right: Conner Shirk, Chad Martin, Elvin King and Jeremy Martin.
Make time for HNA
By Jeremy MartinBLUF. It’s a new term introduced to me recently by a client… “Bottom Line Up Front”. My BLUF is this: TAKE TIME. Have you ever visited Hardscape North America? Book your lodging now! Take the time, my friend. You will never regret going. There is never a good time to take off for education. You have to build it into your schedule and overhead recovery.
Already have HNA lodging booked and your crew pumped to go? Take time to plan your trip. I already sat down with my crew to discuss what they can learn this year. Besides the seminars at HNA, I also pulled up the seminars at Equip Expo. Remember, there’s 2 shows in 1! There’s great training for the full range of landscaping. Need more soft skills and leadership training than HNA offers? Equip Expo has that too!
Investing in new equipment? Assign key people to test every brand at the show and return with recommendations. Unless you’re an owner/operator, your crew likely spends more time in the cab than you do. Make sure they are involved with your decision. When we were ready to invest in a compact track loader, I told my crew I had 2 brands in mind, but go check out all the brands, then share your findings.
Take time to check out new products. Some require new methods and tools to install. I like to incorporate natural stone when I can, but dedicated tools make it easier. We don’t install a lot of tile, but that too requires specialized tools. Take time to chat up the exhibitors and learn.
HNA is vast, and every year seems to set new records for attendees and exhibitors. It’s physically impossible to take advantage of the seminars, walk the whole show, and actually talk to the exhibitors. That’s why I’m encouraging you to plan your time there!
What am I doing at HNA? I’m presenting “Integrating Utilities into Hardscapes” on Wednesday. This presentation will help you avoid expensive mistakes. Planning is key so you don’t end up tearing out completed work to install a missed conduit. I also have a short list of seminars I plan to attend myself.
I want to take time at HNA for people. I plan to arrive early so I can network at the kickoff party on Tuesday. I’ll fire up the grill at our Airbnb and make sure nobody goes hungry. I’ll renew connections with old industry friends. I’ll take time for those who were my stepping stones to 2025, and those who will be my stepping stones into the future. I’m still learning!
This year, I’m taking my son along for the first time. If you follow my writings, you know life has brought a few storms in the last 2 years. News flash… it’s still storming! In April, I spent days by my son’s bedside after a fireworks accident. Work stopped. For days we didn’t know if he’d ever see a sunset again. Today he has almost perfect vision, and we thank God and the hundreds who were praying for us.
You might already know that I bleed Ford blue. I also love Foxbody Mustangs, which were the craze when I was a teen. The same week of HNA, there’s Foxtoberfest in North Carolina with up to 1,000 Mustangs! Friday morning, my son and I will leave Louisville and point my Mustang southeast to Charlotte, NC. I’m looking forward to making memories! Take time, friends… and see you at HNA!
Jeremy Martin co-founded Willow Gates Home & Landscape in 2005. He became a CMHA instructor in 2016. He also founded Dust Killer Tools to help his company meet 2017 OSHA silica standards. Email Jeremy@DustKiller.tools. Visit WillowGatesHome.com and DustKiller.tools
