Issuu

DECEMBER 2021

small but mighty Led by a father-son trio, JLS Landscape & Sprinkler excels with lean operations PAGE 10

publication www.sima.org

Vol. 22, Issue 6 // www.sima.org

CONTENTS DEC 2021 SIMA 2 Industry Voice

With challenge comes opportunity

6 Membership Works

Wrapping up 2021 with new benefits, members connections

60 Meet a Member

Business 18 Complacency can be costly

Ignoring financial planning, especially now, can decimate your company By David Gallagher

22 Breadcrumb trails

Weave messaging through website, content and social media to entice clients By Jason Ostrander, CSP

24 Onboard, train, engage

Small changes in key areas can pay off in retaining employees By Evan Tachoir

COVER STORY

26 Sturdy branches

Strong roots, attention to detail can bear fruit in multi-location model By Mike Rorie

10 Small but mighty Led by a father-son trio, JLS Landscape & Sprinkler excels with lean operations. By Cheryl Higley // Photos by Jackie Schumaker

30 Clear intentions pave the way

Focus gives you clarity on where to invest your and your teams’ time and energy By Jay Rotonnelli, ASM

32 Asset protection plan

Successful businesses provide a safe and caring environment for employees By Grant Harrison

RISK MANAGEMENT

40 Fuel your fire

50 Who’s who?

Fight winter’s craziness with close attention to health and wellness By NJ Detrick

34 Always be learning

Limitations in your leadership skills will hamstring company’s growth By Tyler Jabaay

44 Downtime creativity

Use winter lulls to work ahead, add services and keep teams busy By William Moore, CSP, ASM

36 Evolution revolution

Effective communication can ease changes in processes By Michael Wagner, CSP

PLUS: Snow StartUp, sponsored by SnowEx, focuses on workforce development

OPERATIONS

46 Crisis management

ISSUE #4: FOCUS

ON WORKFORCE

Brought to you

building a great

team

If you want to grow your snow business, than done given that the #1 challenge you are going to need a great team alongside employees. It’s business owners you. That’s easier a jungle out there, face in this industry said for sure, but focus on these four areas has long been hiring reliable, quality and your path should become a little clearer.

Contingency plans, load testing can help head off potential failures By Mike McCarron

Worker classifications and compliance can be confusing By Jack Demski

TOOLS 52 Tools of the Trade Software and weather tools

58 Supplier News 59 Ad index

Culture

Look at any successful company and you’ll values, systems likely find it is built and standards with a purpose that focus Every organization has a culture, whether on the well-being of its employees, in mind and shaped by and how we treat clients and community. it is defined or others as we seek not. personal and company It’s what we do and say, how down, share them we act, with your team success. Identify and potential hires, your values, write and then live and them reinforce them every day.

Hiring

If you’re excited to wake up at 1 a.m., go out into you’re likely the inclement weather exception to the and work for hours rule. Snow and mands and challenges ice management on end, of the work isn’t is a thankless job, for any warm body for everyone. It and the won’t be easy, to fill your open but don’t be content depositions. In today’s selective on where to settle they work. You’ll labor market, candidates need you. Hint: It’s not are being more just about the money. to sell the candidate on why they should come to work with

Onboarding &

training

The storm is coming. Is your onboarding If so, you’ve set process to hand them up for failure your new hire a and they won’t choice or (more shovel and wish be likely) theirs. A structured onboardingyour employee for long — whether them luck? in the organization by your process lets new and gives them employees know a sense of how plan that makes their role is a part “who’s who” people 100% clear of the bigger picture. on their roles and processes and procedures and Create a responsibilities. consider assigning Educate them them the ropes on company a mentor or buddy and allow them a safe space to familiar with their ask questions. role to show

Retention & developm

ent Once you’ve brought in those quality No. 1 factor that hires, your job isn’t done. According employees are seeking in a job ees want to feel to Gallup surveys, is growth and development like they the step-by-step progression are learning and advancing opportunities. within their roles. Employthat shows every Every role should time. Every person employee how have a should have a professional they can move levels, where there up through the development plan, ranks over is greater turnover. especially those at the lowest

SB1221_SnowStar

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48 Sub playbook

Solid game plan can lead to mutually beneficial relationships By Josh Nichols, CSP

www.sima.org/sn Visit www.sima.or owbusiness // g/startup APRIL 2021 // for all Snow BUSINESS 1 StartupSNOW resources A1

11/19/21 9:18 AM

www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

SIMA // INDUSTRY VOICE

With challenges come opportunities By JONATHAN CRANDALL, CSP

he year ahead will likely bring some amazing opportunities! As industry professionals we continue to move through a time of change and challenges. We are still navigating the pandemic and some of the outcomes of that experience: equipment and materials availability, labor shortages, wage increases, insurance limitations, client indecisiveness … and the big question of how much cost increase we can pass on to the client? I thrive in this environment, and

I believe most of you reading this article do, as well. Most see problems as a broken cog in the wheel or as something that will inconvenience them, slow production or disrupt their stability or way of normalcy. But I believe entrepreneurs are natural problem solvers.

Look for opportunity

I see a problem as something new and exciting, a chance to learn, evolve and benefit from, especially if others around me are not viewing it the same way. Think about when the stock market crashes. Once it rebounds, everyone says: “If only I bought at the bottom and wasn’t afraid to invest, I would be rich now.” That is exactly

BOARD LOOKS LONG-TERM WITH “PESTLE” At a recent meeting, the SIMA Board of Directors focused on looking at long-term impacts of major trends and their impact on the snow and ice industry. We used a PESTLE (Political - Economic - Social - Technology - Legal Environmental) analysis to ask two questions: “What is known?” and “What is unknown?” The process created a litany of discussion points, forecasting and current challenges. The next step as a board was to collectively identify plausibly related scenarios that may come out of the trends identified in the analysis. We broke into two groups to create “if, then” statements on potential scenarios. We shared them as a team and agreed on commonalities where a specific scenario would have a profound impact on the snow and ice industry and how that relates to SIMA. Scenario planning requires creative ideation since not all scenarios materialize. What’s important though is that we are better prepared if or when different scenarios arise.

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

what some of the wealthiest people on the planet have done. They have also learned from experience to recognize patterns and take informed, intelligent, calculated risk. Our team’s direction is to look at the challenges, see how we can reduce our risk and invest in solutions that will benefit us long term. I love Jim Collins’ quote: “Preserve the core and stimulate progress.” I also love Napoleon Hill, who said: “Your big opportunity may be where you are right now.”

Focus on relationships

I often share with young entrepreneurs that the core principles that got me where I am are simple: persistence, extreme ownership, viewing challenges and obstacles as learning experiences, and the ability to create and nurture amazing relationships. Those relationships have built the team and family support that our company benefits from today. Surrounding myself with people who have similar traits – they have created their own relationships – has compounded our ability as a whole. SIMA has been an incredible environment for many of our companies … amazing relationships from the board experience to meeting with business owners at regional events, the Snow & Ice Symposium and now the Leadership Forum. I have had amazing experiences with SIMA staff, who are incredibly connected, engaged and passionate about the industry. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve on the board and for my small contribution in helping steer the ship to best support our industry and all of our members. Thank you all and seize the opportunities that present themselves in the year ahead! Jonathan Crandall, CSP, is chief visionary for JC Grounds Management in Danvers, MA, and the 2022 chair of the SIMA Board of Directors. Email him at jon@jcgrounds.com.

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EDITORIAL Director of Education & Content Cheryl Higley // 262-236-9972 // cheryl@sima.org Design & Production Director Lisa Lehman // 216-798-1853 // lisa@sima.org

ADVERTISING SALES & MANAGEMENT Senior Manager, Engagement and Business Development Kerri Joseph // 614-557-3948 // kerri@sima.org DIGITAL MEDIA & MARKETING Manager, Marketing & Communications Stephanie Orvis // 262-236-9948 // steph@sima.org SUBSCRIPTION Subscription questions/cancellations: cs@e-circ.net Subscription changes/updates: sima.org/subscription EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Charmaine Allen Allen Builders

Mike Kukol Horizon Landscape Co.

Kevin Speilman Nxgen Networks Inc.

Erin Faupel, ASM ULS Landscaping

Bob Marks, CSP, ASM emi landscape

Evan Tachoir Snow & Ice Management

Jim Hornung Jr., CSP Elbers Landscape Service

William Moore, CSP, ASM Executive Property Maintenance

Robert Young K.E.Y. Property Services

Tyler Jabaay Priority Landscape & Maintenance Rick Kier, CSP Forge Ahead Consulting and Software LLC

Jason Ostrander, CSP Sauers Snow and Ice Management

Michael Wagner, CSP Colorado Designscapes Co.

Thomas Skuta, CSP USM

10140 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, WI 53092 414-375-1940 //info@sima.org // www.sima.org

SIMA STAFF Chief Executive Officer Martin Tirado, CAE // martin@sima.org

Manager, Member Development Chris Dix // chris@sima.org

Chief Operating Officer Brian Birch, CAE // brian@sima.org

Manager, Finance & Operations KC Hallgren // kc@sima.org

Director of Events Heather Carew, CAE // heather@sima.org Manager, Education & Credentials Ellen Lobello // ellen@sima.org

Manager, Billing & Member Services Aimee Krzywicki // aimee@sima.org Office Manager & Executive Assistant Nikki Luedtke // nikki@sima.org

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SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

Board Chair: Wayne Michalak, CSP, The Greener Side Immediate Past Chair: Laura Ingram, CSP, Ingram Enterprises Inc. Vice Chair: Jonathan Crandall, CSP, JC Grounds Management Secretary / Treasurer: Mark Arthofer, CSP, Skyline Construction Christopher Marino, ASM, Xtreme Snow Pros Ruben Diaz, ASM, Diaz Group LLC David Wescott, CSP, Transblue Danny Milligan, ASM, Strathmore Landscape Contractors John Janes, CSP, ASM, Caterpillar Debora Babin Katz, TrucBrush Corporation Snow Business (5730) (ISSN 2155-2576) Copyright © 2021 by the Snow & Ice Management Association, 10140 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon, WI 53092 is produced and published February, April, June, August, September, October, December by the Snow & Ice Management Association. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without permission of the Publisher, SIMA – Snow & Ice Management Association. Subscribe at SIMA.org/subscribe. Periodicals postage prices is paid at Mequon, WI, and additional entry offices at 11716 S. Preston Hwy, Lebanon Junction, KY 40150-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SIMA - Snow Business – PO Box 8818, Lowell, MA 01853.

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SIMA // MEMBERSHIP WORKS

Wrapping up 2021 with new benefits, connections By BRIAN BIRCH, COO

ow, what a journey we have had these last two years. I can honestly say that the pandemic and its impact on the association has been profound. We struggled, we pivoted and pivoted again. We pushed forward, and we made hard choices. And, amazingly, we are stronger and more resilient than we even knew. We are moving forward in new ways, and I wanted to share some of those membership-focused initiatives with you.

Membership growth

SIMA is owned by its members, and the best way to build influence in the industry is to grow the number of engaged members. Guided by our Board of Directors, the staff is hyperfocused on growing a quality membership base. You’ll see a lot to be excited about in 2022, as we continue our mission to enable snow and ice professionals for success.

Expanded member benefits We love delivering new benefits to our members. Each year we try to unveil more added value to the equation, and in 2022 we’re bringing training opportunities front and center: Fundamentals of Anti-Icing and Liquids Certificate: Starting in early 2022, anyone at a member company can have an account created at SIMA and earn their certificate for this quality program. Build a trained workforce employing the use of liquids and solids in an effective anti-icing strategy. This comprehensive tool is now included with your membership! All-Access Trial Run: SIMA’s All-Access Training Pass allows companies to verify basic knowledge of safety and techniques for their employees with our popular training video series. Current SIMA members can access a trial run for the winter season for no additional fee; this will provide access to one of our most popular training videos: Snow Plowing Safety & Preparation. Train anyone on your team, anywhere they have an internet connection, and verify that they understood the material via a simple quiz submission. Request your Trial Run by contacting Chris Dix at chris@sima.org.

ANNUAL

Increasing accessibility

Everyone is busy and has to prioritize their time. In the past, the need for our members to meet face to face created a natural barrier to engaging more with industry stakeholders. Last year, SIMA hosted five successful Member Connect virtual events, including multiple Coffee Time/Product Showcases and a Volunteer Focus Group. These tools will help us widen our footprint and give snow professionals across the United States and Canada the opportunity to meet, connect, share ideas and continue the hard work of building professionalism in the industry. More than 150 people participated in one or more of these events in 2021, and we have more to come in 2022. I encourage you to make the time, be accessible to our industry, and help each other.

25th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium: It’s apropos that we land with both feet on solid ground, after 25 years of grind and sweat, in Milwaukee, WI – home to SIMA’s headquarters. You’ll start to see the influence the last two years has had on our vision for education and in-person community. Look for new training ideas, challenging and future-focused thought leadership, and more while celebrating 25 years of the Best Show in Snow with everyone together.

Reinventing peer education

The road map for success sometimes needs experimentation. In March, SIMA launched the Compass Network, a peer education forum for highpowered snow companies. Thirty-two companies, representing a staggering $57 million-plus in combined snow revenues, signed up for the pilot program. More than 100 industry professionals interacted, shared and learned together during 20-plus hours of training and networking. Year two of the Compass Network will feature five virtual events. We’re mixing up the format based on feedback from this year’s participants, including adding an in-person event for

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

those attending the 25th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium in Milwaukee, WI. A company pass gives open access to as many team members as you want to participate. Visit www.sima.org/compass for details and to register.

Building community

SIMA is a professional community of snow contractors and stakeholders. We help you forge professional relationships, train to best practices and standards, and ignite a passion for snow at your organization. We engage industry practitioners, facility managers and insurance professionals with a focus on the future. Continued on page 8

New topics, formats coming in 2022 Six sessions, one ﬂat fee, no travel required LINEUP

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

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JULY

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A company pass oﬀers unlimited access to your team – bring 5, bring 50 – for one aﬀordable price. Use code COMP22PROMO to save $100.

Learn and grow with other snow companies from all across North America. Register at sima.org/compass

MEMBERSHIP WORKS Continued from page 6

All of this is great, but we are going to level with you: we also spend a great deal of time chasing membership invoices. It seems simple, but one of the most important ways to engage with SIMA is to check in with us at least once a year, both to renew your membership on time and help us make that personal connection. With this in mind, we are launching a number of initiatives to help you stay in touch more effectively with SIMA: OMG text me, please. SIMA doesn’t want you to miss key deadlines and reminders that make it easier to stay connected. Our worst nightmare is a member telling us they would have loved to attend an event but didn’t know when registration closed. Don’t let this be you! Sign up to receive critical text messages,

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LEADERSHIP FORUM SET FOR AUSTIN, TX The second annual Leadership Forum will be held at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa on August 8-10, 2022, in Austin, TX. More details, including featured speakers, will be available in the February issue of Snow Business. Sign up to get updates as they become available at sima.org/leadership.

membership renewal updates, event registration deadlines, and key industry announcements. Signing up is super easy – just scan the QR code with your phone! Chat me up. In 2021, we launched a new chat bot at sima.org. We had a lot of fun reading 200+ inquiries about SIMA, our events and answering questions. This chat functionality will expand in 2022, as we launch a knowledge base of information to help visitors find what they need and

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deliver a more responsive customer service experience. Our vision is that members and stakeholders can reach out 24/7 and get a timely response, along with some automated tools if we aren’t in the office at the time. We’re focused on making this industry as powerful, innovative and connected as we possibly can. Join us, won’t you? See you in 2022! Brian Birch is chief operating officer of SIMA. Email him at brian@sima.org.

ISSUE #4: FOCUS ON WORKFORCE

Brought to you by

building a great team If you want to grow your snow business, you are going to need a great team alongside you. That’s easier said than done given that the #1 challenge business owners face in this industry has long been hiring reliable, quality employees. It’s a jungle out there, for sure, but focus on these four areas and your path should become a little clearer.

Culture

Look at any successful company and you’ll likely find it is built with a purpose in mind and shaped by values, systems and standards that focus on the well-being of its employees, clients and community. Every organization has a culture, whether it is defined or not. It’s what we do and say, how we act, and how we treat others as we seek personal and company success. Identify your values, write them down, share them with your team and potential hires, and then live and reinforce them every day.

Hiring

If you’re excited to wake up at 1 a.m., go out into inclement weather and work for hours on end, you’re likely the exception to the rule. Snow and ice management is a thankless job, and the demands and challenges of the work isn’t for everyone. It won’t be easy, but don’t be content to settle for any warm body to fill your open positions. In today’s labor market, candidates are being more selective on where they work. You’ll need to sell the candidate on why they should come to work with you. Hint: It’s not just about the money.

Onboarding & training

The storm is coming. Is your onboarding process to hand your new hire a shovel and wish them luck? If so, you’ve set them up for failure and they won’t be your employee for long — whether by your choice or (more likely) theirs. A structured onboarding process lets new employees know “who’s who” in the organization and gives them a sense of how their role is a part of the bigger picture. Create a plan that makes people 100% clear on their roles and responsibilities. Educate them on company processes and procedures and consider assigning a mentor or buddy familiar with their role to show them the ropes and allow them a safe space to ask questions.

Retention & development

Once you’ve brought in those quality hires, your job isn’t done. According to Gallup surveys, the No. 1 factor that employees are seeking in a job is growth and development opportunities. Employees want to feel like they are learning and advancing within their roles. Every role should have a step-by-step progression that shows every employee how they can move up through the ranks over time. Every person should have a professional development plan, especially those at the lowest levels, where there is greater turnover. www.sima.org/snowbusiness // APRIL 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS 1 Visit www.sima.org/startup for all Snow Startup resources A1

you can’t afford not to train Training is often viewed as an expense rather than investment. But a proper training program provides a good return on investment (ROI) because the benefits will likely outweigh your initial investment. Why should you invest in training? REDUCE INJURIES. An untrained team member is a danger to himself or herself and everyone else around them — especially if they apply materials or operate equipment. Employee injuries from unsafe practices result in higher workers’ compensation costs, lost days of work and employee turnover. REDUCE DAMAGE. Untrained employees cause the most damage of any employee group, regardless of how conscientious they may be. Damages require management time, reporting, downtime, repairs and insurance claims. If property damage occurs on a client’s property, it’s even worse. REDUCE LIABILITY. Training reduces exposure to liability for slip and fall claims. Training focused on how to recognize and prevent dangerous conditions from persisting reduces the likelihood of a slip and fall. And a solid training program will benefit your defense against claims. Document training, including employee signoff that it was completed. Quiz them to make sure they “get it.” IMPROVE EFFICIENCY. The difference between production output of a properly trained person versus that of an untrained person is dramatic. Snow and ice management is a highly profitable business — if your people are efficient. IMPROVE QUALITY. Training can improve client satisfaction and retention. During snow and ice events, clients are not very forgiving; and unlike the summer season, when there are many opportunities to fix a problem, snow contractors have no such luxury. IMPROVE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. Companies committed to training and developing their people are the same companies that are concerned about employee satisfaction.

Best Practice: Training should take place year-round. See Page A4

training tips TRAIN ON A BUDGET. Training doesn’t have to be expensive. Tap SIMA for resources that can be used to help you build a training library, from tailgate talks, tear and teach documents, training videos and more. Utilize your vendors for help with equipment-specific training.

CHOOSE A CHAMPION. If you’re a smaller or newer snow company, the weight of training will likely fall on you; but as you grow, create a committee or identify a training champion to take ownership of the schedule, the topics and the follow-through.

TRAIN TO SOPS. Outline and document your standard operating procedures (SOPs) because they are an integral part of your training process. Your SOPs are all the things you need and expect your team to know about the day-to-day operations. As you grow, so will your SOPs. Make sure your training evolves with them.

A2 Visit www.sima.org/startup for all Snow Startup resources

road map to safety training Snow and ice management companies should never take shortcuts when it comes to safety. 1

TAKE OWNERSHIP OF SAFETY.

Unsafe operations will kill your business. For any safety program to succeed, the desire to create a safe environment, not only for your employees but also your clients and their customers, must come from the top. Decide today that safety matters and begin embedding it in your company culture.

CHOOSE A LEADER.

ESTABLISH A SAFETY COMMITTEE.

In a small company the owner may wear the safety trainer hat, but as the company grows the owner should identify a lead person to manage the company’s safety program. This person will work with the owner to set goals, create the program and ensure that it’s followed.

Give your safety manager help by creating a safety committee that includes team members from a variety of departments, including drivers, sidewalk crews, supervisors, maintenance, office, HR, etc. For a program to succeed, it must include representatives from each of your company’s touchpoints. Determine a timeline and establish a list of topics and presenters for the year.

4 CREATE A SAFETY MANUAL.

BUILD A TRAINING LIBRARY/RESOURCE CENTER.

Creating a training program doesn’t have to break the bank. There is a multitude of free and/or inexpensive resources available through SIMA, OSHA, SBA, insurance companies, etc. Start compiling them. As you grow, you may decide to invest in third-party training. If you have employees or subcontractors whose native language is something other than English, make sure you have written manuals and training resources they can understand.

Start small but document your policies. Add to it as you grow your program. Easy-to-reference policies kept in one place will leave little room for excuses if policies aren’t followed. Plus, you can use your manual as a reference and a selling tool not only to clients, but also to your insurance company.

IMPLEMENT A SAFETY PROGRAM.

Training shouldn’t be a once-a-year endeavor. At a minimum, a successful program will include robust preseason training to get everyone ready for the year. Classroom and hands-on training is key. Weekly, or even daily, training will help keep safety in the forefront of everyone’s minds. A 5-minute safety recap before heading out to the site or a weekly 15-minute tailgate talk will make a difference and reinforce that safety is an ongoing initiative in your company.

TRAIN AND RETRAIN.

Establish a training schedule and stick to it. As new employees are added to the team, ensure they are trained to expectations laid out in your safety manual. Again, training shouldn’t be a once-and-done activity. Even the most seasoned veterans will benefit from refresher training throughout the year.

REEVALUATE AND REVISE.

At the end of the season, look at your training processes that were implemented. What worked, what didn’t, what’s missing, and how can you improve? Identify and implement changes so you’re ready for the next round of training.

DOCUMENT YOUR TRAINING.

As employees complete training, make sure you document their results, identifying any potential problem areas that may need more instruction. Documenting your efforts will hold your team accountable for safety and may be helpful in securing better insurance rates or to document your actions in the event of an accident or liability claim.

BUILD MORE SNOW LEADERS.

A commitment to safety must reach through the entire organization. It starts with the owner, but by building a training program that shows you are committed to your employees’ well-being and that they are a key part of the process, you will achieve buy-in that will bring your program full circle. Encourage input on topics and how to improve training; reward employees for safe operations; and identify employees who may do well at peer training and give them the opportunity to take a leadership role.

team mentality: once you have them, keep them Hiring takes time and money, and it’s long been known that it costs more to hire a new employee than to keep an existing one. Building a culture that positions your company as the go-to in your market could be as easy as 1-2-3. 1. HIRE SMART. Even though applicable skill sets and dedication to safety should always be top priorities, in most cases those skill sets can be taught. Hiring for character is just as, if not more, important. If a candidate doesn’t align with your core values, don’t hire them as a “number” to fill out your roster. Staffing is no longer about hiring the right person for the position; it’s about attracting new people to your team, growing the people you have, and retaining them. They not only want to know where they are going in your company, but how to get there and in what timeframe. 2. BUILD CAREERS - NOT JOBS. This industry isn’t glamorous, so it’s important for owners and managers to build a culture for employees to see that snow and ice management as something more than an hourly job and that the company is invested in providing the training and resources for them to build a career. Help them envision a future where they are financially stable and thriving in a team environment with opportunity for personal growth and fulfillment. 3. CARE FOR YOUR TEAM LIKE THEY’RE FAMILY. If you’ve hired the right people, they’re going to work hard for you. Honor that commitment by caring for their mental and physical health and well-being. Make sure they are equipped with the proper personal protective equipment. Provide safe equipment. If they’re in a job that requires them to be in the elements, don’t put their safety at unnecessary risk. Make sure all receive proper rest during long-duration storms. Working 36 hours straight isn’t a badge of honor — it’s dangerous. Build a culture that lifts up the whole person, not just what they can do for you in the field. If you’re falling short here, take a look at your leadership and management style and correct any shortcomings that might be impacting retention.

WHEN SHOULD YOU TRAIN? PRESEASON

Visit www.sima.org/startup for all Snow Startup resources

IN SEASON

Before the start of the snow season, bring the team together to train on safety, equipment operations and winter procedures. This should include a mix of classroom and hands-on training. Teams assigned to each site should walk the property with the sitemap to make sure they understand how operations will run during the season. Use a dry run, from beginning to the end of an event, to make sure procedures are clear and to ID potential hiccups before snow is flying.

Reinforce training topics during the season — no matter how busy you get. Five- to 15-minute “tailgate talks” on a specific topic before heading out of the yard will help to reinforce the importance of and your commitment to safety and efficiency. If you have new operators, peer ride-alongs are a great way to train to expectations. Monitor operations and use in-season training to correct unsafe or improper practices.

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POSTSEASON Bring the team together to review the winter’s successes and challenges and use them to make adjustments before the following winter. This is a great time to pick your team’s brains and ask how training could be improved, whether it’s topics, method of delivery, etc. Most companies move from snow straight into spring operations — but it’s important not to skip this step.

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BUSINESS // COVER STORY

small but mighty

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: The Reffels — John Sr., John Jr. and Jeremy (far right) — lead a small but mighty team that delivers snow and ice management services in the greater Denver area. John Sr.’s wife Linda (second from far left) is also part of the team.

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

Led by a father-son trio, JLS Landscape & Sprinkler excels in its Colorado market with lean operations BY CHERYL HIGLEY // Photos by Jackie Shumaker

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SONS - BUILDING ON THE JLS LEGACY // Page 14 MICROCLIMATES DRIVE BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS PLANS // Page 16

www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

COVER STORY wife (Linda) and I are extremely proud of both of our sons. “ My Not only for their hard work and dedication and their ability to manage customers but for the men they’ve become. That is a great legacy for us.” – JOHN REFFEL SR., CSP, PRESIDENT OF JLS LANDSCAPE & SPRINKLER

e was JLS Landscape & Sprinkler’s employee No. 1 in 1975, and 46 years later President John Reffel Sr., CSP, is paving the trail to hand the Sedalia, CO-based company his father started to the third generation – his sons Jeremy and John Jr., who are now actively growing it. JLS has weathered the ups and downs of economic turmoil by being nimble, adaptable and focused on keeping operations lean. Initially specializing in high-end residential irrigation, once the company added commercial irrigation, landscape and snow removal was the logical next step. “That was our big breakthrough,” John Sr. says. “Some of our larger clients were asking if we knew anyone who offered the service. If we didn’t [do it], we knew someone else would; so it was an easy evolution.” Initially, the landscape portion was serviced by subcontractors; but the recession in the 1980s forced the company’s hand to bring those services in house. “We brought it in quickly as a survival technique, but that decision helped us really launch that side of the business,” he says.

Controlled growth plan

John Jr. joined the company in 1999, and by 2001 JLS had eliminated all residential contracts from its portfolio. “It’s easier to manage a high volume of commercial than to do high-level residential,” John Jr. says. JLS is a family affair, and John Sr.’s wife Linda came on board in 2001 to help the company overcome its multiple growing pains. She oversees the finances; business insurance; and established an HR department to ensure JLS is compliant with state and federal regulations, benefits administration, and its 401K program. Linda also goes into “mom mode” when necessary. “She is the bond that is always circling back during busy times to remind us that we are a family first,” John Sr. says. Jeremy joined the company in 2004, and the company hasn’t stopped

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

growing since. It now maintains about 40 commercial properties. “We’ve kept our growth pretty controlled, even though sometimes it didn’t feel that way,” John Sr. says, adding that eventually snow services surpassed irrigation/landscape as the company’s primary revenue driver. Although he never anticipated snow overtaking the green side of the business, two things happened in 2007-08 to change the company’s trajectory: the Reffels joined SIMA; and (as it did in the 1980s) the economy tanked, forcing JLS to reevaluate its business model. “We joined SIMA to help us grow our snow business; and as we climbed out of the recession in 2009, the boost we got from what we learned, snow came out as equal or sometimes larger, depending on the season,” John Sr. says. “We knew that there was more profit in snow, so we decided to grow that side of the business.” Today, snow revenue is about $1.5 million and accounts for anywhere from 45% to 65% of the

Continued on page 14

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BUSINESS // COVER STORY Continued from page 12

company’s overall revenue, depending on the amount of snowfall.

Hiring philosophy changes

With the snow business growing, JLS adjusted its hiring philosophy. It dropped out of the H-2B program, and shifted from hiring several seasonal employees to hiring a smaller, core group to work year-round. With today’s labor market, John Sr. says that decision to stay lean has proven beneficial: “We didn’t need as much manpower for the areas and

clients we wanted to focus on, so we were able to streamline the team. It helps that we are set up the way we are, but it doesn’t take all the [hiring] pain away.”

Area expansion

Given JLS’s location – with the Rocky Mountains to the west, Denver to the north and the plains to the east – the company has expanded its reach with the help of five strategically located subcontractors. “We keep our in-house sites pretty limited to two areas – large

Like father, like sons: Building on the JLS legacy For 46 years, JLS Landscape and Sprinkler President John Reffel Sr., CSP, has worked in and on the business started by his father. He has begun scaling back his involvement and handed over most of the day to day to his sons, John Reffel Jr. and Jeremy Reffel – but he still keeps his finger on the pulse of the company. “I come in four days a week, and we try to do daily meetings,” Reffel says. “I still negotiate contracts and am involved with some of our larger customers who want that one-on-one contact. But I

“The biggest lesson I learned about myself was that my passion and my purpose in life is not only to be a good father and husband but to work with my family and be a part of that legacy.” – JOHN REFFEL JR., JLS LANDSCAPE & SPRINKLER

keep one of the boys in the loop or in the meetings with me so they can start to build their own relationships. They’ve done a great job making changes as I start to move out.”

Different perspectives EARLY DAYS: Jeremy and John Reffel Jr. have grown up in the company their grandfather founded. Today they’re taking center stage and leading into the future.

Both sons grew up in and around the business, but each has different skillsets that make them a powerful one-two punch.

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

John Jr. gravitated to the equipment side of the business when he worked summers as a teenager. He joined the company fulltime working on a crew after high school. “I was learning everything I could. I was on the other end of a shovel working my way through,” he says. Today he functions more as an operations/general manager, which includes managing subcontractors, quality control, contracts and service tracking.

office parks and one area in the mountains,” John Sr. says. “Our subcontractors allow us to get out a little farther and work in areas we don’t think we can service efficiently in house.” Jeremy is responsible for the in-house team, including training, safety and quality control. John Jr.

manages the subcontractors, most of whom have been with JLS for 10 years or more. Both focus not only on growing the company but also growing their relationships with their employees and the subs who are tasked with keeping the JLS brand in good standing. Continued on page 16

IN-HOUSE SUCCESS: Jeremy Reffel manages the in-house snow operations team with a focus on training, safety and quality control.

Jeremy took a different approach, riding in the plow truck with his dad and grandfather and shoveling larger storms. He joined JLS after high school, focusing on irrigation. He now works full time in snow as operations manager, using his logistical, mathematical mindset to work on proposals, site engineering and managing the in-house teams. “I like to observe and understand problems and come up with solutions,” he says.

Coming home In 2015, JLS was in heavy growth mode and missing a key player. John Jr. had moved to Monroe, LA, for his wife’s job. He opened his own landscape business and worked in sales for a liquor distributor. The family moved back to Colorado and John rejoined the company in March 2021, much to Jeremy’s relief. “When he was gone, it was just me at the helm and I was getting worn a little thin. It was great to welcome him back and be able to work together to build a company where we can make a good living, make it more comfortable for Dad to retire, and to continue the legacy,” Jeremy says. Among the lessons John Jr. gained from his experience down in the bayou (besides the fact that he isn’t a fan of humidity) were the power of family and the importance of a strong team. “It was a heck of a journey,” he says. “The biggest lesson I learned about myself was that my passion and my purpose in life is not only to be a good father and husband but to work with my family and be a part of that legacy.”

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BUSINESS // COVER STORY

MICROCLIMATES DRIVE BUSINESS PLAN

Continued from page 15

With mountains to the west and lower elevations to the east, servicing the greater Denver Metro area keeps the JLS Landscape & Sprinkler team on its toes. With snowfall totals ranging from 50 inches in Denver to upward of 150 inches at its clients’ mountain sites, many business decisions are guided by the impact on the microclimates they must manage. Contracts. JLS President John Reffel Sr., CSP, says Colorado has historically been a time & materials market. In the early 2000s, he started presenting more seasonal contract options. “We didn’t see a shift until we started pushing it. We’ve gotten positive feedback,” he says. Their portfolio of T&M vs. seasonal contracts is now about a 50/50 split. Asset allocation. Given the widespread reach of the company’s snow services, its subcontractors with dedicated equipment are strategically located to respond faster. “We focus our sub sites around their yards and their equipment capabilities,” says John Reffel Jr. Equipment and materials. Liquids as an anti-icing treatment is not widely used in the Colorado market. The company uses blends of granular sodium, magnesium and calcium chlorides for post-treatment. “SIMA has been huge in helping us learn about the best equipment and which deicers to use on our sites,” Reffel Sr. says.

“We continue to work hard to make sure that they are doing quality work and that they’re also profitable,” John Jr. says. “If the contracts are too tight, that’s when corners get cut and you can have issues with safety or your clients being unhappy.” The Reffels have put their people front and center, building a culture and opportunities for them to grow with JLS. “Our field employees are the people who make our company successful,” John Sr. says. “Our thanks go to all of these dedicated team members and their families that miss them during the long shifts that they work to ensure the safety of others.” Cheryl Higley is Director of Education & Content for SIMA. Email her at cheryl@sima.org or contact her at 262-236-9972.

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SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

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BUSINESS // BUDGETS

complacency costs money Ignoring financial planning, especially now, can decimate your company planning solutions By DAVID GALLAGHER

he world we are currently operating in is very different from the experiences any of us have ever had. The timely delivery (even availability at all) of products is regularly in question. The availability of labor is also in question, and current prevailing wage rates are certainly not what we are used to or have planned for. Inflation has started to show its face in our every day: 2% to 3% cost increases will not be the norm for at least a few years. Instead of complaining about it, let’s talk about how you can mitigate these impacts on your business. Building a plan is generally my starting point for navigating any change or execution of strategy. If you have never built a financial plan, don’t freak out. Talk to your accountant or an industry consultant if you don’t know where to start. A look at each of these can guide you on how to approach each, all while bringing them together into a cohesive plan.

New sales

New sales plans should look at your salespeople, how much of various revenue types you expect each to sell, and generally when those revenue dollars should be sold and eventually earned. This look should not only consist of new contract sales but also additional (enhancement) work and/or project type work. I suggest starting with the salary for a salesperson selling mostly new work and the value of a book of business for a more account management-defined role to calculate goals. The type of work will often dictate the multipliers used to obtain a goal number, but generally 10-20x multipliers provide a great starting point. Sales history

Here are my suggestions for a planning framework. A complete financial plan should consist of a few main parts: 1 New Sales Plan – New work ($) to new or existing customers 2 Renewal Plan – Maintaining and managing ($) existing services with existing customers 3 Direct Cost Budget – Supports execution of the above work, typically looked at by

service or revenue division

4 Indirect and Overhead Cost Budget – Supports the business’ operations, sales and

administrative functions

5 Cash Flow Plan – Looks at cash needs to support the above parts of the plan

for existing team members and consideration of the learning curve for new ones will temper the final answers. Even after sales goals are determined, you aren’t quite done; finish this plan by determining when newly sold revenue will be generated so you can use it to plan your cost budgets. Remember that if you are selling recurring service work throughout a performance year, you will not likely earn all the sold revenue in the “sales” year. This will more likely be the case for non-services if you aren’t a snow-only company.

Renewals

Renewal plans should look at your existing customers and your current actual financial performance on their contract(s). Hopefully you have a software program or tracking process that allows you to evaluate actual vs. estimated performance. If not, this should be another consideration beyond building a plan. If you have data, use it to determine which customer contracts require increases in costs and/or price to make them earn acceptable margins. “Acceptable” is going to be somewhat dependent upon your company; but if we look at general service industry standards, you should target 40% to

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

45% gross margins if your “Owned Vehicles & Equipment” and “Ops Management Team” costs are above your gross margin line (or 60% to 65% gross margins if they are below the line on your income statement). Next, determine which contracts you expect to renew into the coming year and determine when the revenue from them will be earned.

Direct cost budget

The direct cost budget should look at your cost of goods sold (most commonly labor, materials, subs, rental equipment and other job costs). As mentioned, some people include owned vehicles/equipment and operations management team costs in this category. These numbers are often developed by revenue or service division and then aggregated. I recommend that your labor cost is derived from a function of hours multiplied by your intended direct wage composite. People are harder to find and those we can find are commanding higher wages. By using your projected wage composite to calculate your planned labor cost, you can more effectively determine where your sales margins need to be to maintain and protect profitability. Do not use the old “We sell at $XX per hour” standby ... it will not serve you well.

Determine when newly sold revenue will be generated so you can use it to plan your cost budgets. Remember that if you sell recurring service work throughout a performance year, you will not likely earn all the sold revenue in the “sales” year.

minimum; while others, such as fuel, will be even greater. I suggest communicating with your vendors and get their sense of where pricing and availability will be in the coming year. Don’t assume anything at this point.

Indirect & overhead cost budgets Indirect and overhead cost budgets should look at your sales, administrative and operations support teams. All associated costs, such as facilities, supplies, wages,

Continued on page 21

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BUSINESS // BUDGETS

Forecast material cost increases of 5% to 8% at minimum

Do not assume that because your plan shows profit that you will have cash; the two are not the same.

Continued from page 19

Derive your labor costs from a function of hours X by intended direct wage composite

mechanics and the shop if you have them, office supplies and computers, utilities and rent, lease payments or mortgages are included here. This will include your capital expenditures budget for additional and/or replacement vehicles and equipment, even if you are capturing the operating costs in your direct cost budgets. Basically, this budget includes anything that doesn’t get directly attributed to any one customer.

Income statement, cash flow plans

Once all these plans are drafted, you can look at a full income statement picture. Critique each area and look at the gross and net margins calculated. Talk it over with key team members, your accountant and/or a consultant. Consider having an industry peer or peers review it for their perspective. After a period of review and tweaking, finalize the plan and begin to look at your cash flow. Consider additional salaried hires and capital purchases and their timing. Discuss cash flow with your accountant and then your banker to

build a strategy that will ensure you have the cash you need when you need it. Do not assume that because your plan shows profit that you will have cash; the two are not the same. Building a plan is a key part of building a scalable, sustainable and profitable business. Success doesn’t often happen by accident, and luck favors the prepared. 2022 and the “postpandemic” world will be an interesting place. While it will certainly have its challenges, I also believe it will have great opportunity for those prepared to take advantage of it. A plan gives you a leg up on being prepared. David Gallagher is principal of Spiritus Business Advisors, LLC, an industry consulting firm focused on helping build scalable, sustainable, profitable businesses through standard systems and processes. He has over 25 years of snow and green industry experience. Email him at david@spiritusba.com.

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BUSINESS // MARKETING

breadcrumb trails Weave messages through website, content and social media to entice clients By JASON OSTRANDER, CSP

opportunities within the various social media channels can be confusing and downright frustrating – especially if you feel like social media is more of a distraction than an opportunity. How can you turn something potentially damaging to your business into something healthy?

hether you have an established marketing plan for your business, or you’re currently researching how Analyze current platforms to promote yourself on a The first thing you should do when shoestring budget, one thing is for sure assessing your current business’ – you will have to figure out marketing needs is to determine how to navigate the world which platforms you are already of social media. Should using. Chances are you have at you advertise on the Big least one lettered vehicle (even if Three (Facebook, LinkedIn, RECAP it’s just a door magnet!) so you’re Twitter)? Should you push already using signage to your into Instagram and TikTok? benefit. The larger your fleet, the larger What is the difference in writing a post your brand awareness will be. With the versus creating a story? (See below.) right logo and a handful of clean trucks The overflow of marketing

and courteous drivers, your phone will start ringing. Additionally, any “leave behind” yard signs that you placed on your properties become (free) mini-billboards throughout your service area. Perhaps your business has been established for a while and you’ve dabbled in other methods of advertising like The Yellow Pages, or newspaper and magazine ads. While in their day those methods of advertising were effective, they have been replaced by the ubiquitous monthly eBlast, PPC (Pay Per Click) and Google Ads.

Tackling digital marketing

While many businesses rely solely on signage and more traditional means of marketing, few have really entered the digital era of marketing well. There are typically two main reasons for that:

TELL A STORY WITH CONSISTENT MESSAGING Recently our company has been experimenting with the following marketing process:

1 Spin up quality, timely content and post to the micro-blog page of our website once every 10 days, making sure to hyperlink portions of that blog post to other pages of our site – including our contact form.

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

2 Focus the appropriate messaging style across all social media platforms to engage the same topic of the micro-blog. In other words, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook posts to pique the interest of the media consumer just enough that they want to go to our site for more information.

Work on your website

The best thing you can do regarding your web presence is to create a simple website for your business. If you already have a functioning website, then it may be time to perform an audit.

3 Release a monthly eBlast, which focuses on the same theme as the micro-blog. The eBlast includes hyperlinks back to the website as well as an online contact form. We send eBlasts to our current client list and current lead list each month. The content is the same, but voiced differently for each audience.

You can begin by asking yourself a couple key questions: • When was the last time I updated any of the content on my site? • Beyond the normal contact information, what value does my website provide current and potential clients? • How much do I tell people what I do versus showing them what I do (via pictures and videos)? • What is the story that my website is telling? • Do I have a blog page that I update semi-regularly? The answers to questions like these will help you decide where you should direct your website overhaul efforts. Keeping content fresh (photo, video and written) is the best way to keep your social media on track. Once you’ve overhauled your company’s website and added fresh content, you want to make sure that your social media efforts are directing everyone back to your website. The trap of marketing via social media is that all you need to do is post regularly and your message will come across. While you can never push enough content, if those posts don’t result in customer conversion, then it has been a futile effort. Customer conversion happens most often on your website via a contact form or a real-time chat feature. With a little bit of content creation and some advanced planning related to your social media posting process, you can grow your company’s visibility and drive toward greater customer conversion. Since we began coupling our social media marketing strategy more to our brand’s website, we’ve seen well over 200% growth in both site visits and the amount of time people are spending on our site. Jason Ostrander, CSP, is vice president of operations and marketing for Sauers Snow and Ice Management, and a member of the Snow Business Editorial Advisory Committee. Email him at jostrander@sauersinc.com.

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BUSINESS // HUMAN RESOURCES

onboard, train, engage Small changes in key areas can pay off in retaining employees fore day one. In addition, the first week or two of onboarding should be scheduled to make sure employees meet with those they will be working with consistently t this summer’s Snow & Ice Sym- (their manager and other key contacts) posium, I presented a and are trained on essential funcsession on “Practical tions of their jobs. It is a best pracOnboarding, Traintice to have someone check in with ing, and Engagement the new employee throughout the for Organizations of Any process to ask how they are doing Size.” As a human resources RECAP with learning the details of the job professional, my goal was to and acclimating to the culture. This present practical takeaways gives you feedback that you can that everyone could put into place imme- share with their manager and act upon diately and start seeing results. for continuous improvement. Another Within each aspect of human way to improve the onboarding experiresources, I pointed out, there are many ence is by having veteran employees serve things you can do; therefore, I encouraged as mentors or buddies. Most importantly, attendees that they didn’t have to do it someone in your organization needs to all. Instead, I noted, if they picked one or own the onboarding process to keep it on two action items, implemented them and track. followed up consistently, then they would Training see positive change in areas that are vital In the snow industry, I know that we to long-term employee retention and are busy, and things change constantly; business success. therefore, it is a best practice to Onboarding keep training “bite size” and apply Onboarding is vital because it is the it directly to each specific job. One start of the employee journey. We need suggestion from my presentation was it to help get employees productive to build a learning library with free quickly; however, it is also important industry- and job-specific articles and to long-term employee retention and videos and allow employees 30 minutes productivity. Studies from the Society a week for learning time — this adds of Human Resources Management up to only 6 minutes a day. (SHRM) show that new employees who As adults, 70% of our learning comes go through a structured onboarding from on-the-job training; therefore, program are 58% more likely to be with whatever is learned in a classroom, the organization after three years. webinar, training or meeting should be To conduct a structured onboarding, followed up by applying it in a real-work you should have a checklist to make sure scenario. This can be done with coaching all the materials and equipment that emby the manager or direct supervisor to ployees need to help the employee continually improve do their jobs and retain what they learned. In are in place beaddition, you can use other employees By EVAN TACHOIR

ISSUE #4: FOCUS

ON WORKFORCE

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you. That’s easier said a great team alongside hiring reliable, quality you are going to need industry has long been your snow business, a little clearer. owners face in this If you want to grow path should become the #1 challenge business four areas and your than done given that but focus on these out there, for sure, employees. It’s a jungle

SNOW START UP: WORKFORCE For more insights and tips on how to hire, train and retain a great team, check out the workforce development insert between pages 8-9.

and shaped by with a purpose in mind likely find it is built and community. company and you’ll its employees, clients Look at any successful on the well-being of say, how we act, standards that focus It’s what we do and values, systems and write them it is defined or not. Identify your values, has a culture, whether Every organization and company success. them every day. as we seek personal then live and reinforce and how we treat others potential hires, and with your team and down, share them

Culture

for hours on end, weather and work the dego out into inclement a thankless job, and wake up at 1 a.m., ice management is If you’re excited to content to settle to the rule. Snow and easy, but don’t be more you’re likely the exception work isn’t for everyone. It won’t be candidates are being of the In today’s labor market, mands and challenges to work with to fill your open positions. the candidate on why they should come for any warm body to sell they work. You’ll need selective on where about the money. you. Hint: It’s not just

Hiring

them luck? a shovel and wish Is The storm is coming. won’t be your employee know “who’s who” up for failure and they lets new employees If so, you’ve set them onboarding process picture. Create a theirs. A structured a part of the bigger choice or (more likely) of how their role is on company ies. Educate them and gives them a sense in the organization roles and responsibilit role to show 100% clear on their familiar with their a mentor or buddy plan that makes people and consider assigning processes and procedures to ask questions. allow them a safe space and ropes the them

to hand your new hire Onboarding & training by your your onboarding process for long — whether

24 4

surveys, the ent According to Gallup Retention & developm your job isn’t done. t opportunities. Employthose quality hires,

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness in is growth and developmen role should have a Once you’ve brought are seeking in a job roles. Every over No. 1 factor that employees learning and advancing within their up through the ranks they are how they can move ees want to feel like the lowest that shows every employee especially those at development plan, step-by-step progression should have a professional time. Every person is greater turnover. levels, where there

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to provide training in their areas of expertise by having them host training sessions or lead interactive trainings, such as dealing with issues in the field or role-playing sales scenarios.

Employee engagement

Employee engagement is impacted heavily by the employee/manager relationship. It is said that “people don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses;” therefore, having consistent employee/manager 1-on-1 meetings is important. This keeps deliverables on track, leading to better business outcomes; and it builds rapport between employee and manager, leading to retention and trust that allows for brainstorming and growth. Engagement can be measured and improved through several tools such as the Gallup Q12 Survey, “stay interviews” focused on career growth, strengths-based learning (such as Clifton Strengths and DISC) and more. Feedback is also a great way to promote engagement. If you are going to ask for feedback, it is important that you follow up to let employees know they are heard and that you’ll act on it when you can. Good onboarding, training and engagement leads to better business outcomes. Would you like to see 22% more profitability, 37% lower absenteeism, 48% fewer safety incidents and 41% fewer quality defects? Gallup research shows that great employee engagement, which is strongly influenced by onboarding and training, leads to these types of improvements. The best news is that it does not take a lot to positively influence your process. Small initiatives that are done consistently, that are evaluated and that are regularly improved can make a big difference. Evan Tachoir is talent acquisition and development specialist for the Snow and Ice Management Company in Pittsburgh, PA, and a member of the Snow Business Editorial Advisory Committee. Email him at etachoir@snowandicemgmt.com.

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BUSINESS // STRATEGY

sturdy branches Strong roots, attention to detail can bear fruit By MIKE RORIE

n our industry, there is a common misconception that more locations equal more problems and less control. I would tell you the exact opposite. Learning what it takes to incorporate a branching business model into your snow company not only provides more control but also invaluable knowledge for owners and leaders.

Branching will make your business so much more successful than a single operation business because the process of dividing your company into corporate duties and branching duties can be the kick starter to your evolution of scalable growth.

Beginning the branching process Cut the cord. The first step in moving toward the branching business model begins with the owner declaring they are going to separate themselves directly from operations. To do this, they must decide who is going to lead

Should you branch? Creating multiple locations may not be for everyone — and that's OK. Take stock of your company and consider how it measures up in the categories below. It's a decision that shouldn't be made lightly so really assess your company's strengths and limitations.

YES Growth focused Solid leadership team Clear geographic markets Commercial service provider Strong systems in place

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

POSSIBLY

Formalize your branch management the services sold by the company. Allowing a manager or management team to carry out the mission of the company to its employees and customers is a huge factor in successfully setting up the branching model. Branching cannot be done well without this adjustment. Outline duties. The second step is identifying the responsibilities and necessities that must be carried out by the leadership and the branch teams. Try applying this big picture concept to oversimplify the two roles and help divide the responsibilities: Corporate’s role is to define the company’s brand, mission and target audience; and the branch’s role is to carry out that mission to the target audience under the company’s branding principles. Again, that is an oversimplification, but it’s a good place to start. When you dig into separating these roles, you’re going to uncover the essential pieces of your business and what guides them. In doing so, you’ll have a road map for how the branching model will unfold.

Mission and brand will guide you

After you’ve carried out this exercise, take a good look at your branding and your company’s persona. What does your company stand for? Who is your target audience? What are you looking to accomplish when providing a service?

To successfully build a branch model, clearly outline the responsibilities for the corporate team and the individual branches and develop an organizational chart to match.

There are several common categories that will help you define yourself: lowest-cost provider, specialist (snow removal, etc.), “best in town,” customer-centric, etc. Once this is determined, look at your branding and company mission. Write a simple description of your company’s mission and what you intend to provide for your customers and employees. Your mission will become the center of everything you’ll work from to launch yourself into the branching business model.

Five areas of focus

Before making the jump, there are five key areas to pin down in order to be successful: defining your target market; creating a sales and marketing process; hiring a human resources person or department; managing equipment and fleet; and implementing software and systems. When these areas are established it’s much easier to separate the administrative, sales and operations responsibilities that will be divided between the corporate and branch teams. Continued on page 28

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BUSINESS // STRATEGY Continued from page 27

Define your target market. We can’t be everything to everyone, so being disciplined at selecting where you’ll do business and what offerings you will provide is one of the most strategic choices the leadership team will need to make. Once this has been decided, you can clearly identify your target customers and the people you need on your staff to fulfill all aspects of your target market’s needs and demands.

Hone your sales and marketing message. Furthermore, you can more easily identify your sales and marketing strategy and how to reach your targets with your marketing message and skilled sales team. Knowing your target audience is paramount to effectively finding and being found by the right buyers. Having the best suited sales representatives that

are properly trained and prepared to communicate your company’s value is equally as imperative in achieving the sales and revenue goals you desire, not to mention the metrics you need to succeed. Hire HR. The benefits of a dedicated human resources person or department are often overlooked. Leadership is charged with establishing standards in how the company will conduct business and govern the staff. So, establishing these policies is critical to the overall sustainable success of the organization. As a result, human resources management becomes a big area of responsibility. Human resources is often a duty or hat that ownership wears, which is typically a mistake. Ownership and leadership should be heavily involved in developing company standards and policies, but having a designated HR person

to help the company carry out these policies is typically a good investment. HR is also more than just administering benefits and vacation days. The HR person will help find, develop and retain talented, committed and competent staff members. Furthermore, developing company culture, processes and systems are all sort of “hidden” benefits of having a dedicated HR person on staff. Manage equipment and fleet needs. One of the biggest line items for snow removal companies is its fleet of vehicles and equipment. Leadership will ultimately make purchasing decisions, but operations managers should most likely influence what is purchased for the highest and best delivery of all goods and services.

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Purchasing can be a burdensome task when it’s not well thought out. With leadership and operations working together, equipment purchases should be more accurate, cost-effective and operationally efficient. Understanding what will be safe and comfortable for your staff, what will be reliable for the company, and what will provide the highest output are the biggest goals to strive for with equipment purchases. Weigh needs versus wants. Think about what is going to provide the lowest cost of ownership and what you can easily replicate and buy again for another location. It’s also a good idea to manage the use metrics of each item to better inform your purchases. As we all know, equipment and vehicles are continually being improved with innovative new features, plus they don’t last forever. Purchases are inevitable and making the best decisions possible is the end goal. Utilize software and systems. Prior to branching out, establish what types of software systems the company will need to successfully inform managers and owners about all aspects of the business. The more complete and thorough a job we can do to implement software solutions tied to all aspects of the company, the greater the chance of success we will have for prosperity. Being able to see all aspects of the company’s operations across the board in real time is an incredible advantage to not only scale and make profits but also for the simple control factor. Software and systems reduce reliance on key people and help protect the business.

able and written into a set of step-bystep instructions that others can use to achieve predictable, measurable results. At the end of the exercise, you’ll have the opportunity to look at your business objectively and the process itself will make roles and responsibilities at your business crystal clear. As a result, you’ll have

created a huge competitive advantage for yourself and your team, and a platform for scalable growth. Mike Rorie has been a participant in the snow and ice industry for nearly four decades. He owns GroundSystems, and is CEO of GIS Dynamics, parent company to Go iLawn and Go iPave. Contact him at Sales@gisdynamics.com.

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The exercise of dividing your business into corporate vs. branching duties will pay dividends whether you intend to separate into more than one location or not. The end goal is to have every aspect of your business broken down into something that can be repeatable, scal-

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BUSINESS // MANAGEMENT

Clear intentions pave the way By JAY ROTONNELLI, ASM

f we do not live intentionally within our business, then why should we expect specific results? Today’s business world is certainly different than it was 20 years ago. Your teams need to be organized and committed more than ever. Getting the team aligned on where to best spend their time, energy and focus is key. Sometimes we/they get caught up in the day-to-day mundane tasks that could have been delegated to others. Though some of these tasks are more than likely important, they can also become a distraction. We all need clear paths and goals to be successful in any business; and

most team members want to know what the end result should look like. An intentional focus gives you greater clarity around what you want and takes the guesswork out of where to invest your time and energy.

What’s the vision?

So how do you start? We need to be clear at the start about exactly what we want to achieve. Strategize your goals and desired end results and identify who can help you get there. Bring the group together, whether at the office or an offsite retreat, and explain your vision. Be transparent. Share how you will get there as a team, outline everyone’s responsibilities, how success will be measured, and how the team will support one another through the process. We’ve all heard it – you’ll get a lot farther when you have the team’s buy in and everyone

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

is invested in the process. Great teams love the game of business when they know they have an impact on the results. Share the good and the bad, but don’t lose sight of the end result. When you give people a reason to be intentional with their time and explain why they should be, you will see unbelievable results. Knowing what you want and doing what you can to get it … that’s intentional. When the process starts and the team holds each other accountable, the results will prove themselves. You will find more and more people living intentionally in their own personal lives. What a great thing! Jay Rotonnelli, ASM, is vice president of sales and business development for Piscataqua Landscaping in Piscataqua, ME. Contact him at 207-252-0177 or jrotonnelli@piscataqualandscaping.com.

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BUSINESS // HEALTH

asset protection plan A healthy business needs leaders who will provide a safe and caring environment for their employees By GRANT HARRISON

ver the last four articles, we’ve been talking about how we, as business owners, can get and stay healthy. For this article, we’re turning the attention to our staffs and how we can promote a healthy work environment. Perhaps we can use some of the information we’ve gained over the last few articles to create a work environment and mentality that promotes the well-being of our greatest asset: our staffs. We are heading into darker and colder months. And we’re still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. These months are generally harder for people in normal years; now we have the added stress and anxiety of still dealing with the realities and restrictions of the pandemic. It is my desire, as I’m sure it’s yours, to provide an environment that acknowledges and actively seeks to provide for our staffs’ needs. We want them to be healthy and effective, and to ensure they’re with us for the long haul.

depressed or on the verge of burnout. This is the greatest gift we can give to our staff members: a safe place. Without judgment. Without threat of losing their job. But how do we create such an environment? It starts with the owner. Your staff will follow your lead. If you’re open about your own struggles, if you talk regularly and respectfully about health and wellness, they are far more likely to open up to you about their own issues because they’ll know it’s safe. The Mental Health Commission of Canada has compiled a great resource on helping your employees maintain their mental health. I’ve summarized some of the key points here. The full article can be found at mentalhealthcommission.ca.

Demonstrate empathy

When your staff shares struggles or concerns with you, it’s important that you demonstrate empathy in your communication with them, because

A safe workplace

In my experience, the best thing you can do for your staff is to make sure they know it’s safe to talk to company leaders – to share when they’re stressed, overwhelmed, anxious,

SERIES RECAP: If you as the owner aren’t healthy, it’s far more difficult for the business to be healthy. Catch up on this series at go.sima.org/magazine: • October: Decision fatigue • September: Emotional health • June: Mental health • April: Physical health

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

how you communicate is as important as what you communicate. Empathy is the ability to recognize, understand and share the thoughts and feelings of another person. To communicate with empathy requires listening with the intent to understand. Doing so enables you to make an informed and considerate response, which increases the likelihood of a positive outcome for both you and your employee.

Manage stress

While many people can operate under high stress for some time, they are not likely to operate at peak performance in this scenario. Since stress is a physiological response and is cumulative, our body does not distinguish its source (e.g., work, home or an emergency). It’s all just stress. No matter where stress comes from, it can affect how well people function in their lives, including at work. Stigma tends to hold many individuals back from reaching out

resources for help until they are so ill that they have difficulty functioning, especially when they’re in roles where mental toughness is expected or they feel that others depend on them. Providing psychological and social support can help workers overcome this stigma and better cope during a difficult time.

Be flexible

While it’s possibly one of the most used phrases, being a flexible employer will go a long way during difficult times. Understanding that employees may occasionally need an afternoon off or need the freedom to choose their working hours can help them find greater balance. Focus more on productivity and less on time. The key is that workers need to balance their energy for optimal psychological and physical functioning in their professional and personal lives.

Check in

During the darker, colder months, people who are usually active tend to hibernate more, and social contact often becomes less frequent. Be aware of isolation and loneliness among your employees. When everyone is in the workplace, we can look for it in our daily interactions. We need to be aware of the signs and be watching for them

during our employee interactions. If we are working in a virtual world, a more proactive approach is needed. One such approach is to establish a daily check-in. This could take the form of one-on-one calls if employees work more independently, or team calls if their work is more collaborative. Depending on schedules, both types of calls can be used. Most important is ensuring that check-ins are regular and predictable, and that they let employees know they can consult with you and have their concerns heard and questions answered.

Show kindness

What may seem like small gestures to you may be big gestures to your staff. Many times, expenses that you can write off or that come at a minimal cost to the business can go a long way toward maintaining employee morale and showing them that your company cares about them. Find ways to show your appreciation to your employees – perhaps provide lunch for them, give gift cards, send them a box of treats and a thank-you card. The options are endless. The point is to look for ways to show kindness and appreciation to your staff. We want to be business owners who care for our people. The information I shared in the last four articles has been provided to make sure you’re leading

• Align health and snow management to keep teams safe (Dec. 2018) go.sima.org/magazine • Snow Fighter Safety: How to Battle the Elements while Maintaining your Health train.sima.org RELATED STORY: In addition to paying attention to your team’s mental health, put them in the best position to succeed by educating them on making healthy food, hydration and rest choices during the winter season. Page 40.

your company from a place of health and wellness. Now you can take that same information and share it with your staff to help them be healthy – physically, mentally and emotionally. As Richard Branson, CEO and founder of Virgin Group, says, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” Here’s to healthy people leading healthy companies! Grant Harrison is president of Nextra Consulting in Ingersoll, Ontario. Contact him at grant@nextraconsulting.ca or (519) 868-6398.

TAKE THE PULSE OF YOUR FRONTLINE TEAM MEMBERS As contractors, we’re always thinking about new equipment and how to be more efficient. Often forgotten is the mental and physical wellbeing of our teams during events. At Shackleford Landscape Group we keep all eyes on each other, constantly making sure the team is safe. Here are some examples of how we look out for employees’ health and safety: 1 If someone is starting to become lethargic due to sleep deprivation, check to see if they have taken a break in the prior 4 hours to decompress for 15 to 30 minutes. Even small power naps can be beneficial. 2 Are they hydrating correctly, with water instead of energy drinks? Used improperly, energy drinks can cause medical issues. 3 Are sidewalk crew members taking breaks to warm up or cool down, depending on body temperatures, to prevent hypothermia or heat exhaustion?

4 Before, during and after shifts, our site managers conduct safety meetings and go over one topic of importance every meeting. Our site managers also go over healthy food choices and why it’s important to make them. What we fuel our body with determines how long our energy will last and whether we will experience any dehydration issues. 5 Site managers engage with frontline team members beyond talking about work to bond with them and show they care for them as people and not just workers. The mental and physical well-being of our frontline employees is very important. Let’s have an amazing season, snow fighters!

— Kevin Shackleford, Shackleford Landscape Group in Bear, DE

www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

BUSINESS // PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

ALWAYS BE LEARNING Limitations in your leadership skills will hamstring company growth find what works for you By TYLER JABAAY

As I’ve worked on my leadership development, here are some suggestions of methods I find helpful: 1 Listen to podcasts. Some of my favorites are hosted by Andy Frisella, Ed Mylett, John Maxwell and Brad Lea.

t starts with me. In recent years, I have been fortunate to have some high achievers in my life who I could watch from a distance to see how they handle themselves in their business and personal lives. I wondered how they could build such massive empires. I realized that my personal level of leadership skills is the ceiling for my company and look to those who have accomplished what I’m in the middle of doing for guidance. I ask a lot of questions, and the answers I’ve been given from a few of these people end along the same lines: Leadership. They are excellent leaders who attract and build excellent leaders.

Model behavior

An organization, regardless of size, needs leaders. Leaders who have discipline, self-awareness, selfmanagement skills, accountability and a giant pursuit of personal development are the ones building destination companies. They are constantly reading, listening to podcasts and meeting with other business leaders to talk about personal and business development. They are always learning. They understand that leadership is a perishable skill at all levels. They know that consistent and intentional learning is the only way they can be better than yesterday. The best way I’ve heard a high achiever explain his success and

2 Read personal development books. Lately, I’ve read “Outthink the Competition,” “Good to Great,” “Never Split the Difference” and “Wooden.” 3 Find your current reality. Take time to sit, think and analyze your current situation, where you want to go and whether you have the tools and team to get you there. 4 Simplify everything. From equipment type, services offered, service markets, job descriptions, everything is on the table. Simple systems scale. It’s much easier to manage many accounts that take the same services with the same expectations and account management systems. 5 Think for yourself. Remove all limits that people have put on you and cast aside any negative self-talk. Remember, the most important words we say are the ones we say to ourselves.

constant drive is that he is “blissfully dissatisfied.” He is thankful for all he has, but he is certain that his situation can and will be better. We are mostly products of how we are raised, unless there is intentional consistent personal development change. It’s important to know why we think the way we do. I have changed my views on many things. It can be overwhelming to be in an undesirable situation in our business: financials are out of line, lack of people, tired equipment, tough customers, etc. What do we fix first? Where does our attention go? People are great at making things more complicated than they should be. We think we are playing chess when we should be playing checkers. We are moving snow from one place

listen to other leaders Catch up on interviews with snow pros from across the US and Canada. Listen at www.sima.org/podcast or your favorite streaming service. Sponsored by Western and Fisher.

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER OCTOBER 2021 2021////www.sima.org/snowbusiness www.sima.org/snowbusiness

to another. We spread salt on parking lots. We deice certain areas. Easy. Business is simpler than we make it.

Look short and long term

Good decisions compound. I no longer make decisions out of fear. When we do that, we often sacrifice long-term gains for short-term returns. It’s not worth it. Make the hard decisions to play the long and short game well. There is no one playbook to build a great business. All situations are different, but great businesses have great leadership in common. As an owner, ultimately everything good or bad that happens in my company stems from the standards and examples I've set. Never move the standard unless it is good for the company, customer and the employee. I hold the line because I understand that it starts with me. Tyler Jabaay is president of Priority Landscape and Maintenance. Based out of the south side of Chicago, Priority Landscape has locations in Grand Rapids MI, South Bend IN, and Chicago. Email him at Tyler.Jabaay@priorityLandscape.net.

BUSINESS // LEADERSHIP

evolution revolution Effective communication can ease changes in processes By MICHAEL WAGNER, CSP

s leaders of your snow and ice management organization, you must be prepared to adapt to a variety of internal and external influential factors. Also, you must prioritize effective communication that will positively affect any necessary change or alteration as it impacts your leadership, employees and clients.

COMMUNICATIONS BEST PRACTICE A real-life example is to decide how you communicate with team members when equipment breaks down during a storm. Make sure you set up standard operating procedures (SOPs) and documented lines of communication prior to the first snow event of the season. And make sure the document and information are accessible by all within the organization and are part of your Emergency Operations Plan.

It starts at the top

As a leader of your organization and its operations, you must be prepared to not only lead your team in the right direction but also understand how vital proper communication is whenever you’re implementing change. Many change attempts fail due to lack of commitment and dedication from the leaders, as well as failure to build an environment of transparency and trust to set applicable directives. Leaders should discuss how they want to disseminate information prior to any change effort or

EMERGENCY REPORTING STRUCTURE: Clearly define the organizational roles, responsibilities and reporting structure prior to any winter event. As part of your emergency operations plan or SOPs, make sure all employees are aware of who they need to report to in the event of an incident or emergency.

adaptation. A quick way to lose the trust of your employees is to give them the impression that you’re not being honest from the beginning, and that you might be withholding valuable information.

Influence team adaptability

One of the most recognized practices of effective leaders is leading by example. Making this a common characteristic of all leaders within your organization is vital to the overall success of the business – and it will serve as a competitive advantage in your market. Continued on page 38

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER OCTOBER 2021 2021////www.sima.org/snowbusiness www.sima.org/snowbusiness

ADAPTABILITY BEST PRACTICE When discussing the operations or processes you’re trying to adapt with your teams, let them know upfront why you’re changing the process, and where you want to be. If you don’t, you’re clouding the path ahead as you seek your vision. Team members won’t know what needs to be changed to achieve your objectives, and you may see redundancies throughout the process, or the trickling in of old habits and practices. Communicate the impact of the changes and how it can create greater value and opportunity for the employees, the organization and its clients. Lastly, ensure there’s a collective effort among the team members to achieve the same goal through the organization vision. For example, when you’re preparing for the snow and ice season, you may add new accounts, or there may be a personnel change. This can influence a change in operator and driver routing. Sometimes there’s apprehension to these changes since employees become

comfortable and proficient with their typical routines, and some are more resistant to change. This is when you would work diligently to convey your message and its importance and relevance to achieving the organization’s objectives; but make sure you’re listening and responding to the concerns of those involved.

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BUSINESS // LEADERSHIP Continued from page 36

When leaders learn to be adaptable, and do so without chaos, disorganization and frustration, it will increase the ability of all company personnel to do the same. How a leader communicates change to their employees will make a tremendous difference and either produce superior results or, if done improperly, may negatively consume the employees’ time, decrease productivity and compound inefficient processes. Be adaptable, and you have greater odds at helping others around you be adaptable in a productive manner.

Don’t be afraid of change, failure

Influencing others through confidence in your behaviors and practices is vital to successful adaptation. As a leader, don’t be afraid to fail; and don’t be afraid of your employees failing either. It’s important to properly handle unsuccessful endeavors by reflecting on what did and didn’t work, and how you might do things differently the next time to achieve success. The best way to influence this is not by using disciplinary action when something goes wrong but by working on your coaching skills to improve as a leader when guiding people through challenging times or failures. Communicating with

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ADDRESSING FAILURE Some failures begin with poor leadership and communication. One example might be when, during a heavy storm, a driver is rerouted to help other drivers at an unfamiliar site. When the driver arrives on site, he uses his plow blade to back-drag the snow down a loading ramp, breaks it free from the concrete and damages the ramp, the building and the plow. When the employee reports the incident, you learn that he’s never plowed a site with a loading ramp and therefore thought he could use his plow since the surface was large enough for it. This is an opportunity to reflect on where the supervisor and the plow driver may have failed. The supervisor failed by assigning a driver to a property where they had no prior experience, and the driver failed by assuming he could plow the loading ramp with a truck. To work through this problem, it would be beneficial for the supervisor to incorporate the proper procedures in their annual training, as well as taking the plow driver to the site to inspect the property, the damage and walk through the proper procedures.

individuals means that you discuss situations while listening attentively to the voice of others and communicating to them as a leader in setting new goals and directives to accomplish the tasks at hand.

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SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

To be effective as a leader, you must make sure you’re in touch with your teams and people. It becomes more challenging to be constantly involved with your teams when the organization grows, or you’re challenged with not having enough people to keep up with the workload (both possibilities in the midst of our economic status). But make sure you’re regularly present, visible and participative with your personnel. Communicate regularly and communicate with sincerity. Give your employees a voice, and make sure you let them know you’re listening, and you care about the work that everyone is doing. An organization that communicates well is one that will set high expectations for itself, and for all businesses in the industry. Michael Wagner, CSP, is fleet and safety manager at Designscapes Colorado Inc. Contact him at 303-328-5554 or mwagner@designscapes.org.

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OPERATIONS // HEALTH

fuel your fire Fight winter’s craziness with close attention to health and wellness By NJ (NORM) DETRICK

e are all snow fighters and care deeply about the success of the company we own or work for. The fact you are taking the time to read Snow Business shows how much you care about snow! Since you put so much time, energy and effort into being the best in business, don’t neglect the area that is the most vital building block to success: Your health. Without your health and wellness, you cannot lead your business. Health and wellness are the keys to living a happy and successful life. Without your health you cannot function at your highest to work at your absolute best. We can all agree that battling a winter storm takes your highest and best, so why neglect your body?

NJ’S JOURNEY: Refocusing on health helped NJ lose more than 150 pounds. He shares advice on better self-care.

eat this // not that! Good health is based on good choices. Here is a sampling of the food choices that can support your wellness while you’re battling the storm. A tear and teach with health and wellness tips, including what to eat and not to eat, is available at my.sima.org.

HEALTHY PROTEINS.

Lean proteins such as roast turkey or chicken on whole-grain bread or hardboiled eggs make a great go-to snack. They can help keep your energy level high.

HIGH FAT/HIGH SODIUM PROTEINS.

Breakfast sandwiches or fresh off the roller taquitos contain extra fat, calories and sodium, which can contribute to weight gain and poor heart health.

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

NEED A SWEET?

Dark chocolate has natural caffeine and flavonoids that are good for heart health. Skip the added sugars of milk chocolate. Add some almonds for a fiber boost.

ADDED FATS & CARBS.

Donuts are a staple in the break room or when you grab a coffee on the run. Think twice before you grab that yummy treat. One glazed donut from a popular chain contains 14 grams of fat, 25 grams of cholesterol, 30 grams of total carbs and 12 grams of sugar.

SNOWPLOWS AND SPREADERS Taking charge

I have been on a journey over the past year to reclaim my life. I saw myself last snow season topping the scales at 378 pounds. Over the last year, I have lost over 150 pounds. Refocusing my efforts on my health has been incredibly important! I want to share with you a few key ingredients and success principles I utilize to help maintain my health in the middle of the battle: Sleep. It is crucial to be well rested before the storm. It is not always possible to get a lot of sleep the day of a storm; but prepare in the weeks leading up to the season by being intentional about your sleep. The body needs 8 hours of sleep daily to function at its peak. As company leaders, we need to be on the top of our game, so we can be the best leaders possible during a storm. Without being rested and having your body prepared for the season, the shock of changing your sleep schedule can be detrimental to your health. Try changing your sleeping patterns during the season. Generally, people go to bed around 10 p.m. and get up between 5 and 7 a.m. During the season, shift your sleep schedule up a couple hours and be in bed by 8 and set your alarm for 4 a.m. on non-snow days. This will make those midnight or 2 a.m. wakeup calls feel much easier. Food. Eating during a snowstorm was my weakness. I personally couldn’t have cared less what I ate, it just needed to be quick and easy. We all know going through the drive-

PRECISE

Continued on page 42

STAINLESS STEEL

ADDED SUGARS. Fruit

CHOOSE FRESH.

Fresh fruits and vegetables contain essential fiber, nutrients and minerals for energy boosts and to help you feel full. If you need an extra energy boost, pair fresh fruit with Greek yogurt (watch the sugar content).

juice or smoothies may seem like a healthy alternative, but they often contain a lot of sugar, which can cause an energy crash. Be careful on all-fruit smoothies, which contain high levels of sugar without nutritional benefits found in whole fruits. Choose smoothies that have greens for an added boost. Avoid those made with yogurts or ice cream, and substitute water or a non-dairy alternative to minimize fats and sugar.

WWW.SNOWPLOWS.HINIKER.COM www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

OPERATIONS // HEALTH drink this // not that! Continued from page 41

through or buying grab-and-go chips or candy at the gas station is the easiest, but not the best, decision. It’s best to bring some healthy foods in the truck with you, but you can still make some quick and easy snack decisions on the fly if you didn’t have the time to prepare. More gas stations are offering better options. Fruit is typically available. Skip the hot dogs rolling on the warming machine and look for the cooler that has string cheese, hummus and pretzels, or precut vegetables and dip. These are all much better options. They may not seem as tasty as a Twinkie or a bag of chips, but they will fuel your body much better and set you up for success. When going through the drivethrough, choose wisely. Instead of that breakfast burrito or bacon-egg-andcheese bagel, order scrambled eggs and a sausage patty. Avoid the carbs

HYDRATE. Hydration is

essential to staying alert. Green tea has some caffeine and antioxidants and you can’t go wrong with plain water. If you can’t kick the coffee habit, drink it in moderation and watch the cream and sugar.

of the bagel or tortilla and give your body the fuel it needs. For lunch, shoot for chili or a grilled chicken sandwich. All are great sources of protein and are better for you than a cheeseburger. To improve the fuel that you bring to your body, take the time the night

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SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

Spreaders, Driveway Markers & Snow Shovels

snacks cool. These snacks are high in protein and easily eaten with one hand, so you can continue working and stay out of the drive-through. Hydration. What is often overlooked when plowing snow is hydration – and I don’t mean constantly drinking coffee or energy drinks. These are not hydrating at all; in fact they are dehydrating. Make sure you drink at least 64 ounces of water each day. For every cup of coffee you drink, add 8 ounces of water. For every energy drink, add 16 ounces of water. When you are dehydrated, your brain is not working at its peak. In the battle, we must make split-second decisions, so it is crucial to be thinking straight. Breathing. The last and most important component to your health and wellness in the winter is typically the most overlooked practice of them all, and that is breathing. I am talking about deep, intentional breathing. When you feel your heart rate speeding up, or when you are making a huge decision on behalf of the company, take 30 seconds to close your eyes and focus on taking 5 deep breaths. I find this to be calming and

helps recenter my focus so I can make the best decision possible. My hope is that you can use some of my suggestions to help you focus on yourself and your health for this upcoming season. Remember, when you take care of your body, your body takes care of you. It is our duty as leaders to be

the best we can be, and we cannot perform to our peak without having our health on our side. NJ Detrick is the human resources and recruiting director at Reliable Snow Plowing Specialists based in Macedonia, OH. Email him at nj@reliablesnowplowing.net.

RESOURCES Visit go.sima.org/magazine to read and share these Snow Business resources with your team: • Align health and snow management to keep teams safe // December 2018 • Energy gained from super-fuel drinks is a short fix // August 2018 • Train your crews to ID, treat and prevent cold stress // InFocus: Sidewalks Visit train.sima.org to access these safety-focused courses: • Snow Fighter Safety: How to Battle the Elements while Maintaining your Health • Snow Safety Boot Camp

www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

OPERATIONS // PRODUCTIVITY

Downtime Creativity Use winter lulls to work ahead, add services and keep teams busy BY WILLIAM MOORE, CSP, ASM

inter is right around the corner, and as we prepare to change from the green to white season, jamming out the last of the fall projects means it’s busy here, race there. When we can actually collect our thoughts, something happens during the winter months: Downtime! As employers, what do we do with the team when it’s not snowing? This question came up during a panel discussion at the Michigan Snow Conference and Expo this year. There are two key reasons we need to make sure we don’t let our employees sit idle: a) with the shortage in available and reliable labor, we need to keep our core team together so they can continue to earn an income for themselves and their families; and b) we need them to be available for any inclement weather.

Be creative to keep them busy

Each year I try to be creative and find ways to keep the team busy besides the obvious – washing trucks, stocking trucks for next event, preventive maintenance, equipment refueling/inspection, etc. This important work keeps the equipment looking fresh and keeps the team working. But there’s even more that can be done during winter downtime.

Jump start solutions There is never a good time for an equipment failure to occur. Turn downtime into detailed equipment care time. While going through this detailed inspection process, consider the maintenance history of each piece of equipment. Recall previous maintenance needs or mechanical repairs to identify priority areas to check. If your team has time, focus on the following: Detailed pressure washing. When washing equipment, clean the plow and wash the underside of the vehicle, too. If applicable, raise dump beds and block them open for washing. Make sure to hit the hard-to-reach places. Deicers, dirt or a combination living in such locations can start the corrosion process while hiding it from view. Wash wheels and lug nuts and inspect them to make sure they are all present and tight. Check tire pressures, too. Check the plow and the mounting device. Look for cracks, hydraulic leaks and overall appearance. Check the cutting edge for wear. Check the lights and electrical system. Make sure the battery is fully charged and in good repair. Check all lights for operation and adjust them so they are aimed correctly. Inspect and repair fittings, sockets and connections, always looking for the telltale bluish-green powder (corrosion) as an indicator of work needed. Inspect fluid systems. Inspect all reservoirs and hoses that carry any kind of a fluid, including the windshield washer system. Look for leaks and cracks, as well as any kinks in lines that can restrict flow and corrode fittings. Check liquid deicer equipment. Make sure the pump is operating properly. If it has a gas engine make sure it is newly serviced, full of fuel and that it will start and run. Thoroughly inspect and clean the spray bar and nozzles. Check gearboxes. Check the lubricant and oil levels in gearboxes, but also look for moisture. If moisture is present, it can cause severe harm if not addressed. — From the Snow Business archives

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

For example, we have incorporated a sweeping division (weather permitting). They sweep parking lots clear of debris and blow salt away from doors (to keep salt from corroding the jambs and from being tracked inside). The clients love it because it keeps the sites neat and tidy while giving team members hours. We also conduct site visits and look for obstacles. Maybe trees are hanging over a parking lot or sidewalk, which interferes with a crew during an event or even when mowing grass. It’s a great time to get a fresh perspective and makes the next service visit to the site a lot easier. It’s also never too early to start inspecting and prepping summer equipment (e.g., sharpening blades, greasing, maintenance) and updating your inventory list.

equipment, plows, salters, etc. We also cross-train the team on equipment that, during busy times, we may not have the opportunity to get to (e.g., skid steers, loaders, pushers, etc.). The training is very useful; and just like all of our training, we make it fun, have a game plan and give the team hours. We look for education anywhere we can find it, including course offerings from the MGIA; training sessions on equipment; management education; state or Department of Agriculture training; and online resources to obtain continuing ed credits or credentials. Using downtime for continuing education eliminates having to cram those credits in, plus you gain valuable training and new resources for your team.

and seasonal winter interest planter changes — string lights, make wreaths or change planters with cool materials. It adds a little something to our service portfolio, keeps the team moving and generates revenue. Win. Win. Win! Not all of these ideas will work for everyone. Be creative and talk with other contractors for ideas. Brainstorm with your team and bounce ideas off each other. Share these ideas with industry peers who may be looking for ways to keep their teams engaged. We all have to make a living, and we want to keep our teams committed and loyal. These ideas have many benefits: additional revenue, busy teams, happy clients, equipment in top shape, and you may even get a head start on spring. You can’t lose.

Downtime? It’s training time

Add service offerings

William Moore, CSP, ASM, is president of Executive Property Maintenance in Plymouth, MI, and a member of the Snow Business Editorial Advisory Committee. Contact him at will@executiveground.com.

We also ramp up training during the downtime. We do all sorts of paid training, whether it be on sidewalk

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nokianheavytyres.com www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

OPERATIONS // STRATEGY

crisis management Contingency plans, load testing can help head off potential failures By MIKE McCARRON

well-known winter holiday song professes that winter is “the most wonderful time of the year.” This may be true … except when it’s not! Winter can be wonderful for many businesses; but in our industry, it can be a stressful, uncertain and unprofitable time of the year. To some extent, this is because we are unsure of just how many new and returning clients will ultimately sign up with us. We may feel a little off balance because many of our snow and ice management contracts haven’t been signed and confirmed. In other words, it’s hard to make a winter

plan when we don’t have all the data that we need. In many markets, part of this lack of data is due to contract authorizations coming back very slowly. In my experience, there are three main reasons for this: • Most local HOAs only meet online once every other month or so, making it difficult to secure solid contract commitments; • Many commercial clients are being cautious about committing to contracts in case larger tenants don’t renew their property management leases; and • By this time of the year, after a hectic spring and summer grounds maintenance season, many property managers are simply burned out. When you’re overworked, stressed out and looking for another job, who cares about planning for winter weather?

Develop a contingency plan

Creating a viable winter contingency plan requires careful thought and the courage to make tough decisions, while at the same time taking a close look at what’s most profitable, cost effective and efficient for your company given the lack of firm information on which to make decisions. I suggest putting some serious thought into two challenges that can cause serious harm to your business, should they occur: What if you a) lose and/or gain a large client at the last minute or b) lose key employees and can’t replace them on short notice? To create a plan to successfully counter these potential threats, you need to have realistic insight into your clients’ requirements and expectations, your contract renewal rate and your current actual renewal average. An

IS YOUR BUSINESS SET UP TO MANAGE WORKLOAD FLUCTUATIONS? Let’s walk through a scenario to illustrate how an increase or decrease in workload can occur: In November or December, a client wants to bundle its snow and ice management contracts and annual grounds maintenance contracts to avoid working with multiple contractors handling different services on the same property. The contractor must decide if it has the resources to successfully handle all of the work at the service level expected by the client. You can see from these scenarios how tricky and unstable this business can be, which is why I recommend planning for the 18% increase or decrease in workloads and labor usage that may occur. Running these calculations will provide you with a clearer picture of how far in either direction your company may be pulled.

SCENARIO 1: If snow and ice management isn’t the company’s strength or it doesn’t have the resources to perform winter services it would normally not bid on, it may not be considered for the grounds maintenance work. What a shame that would be when summer work may be in their wheelhouse, and they are highly successful at it.

SCENARIO 2: The contractor agrees to perform the winter services with the hope of securing the grounds maintenance work, but the client might hold off on awarding that work until they see how the contractor performs during the winter. If the contractor does a great job and they’re awarded the grounds maintenance contract, the company may need to increase staffing beyond their typical levels to successfully handle the new summer work.

SCENARIO 3: Same as scenario 2, but in this scenario the contractor doesn’t perform the winter work well and loses the summer contract they were planning on winning.

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

CONTRACT AWARD DATE RISK METER CONTRACT SERVICES BEGIN

CONTRACT(S) AWARDED

SPRING

MID-SPRING

SUMMER

MID-SUMMER

GREEN ZONE

GREEN ZONE Contract Award Date from Mid-Summer to Start of Fall

FALL

MID-FALL

CONTRACT SERVICES END

WINTER

MID-WINTER

SPRING

RED ZONE

RED ZONE Contract Award Date from Start of Fall to Start of Winter

RISK METER: Not having contracts signed in a timely fashion can hinder a snow and ice management company’s ability to successfully allocate labor and equipment to accomplish the contracted levels of service. It can be difficult to get movement from the client on signing early but educating them on why it’s beneficial for them to sign early can help alleviate the headaches. Share SIMA’s Best Practice for Snow Procurement: A 52-Week Timeline. Download this resource at my.sima.org.

effective way to determine these data and as I’m sure all of you are aware, name required key team members, if points is to break out your known our current national supply chain possible) for each of those locations. and potential contracts by ZIP code issues are not likely to improve in This will create a clear view of overall and scope of work, noting whether the short term and likely not until staffing and equipment needs. Ask the contract is confirmed, pending, sometime in 2022. I suggest having your key team members to review YO U R S O U RC E F O R S N OW & I C E M A N AG E M E N T L E A D E R S H I P likely or unknown. This will www.sima.org/bestpractices give you your mechanic go through your your work and provide feedback. as clear a picture as possible about equipment inventory as soon as Doing this before a crisis erupts will your existing resources, your clients’ possible to determine what equipment save you hours of headache. expectations and requirements, and the needs (or may soon need) to be Don’t overcommit workload you can and cannot handle. repaired and order the parts now. By conducting a load test, you Gaining or losing work at the last Critical parts and equipment may not may discover certain contracts are minute may (and most likely will) be available when you need them in especially challenging and don’t fit cause challenges to your operation early 2022, and the inability to get your profit and production models from minor hiccups to significant the parts and equipment you need anymore. For example, some contracts could result in significant financial challenges. Many companies simply may require heavy sidewalk labor that are not prepared for such challenges. losses. Stock up now on whatever is simply not available at this time This is where contingency planning bulk materials you can afford to given workforce availability factors. If becomes critical (see sidebar). purchase and have the space to store. your area of operation is impacted by While these challenges are serious, Load testing the current labor shortage, to preserve I’m confident we will get through this Once you have charted your scopes of your reputation and ability to service tenuous time, and things will calm work and ZIP code locations, you can other contracts, you may choose to down at some point in the future. begin load testing to determine how decline a contract that requires a high But until then, be forward thinking many people and how many available manual labor contingent. regarding your labor force and your pieces of equipment your operation It’s best to position your materials and supplies. Planning can needs to successfully handle each organization for success by ensuring never hurt. winter storm for each client. you only commit to contracts that Such load testing does not need to you are confident you can successfully Mike McCarron is president and founder of Image Works Landscape Management, a be overly complicated, but it should manage. I plan on about an 18% commercial landscape maintenance and snow include a list of what resources need increase or decrease in workloads and removal firm in the Northern Virginia market. He to be where and when. For example, labor usage. has 20+ years of industry experience. Email him at what level of service is required per mike@imageworkslandscaping.com. Materials and supplies the contract? Include equipment IDs As has been noted in past articles, and staffing requirements (specifically www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

OPERATIONS // PROCESS

sub playbook A solid game plan can lead to mutually beneficial relationships your capacity 1 Assess If your business already has trucks, equipment and

By JOSH NICHOLS, CSP

RECAP Subcontractors often play a pivotal role in the ability to add snow removal to your business’ service offerings. Each company has a different strategy for how much of their business is performed using subcontractors, ranging from a 100% subcontractor model to an all-in-house model. It can be challenging to know the best mix for optimal responsiveness, efficiency and profitability. So, how do you determine the right model for your business? And how do you go about selecting the right subs for the job?

labor, you’ll first want to quantify what can be allocated to your snow removal operations. At that point, you’ll need to decide whether to invest more capital to grow your in-house resources or hire subcontractors to help supplement your in-house team. If you have (or plan to buy) the equipment and just need supplemental labor, consider industries with mostly seasonal work. For example, roofing companies are a good source of labor because their business slows dramatically in the winter. If you determine that bringing in subcontractors is right for your company, start by evaluating your current book of work and determining where your resources will be allocated. Factor in any growth for the upcoming season and then see where the opportunities exist. Each

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SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

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company’s growth plans will vary, and it’s important to manage growth to avoid overcommitting and falling short of customers’ expectations. Most companies target double-digit growth, and some can see growth of more than 20% to 30% when entering a new market.

Vetting and selecting subs

Before you hit the road

Schedule a preseason meeting to review site maps and contract specifications and to document any preexisting site damage. This is also the best time to clearly set expectations for the relationship, including: • Reliability

Once you’ve done your homework, start the vetting process. Consider meeting prospective subs at their facility to see their equipment and to meet their team as you consider the following:

• Work quality

Operational capabilities: Do they have what you need: plow trucks, medium-sized loaders, large loaders, hand labor, etc.?

• Invoicing process

Experience: How long have they been providing snow services? What is the average tenure of their team? Existing workload: How much work do they currently have? Is it direct with customers or are they also subcontracting with other contractors who may be competitors? Insurance: It’s important to ensure the subcontractor can meet the minimum requirements you have in your contract. Most larger operations will have this for their normal business, but many smaller companies may need to increase their limits to be able to meet your requirements. This can be one of the most daunting parts of bringing on a new subcontractor; but if you have a little patience and work with them and their insurance agent to help facilitate the process, it can go a long way toward starting a long-term partnership.

sites 3 Awarding Once you’ve vetted your subcontractors, it’s time to think about awarding sites and issuing contracts. Make the match: Ensure you match their resources with the correct site and their experience level. Sites that require large equipment should be awarded to contractors who have that equipment and experienced operators. Likewise, smaller sites should be awarded to smaller subcontractors who have trucks. Start small: It’s important to only award what they can handle; and if it’s your first time working together, you may want to start with only a few sites. This allows you to get a season under your belt and ensure expectations, communication and results meet your and your customers’ expectations. Check the map: Consider the proximity of the sites and where they are in relation to the sub’s office or existing work. Focus on route density to reduce travel time between sites.

• Equipment and materials commitments • Safety requirements • Communication

Winter is here!

You’ve done your prep work and now the first weather event of the season has arrived. Execution during this first event is critical to the success of the partnership and to ensuring that customers’ expectations are met. Check in with subcontractors after the first and all major subsequent events, to make sure you’re in alignment on: • Performing to the agreed upon contract • Monitoring performance and managing quality expectations • Sharing updates from the customer regarding service • Communicating regularly • Timely administration to ensure they get paid promptly

See you next year

Once the season has ended, it’s a great time to have a postseason meeting. Meet in person to discuss how the season went and recap all feedback – positive and negative. Discuss what next season looks like. If everything went well, is there an opportunity for growth? Don’t let this be just a transaction – plan to stay in touch in the off-season and build a partnership. In the end, only you can determine the best path for your business, but don’t let the prospect of adding subs into the mix deter you. If you invest the time and energy in properly vetting and communicating with your subs, you’ll gain the ability to manage capital expenses at a reasonable level, ensure you can cover all of your clients’ sites to avoid turning down the right work, and have the opportunity to exponentially grow your book of business. Josh Nichols, CSP, is a regional snow manager for Ruppert Landscape, headquartered in Laytonsville, MD. Learn more at www.ruppertlandscape.com.

www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

RISK MANAGEMENT // INSURANCE

who's who? Worker classifications and compliance can be confusing By JACK DEMSKI

t’s a question we hear all the time in the insurance business: “How do I classify this person we hired for a task or job? Are they an employee, contractor or subcontractor? How do I know what sets each category apart?” After we clear the air about who’s who, then let’s establish some standard guidelines for compliance best practices.

Understand classifications

Employee: The first and most direct hire, these people are hired based on an employment contract and compensation is directly tied to an hourly wage, salary or their ability to perform a preset job description. It is an interesting fact that volunteers fall

under this category by law since there are many forms of payment. Independent contractor: Any entity or person hired by a joint contract to perform a task or job outside the classification of what the parent company performs (e.g., a snow removal company hires a carpenter or builder to build a storage shed). What makes this category unique is that the contract dictates payment upon completion of the job and is a single source of income that ends once the job is completed. To dive further into the divide between independent contractor vs. a subcontractor here is a quick list: • Worker must supply their own tools, equipment and materials • Worker must control the hours of employment • Worker can come and go from the job without fear of being terminated

pop quiz: sub or independent contractor? Frosty’s Snow Services contracts Jack Frost Snow & Ice Removal to help with clearing and salting of a local commercial parking lot from November 1 to April 1. Frosty provides Jack Frost with all the equipment to perform the snow removal, but Jack Frost must provide its own materials, truck, laborers and driver. Is Jack Frost Snow & Ice Removal an independent contractor or subcontractor?

If you answered subcontractor, you are correct! Frosty’s is a snow removal company that is hiring Jack Frost to help with removing snow and ice, thus they have the same general purpose or pairing of operations. Second, Frosty’s is supplying compensation and equipment to Jack Frost to complete a job on their behalf, thus Jack Frost cannot be classified as an independent contractor.

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

Subcontractor: This grey area is the hardest to define since it is the catch-all for any signed contract for which compensation is paid. To define a subcontractor, you must look at the levels of separation the sub has from the parent company: • Cannot be the only source of compensation for the entity or person • Must carry their own insurance coverage • The task or job should be in partnership with the parent company’s services • The task or job must be within the parent company’s contracts • There is no contracted time requirement to complete services

Follow best practices

Now that we have established a clear set of guidelines, let’s outline a best practices checklist to help with overall compliance scores, subcontractor vs. employee confusion, and to avoid nasty insurance audit increases. 1 Always ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) or Proof of Insurance for anyone performing work on your premise, on your behalf, or for your company. This ensures that the work being done and any damages that result from the third party will be repaired. Think of this as the most basic CYA (Cover Your Assets). 2 Always have a subcontractor, contractor, vendor or customer contract signed by all parties involved in a job or task to clearly define the expectations and liability of the work and compensation levels. These contracts will save you from frivolous lawsuits and wrongful claims. 3 Use a third-party compliance and audit software to aide in the compliance with all contracts and insurance requirements. If you don’t have access to this through your insurance agent, keep a spreadsheet to document all the vendors, contractors

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and subcontractors you utilize to help track compliance. By following those steps, you will greatly reduce the unforeseen costs of insurance audits since any insurance COI or Proof of Insurance you cannot produce at the time of an audit is automatically added to your bottomline payrolls. This increases the costs of doing business drastically because the payroll category is applied to your general liability and workers’ compensation coverage and will increase the insurance premium for both policies. The good news is that you have plenty of time after an audit is filed to dispute and inquire about changes to all categories; but this takes a lot of time and effort to track down all the past COIs needed to change the past terms of the audit. It would be a best practice to have all the information preloaded and ready to go for the annual insurance audit, thus reducing your exposures, time and effort, and the overall liabilities of your operation.

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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.

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www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

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SPOTLIGHT ON SOFTWARE & WEATHER FEATURED PRODUCTS These products were featured during SIMA’s Coffee Time Product Showcases. Check out all the 2021 product showcases at go.sima.org/testdrive.

Accuweather Introducing AccuWeather Snow Alerts: customizable email notifications and forecasts with proven superior accuracy focused on your locations. Email alerts are delivered up to 5 days before winter events, and a personalized website organized with critical details, clear graphical displays and updated minute by minute weather is included. snowremoval.accuweather.com

FrostyFlake Let snow call you! The FrostyFlake service watches the weather in real-time so you and your team can rest. Monitoring nearly 20,000 U.S. locations for snow, rain and many other conditions, FrostyFlake sends alerts when it happens. No more guessing with forecasts and watching out the window! https://frostyflake.com

SnowSOS SnowSOS steps in where vehicle insurance falls short on plow jobs. With instant approval, SnowSOS provides insurance as soon as your plow touches down, plus slip and fall coverage after for just $99/month. https://snowsos.com

Crewtracker Software Built on 15+ years of input from industry professionals, CrewTracker Software delivers a powerful crew management digital services platform empowering companies while eliminating repetitive tasks. We help you increase profits, improve productivity, mitigate risk and communicate in real-time. QuickBooks integration is available for immediate invoicing. www.crewtracker.com

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

Go iLawn Introducing Go iLawn ShareView – the simple, secure way for snow contractors to share interactive, view-only versions of their Go iLawn property measurement sitemaps with anyone. ShareView allows you to send unique links to prospects, customers and crews, allowing them to see dynamic snow service plans on their browser, tablet or phone. www.goilawn.com

Include Software Manage your crews the easy way. Plan, monitor and support your teams in the field with no paperwork. Schedule jobs and subcontractors, set up routes, and secure equipment. Know when work is complete, capture photos, and monitor weather conditions and crew locations on a map with GPS tracking. www.include.com

trueWeather A state-of-the-art platform that delivers reliable weather forecasting and certifications by degreed meteorologists. Overlays like highresolution radar, future radar and traffic cameras can be easily displayed with a client’s location pins. With just a click, these pins can show the hourly forecast for more than 3 days as well as any upcoming weather threats for that location. www.truewx.com

Hilltip HTrack is a 2-way GPRS tracking/control system that allows users to see exactly how much material they are applying and all the details of the application itself. Users can geofence their worksites and assign them to their Strikesmart controllers so the correct amount of material is always applied. Application metrics can be controlled remotely. www.hilltipna.com www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

TOOLS // SOFTWARE DTSI Software FieldVision by DTSI allows snow removal crews to record before and after photos of snow removal operations. It also generates invoices to QuickBooks and runs reports on crew activity and customer activity. www.dtsisoftware.com

Aspire Software

GPS Fleet Consulting Leverage AI technology to detect unsafe driving and trigger in-cab driver alerts, ultimately coaching drivers to avoid accidents and improve overall safety. Contact us to get your first month of free service! www.gpsfleetconsulting.com

Snow and ice season is unpredictable, but with Aspire, you can eliminate a lot of guesswork and uncertainty. Aspire will help you centralize your processes and data and gain the real-time visibility needed to seamlessly manage subcontractors; close events out in days, not weeks; and reduce invoicing errors this winter. www.youraspire.com

Bravo 180S Automatic Rate Control

All Frost Liquid Applicators are equipped with the Bravo180S rate controller. The technology of automatic rate control ensures the exact amount of liquid is applied regardless of speed. GPS speed sensors and reliable flowmeters make it the best choice for Ice Control. You simply can’t be accurate without it!

Innovative Solutions in Spray Technology.

www.frostserv.com 54

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

800-621-7910

info@frostserv.com

AccuSalt Systems The AccuSalt is a truck-mounted deicing material monitor that records application information for each of your sites. Site name, start/stop time, tons/gallons, application rate per acre and GPS location are being recorded while the Dashboard Module displays real-time information to the driver. All data is uploaded remotely to the office for billing and operations review. https://accusaltsystems.com

LMN LMN Pay is the landscape and snow industry’s leading payment processing system, allowing businesses to make paying invoices easier than ever while also improving cash flow for the business. LMN Lend helps contractors access capital to grow their business. Applicants can apply in minutes and receive a personalized consultation from a lending expert. www.golmn.com

Frost Inc. Automatic Rate Control technology ensures that Frost Liquid Ice Control systems apply the right amount, every time. With our GPS Speed Sensor, simply enter your target rate and, regardless of your speed, your desired rate will be applied. The Bravo180 has years of proven reliability with Frost. www.frostserv.com

LIVEBOXX County Line Construction Inc. photo credit

The LiveBoxx pusher can be installed on a skid steer, compact loader, backhoe or wheel loader.

WE ARE READY TO DELIVER!

Be ready for this winter and order your snowplow. Metal Pless has taken the lead and we have a large inventory available but, they are moving fast! Don’t delay!

metalpless.TV metalpless.com #BornToBeASnowfighter

TOOLS // SOFTWARE

Yeti Snow & Ice Management System Reduce liability and increase profitability with Yeti Snow & Ice Management Software. Designed by experienced snow contractors, our award-winning snow removal software manages your entire business — clients, sites, events, equipment and materials, crews and subcontractors, invoicing and reporting — all on one reliable platform. www.yetisnow.com

Nektyd Nektyd software helps you simplify the management of all your jobs, crews and clients. Not only can you add photos or notes from the field with ease, but Nektyd can automatically document workdays for you. From setting up contracts through dispatching and invoicing after the storm, Nektyd saves some teams up to 90% of their time managing. www.nektyd.com

Tele Radio Control your machinery and attachments wirelessly and safely. Transmitters with twostep buttons, proportional buttons, joysticks, paddles, etc., available. Customize the remotes with your colors, logo and symbols. www.tele-radio.com

TOOLS // WEATHER Weather Command Certified Site-Specific Snowfall Reports provide fast, accurate, address-specific or ZIP codebased snow and ice totals with an independent, third-party, post-storm analysis and report. A certified consulting meteorologist oversees all data incorporated into the reports and certifies the accuracy down to 1/10th of an inch for snow and 1/100th of an inch for ice. Reports are customizable to view by event, date range, month or season. www.weathercommand.com

Thermodynamic Solutions LLC Thermodynamic Solutions strives to provide the most accurate and actionable forecasts in the industry. Aside from forecast products, we also offer poststorm summaries and snowfall totals certified by a meteorologist. We have experience consulting for minorleague baseball and the NFL, hospitals, snow removal and landscaping, schools, outdoor 0event venues and more. www.tdsweather.com

WeatherWorks Neoweather The NEO First Look is a winter event-specific forecast that is delivered 48 hours or more before a storm. This provides detailed information on what to expect with start/stop times, snow amounts, impacts, hazards and confidence. This product is used to create an operations plan around the weather event. www.neoweather.us

Snowtistics reports allow you to adjust your billing model, competitively price your contracts, bid for new jobs and yield higher profits. Whether it’s 5-, 10-, 15- or 30-year averages, median snowfall or standard deviation, our ZIP code resolution data is backed by 33 years of reliability and accuracy from our professional meteorologists. www.weatherworksinc.com

www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

TOOLS // SUPPLIER NEWS

Aspire Software announces intent to acquire Go iLawn On Oct. 27, Aspire Software, a ServiceTitan company, announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire Go iLawn. Founded in 2009 and acquired in 2010 by industry veteran Mike Rorie, Go iLawn enables thousands of companies in the U.S. and Canada to get fast, precise property measurements with parcel boundaries using aerial and satellite imagery, all stored in the cloud. “Go iLawn is thrilled to join forces with the Aspire team to deliver best-in-class software to the landscaping industry,” said Rorie. “With Aspire’s support and resources, we’ll be able to invest more in product development, enabling our customers to measure properties anytime and anywhere, quickly quantify materials and equipment needed for jobs, and boost job site efficiency and performance with detailed mapping.” Aspire also plans to acquire LandOne

Software, a cloud-based digital takeoff and design tool for landscapers. “The addition of Go iLawn and LandOne will help meet Aspire’s goal of providing end-to-end services and solutions to the landscaping industry,” said Mark Tipton, CEO of Aspire Software. “By adding online tools for property measurement and design, we’re one step closer to that goal. Our plans to integrate both solutions with Aspire’s business management software will give landscapers yet another reason to switch to Aspire as their core operating system.” Following the close of both acquisitions, all Go iLawn and LandOne employees will join Aspire as part of the planned acquisitions. Both products will continue to be sold as stand-alone solutions, powered by additional product investment from Aspire and ServiceTitan to accelerate the development of both technologies.

MPI 6260 Multi-Purpose Machine ONE MACHINE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE ATTACHMENTS Featured Snow Attachments • Snow Loading Head - moves 1,200 cubic yards of snow per hour • 200hp Snow Blower - capable of casting snow 150 feet away • 1250 Gallon De-Icer/Chemical Spray Head with 30-foot folding spray boom • 200hp Cold Air Blower - Creates 275mph air speed discharge • Multiple off-season attachments available – Such as - Material Loading head, Nylon Broom Head, and Trencher head Snow Loading Head and Snow Blower

• Attachments are changed by two people in less than 20 minutes

GOT SNOW? LEARN HOW MPI CAN HELP. www.mineralproductsinc.com | info@mineralproductsinc.com | +1 618 433-3150 58

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

ADVERTISING // INDEX Special thanks to our Power Buy/Smart Buy advertisers indicated in bold. AccuSalt Systems

Grip Studs (Deardorff Fitzsimmons Corp)

Rhomar Industries

Arctic Snow and Ice Products

CV2

GVM, Inc.

SIMA

Armorskids, LLC (Snowblowerskids.com)

Henderson Products, Inc.

Snow Lion

Aspen Equipment

Hilltip Ltd.

SnowEx Products

Avalanche® by Ledex Industries

Hiniker Company

SnowSOS

Baumann Manufacturing

Horst Welding

CV3

Switch-N-Go

Berlon Industries, LLC

Kage Innovation LLC

Trecan Snowmelters

LAFORGE Systems, LLC

Ventrac

BOSS Snowplow

3, 23

48 7, 17, 39 35 A4, 9

Buyers Products Company

Land Pride

Voigt Smith Innovation

Caterpillar Inc. - Cary, NC

Magnolia Farms

WeatherWorks, LLC

Central Equipment

Metal Pless

Western Products/Snowplows

CrewTracker Software

Metec Metal Technology

Winter Equipment Company, Inc.

East Coast Salt

Mineral Products, Inc.

Everblades Inc.

Nokian Tyres

Evolution Edges

Progressive

Fisher Engineering/Snowplows

Pro-Motion Consulting, Inc.

Frost Inc.

Pro-Tech

CV4

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.

New ARMORskids C.U.T. Series • 24 inches long, 2.5 inches wide, and cut from 1/2” steel. • Sizes for Kubota, Woods, Massey Ferguson, tractor-mounted Snowblowers.

Save on qualifying Cat machines with a SIMA Member Discount* at Cat.com/SIMA ®

• Fully welded from tip to tip, protecting the leading edge of the snowblower with a large surface area for long wear. • Two different tips provide ability to tailor the skid to your exact machine and conditions.

* For SIMA member offer terms and conditions, please visit Cat.com/SIMA. © 2021 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “Power Edge” and Cat “Modern Hex” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

bob@snowblowerskids.com 630-319-5301

Custom Built De De-Icing Equipment for Storage, Transfer and Spraying Application

Shown in picture (left to right): Pumping System in lockable weatherproof enclosure, 3000 Gallon Vertical Storage Tank and Skidded Spraying Applicator System

1.800.706.5060

www.centralequipmentllc.com www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2021 // SNOW BUSINESS

SIMA // MEET A MEMBER

When he’s not reeling in a storm, Kevin’s fishing

Derek with his daughter Everly

Derek Tweten, CSP

Kevin Stonitsch

Commercial Account Manager // Lunseth Lawn Care, Bloomington, MN

President // Adirondack Customs LLC, Chestertown, NY

Years in the industry: 17

Years in the industry: 13

Why did you join SIMA?: Networking, education and training.

Best thing about snow: It’s always a different challenge!

Best thing about snow: Trying to beat your fastest times at properties while still delivering quality service. Tell us about your family: Engaged to fiance Sarah; daughter Everly; one dog and two cats. Craziest snow story: A commercial property that I had performed winter maintenance at for many years had a couple of manhole covers move over the summer. I was in a 2-speed skid steer, and the angle I hit them with the cutting edge caused an immediate stop rather than a pivot around the obstacle. The impact ejected the skid door, shattering it. I had busted ribs and a bruised diaphragm that still locks up. Tell us about your team: We are fortunate to have a dedicated and passionate staff that continues to want to learn, grow and succeed.

Tell us about your family: Married to Kim for 19 years. Blessed with 4 children. Fortunate to be able to call on my family for help when needed! Craziest snow story: One storm the roads between towns were shut down due to too much snow falling too fast. I went to open up a utility substation afterward and saw 42” of fresh snow! It was eerie staring at snow as high as the lights on your plow! Another time I yanked a woman out of the ditch only to watch her go into the opposite ditch 200 yards up the road! Tell us about your team: Our company is faith- and familyfocused. It’s always God first, family before work, and work always done right. Once piece of equipment you can’t live without: My CAT 289D3 XPS. It’s my “Swiss Army knife.”

One piece of equipment you can’t live without: Liquid chloride and sidewalk equipment.

Best SIMA resource you’ve used since joining: Contract templates. Next comes CSP certification!

Best SIMA resource you’ve used since joining: Earning my Certified Snow Professional (CSP) designation.

Who is your mentor: John Hosely. He’s a Christian, family man, Vietnam veteran, multiple-business owner, a good politician and excellent mentor. He makes a habit of turning boys into men. Last I checked, he’s still at it at age 80!

Favorite business book: “Strengths Finder 2.0 from Gallup: Discover Your Clifton Strengths” by Don Clifton 60

SNOW BUSINESS // DECEMBER 2021 // www.sima.org/snowbusiness

SB4000 SnowBlade

SB4203W SnowWing

SB4205W SnowWing

SB4600V 6-Way Blade

SP4500 SnowPusher

Available on select Snow Pushers, Snow Wings, and Angle Blades.

Scatter Shot Broadcast Spreaders For hydraulic and PTO applications

www.hlasnow.com

Manufactured in Ontario, Canada

SNOPUSHER.COM