Bright Idea Outdoors Weblog

How Important is a Logo?

One of the things I've been struggling with as I get my new business off the ground is whether or not I need a professionally designed logo.  I've got an appointment scheduled with someone in that business next week, but the logo design could cost as much as $400.  Part of me thinks it would be better to just go without for now.  Another part says any logo is better than none.

This is one I designed for free and could buy to use anywhere for under $50.  Let me know what you think.

Random Notes at Mid-Week

A look outside today would indicate that spring in fact is right around the corner, but the forecast tells a different story.  Like many (most?) people in this part of the country, I hope this storm misses us.  Even a couple inches of more snow would be too much. . .

Not only am I tired of the snow, but it's a major roadblock to my various professional endeavors.  It's tough to find termites in the snow, and equally as difficult to plant trees.  I have a tree inventory project that I'd hoped to get started on for one of my municipal clients next week; that one I may be able work on even if we do have a little more snow.  I think the key there will be that if the snow doesn't come up to the top of my boots, I'll go ahead and work on the project.

If we do get a significant amount of wintry precipitation, I guess it's back to my old favorite; snow removal. . .

While I wait for fair weather, I've got a couple other things keep me busy.  First, I'm almost done with my real estate class and can take the test any time after this week.  Because the class was repeatedly postponed due to snow, it's been a little difficult to keep track of the lessons.  I'll probably need a week or two to study before I take the tests; my goal is to get licensed no later than April 1. 

Meanwhile, I need to start updating the Coughlin Consulting blog again.  I don't want to change the BrightIdeaBlog from an outdoor blog into a business site, but I probably will start posting links to new posts on the other blog in an effort to drive traffic to it and market my services. . .

That's what my wife does with her blog and her photography business.  She also uses the blog to express herself with fabulous posts like this one.  "Reflecting" probably meant more to me than any blog post I've ever read.  Of course, I've got a major personal connection, but I think anyone who spends time on blogs and social networking sites; has been going through rough times; or just likes great pictures will enjoy reading it. . .

In hunting-related news, I'm about to renew my efforts to become a turkey hunter.  Actually, I'm more interested in helping my nine-year-old son become one.  He and I have long struggled to find time to turkey hunt due to his sports schedule and the demanding nature of my work in springtime.  We did get out on opening day last year, and, despite our lack of success, he decided then that gobblers were his quarry of choice.

I've never shot a turkey before, and I won't shoot one this year; at least not until after Jake gets his. . .

Speaking of spring sports, Little League baseball tryouts were held last Saturday, and the spring flag football skills evaluations will take place this weekend.  I'm thrilled and proud to have sons participating in each of these sports and can't wait for the seasons to get underway.

Snow or no snow, spring is almost here; bring it on!

Turf Renovation in Ashburn

Again, I don't want to turn this into a landscaping blog, but I do like to keep everyone updated on what I'm doing.  Below are some pictures of me using a compact loader on a turf renovation job I'm working on at an Ashburn-area Church.'  For more information on turf renovation, go to my business site www.coughlinconsulting.com.

Patio Party

Even after the Saturday night extravaganza at Camp Cowboy, we weren't quite ready to call it a summer.  The final big event of the season came Sunday night when Sassy Gramaw debuted her new patio to a party of family and friends. 

The patio happens to be the one that my associate and I built a couple of weeks ago, and, speaking of debuts, you can see some pictures of the patio and party on my new website/blog www.coughlinconsulting.com.

The new site remains under construction, so I welcome any suggestions.  Comments on the patio are encouraged as well!

Sassy's Patio

One of the things I've been doing since leaving my old job is working on the patio at Sassy Gramaw's house.  She had wanted it for years, and she and I first discussed the possibility of me building it early last spring.  Those talks were revived after my work situation changed, and things moved quickly from there.

Below is what Sassy's back yard looked like last Thursday morning;

And here is what it looks like now.

We need to get some plants installed around the patio to finish off the look.  Getting that plan finalized is something I'll be working on today.  I'll post some pictures of the finished product once the planting is done.

Blogger For Hire

This is a tough post to write, and I composed a few different versions of it in my head earlier today.  I could have written something all sad and poetic-like, but I think I'm going to save that for a hunting story and just throw this out like I write it every day:

I'm losing my job.  After this week, I'm on my own.

I've seen this coming for awhile; like many other lines of work, the landscape business in Northern Virgnia is not what it was a couple years ago.  Many companies, including the one I work for and once thought I would retire from, are getting smaller, not bigger.  I was hoping to stay with Property Services at least through the end of this year, but it looks like that's not going to happen.

I know I'm not the first person this has happened to, and I'm pretty sure I won't be the last.  I'm not looking for sympathy; I'm looking for a job.  If you've got an open position or a low-start-up cost business opportunity, I'd love to hear about it.

As most of you know, I am a writer and any job that involves writing is of great interest to me.  In addition to my blogging, I worked as a full-time journalist for about three years and currently do as many freelance projects as I can.  This year, my work has been featured regularly on the "Expert" page of www.bizymoms.com, where I am the featured hunting writer.

The bulk of my living during the last nine years, however, has been earned in the lanscape industry.  I went to work as an account manager at Blake Landscapes around the time my first son was born.  I later moved on to K&H Lawn Services, where I managed the firm's landscape installation division, and finally ended up at Property Services Landscape, where I have managed day-to-day operations and handled sales and customer service since early 2006.  I will carry my title of vice president for five more days until I leave the company on Friday.

While I am certainly open to any sales, communications, marketing or management opportunity in some industry other than landscaping, another job or business opportunity within the "green" industry would be welcome as well.

My resume is pasted below (I know it doesn't look pretty in this format, so please judge it on content, not presentation.)  Feel free to pass it on to anyone you think might be interested and to contact me at (703)932-2545 or email outdoorblogger@verizon.net if you have any questions or resume suggestions. 

Wish me luck; I'm going to need it!

Matthew R. Coughlin

Leesburg, Virginia

(703)431-0182

Email: mattcoughlin2003@yahoo.com

Profile—Experienced small business and account manager with background in sales, marketing, customer service, writing and project management.

Education—Bachelor of Arts, Virginia Tech, 1994.

Professional Experience

Vice President, Property Services Enterprises Inc.;

Leesburg

,

VA

; Jan. 2006-present

Supervise all day-to-day operations of approximately $1M per year company.

• Developed and implemented contract program designed to retain and manage over 200 lawn maintenance accounts.
• Manage all aspects of the sales cycle and have a track record of finding and closing on new business as well as of generating enhancement sales from existing accounts.
• Responsible for management of all accounts.
• Supervised development of company website www.propertyserviceslandscape.com.
• Utilized landscape design and sales skills to add hardscape installation to the services offered by the company; oversee every aspect of installations from initial client contact to job completion.
• Secured and managed snow removal contract with federal government for three consecutive years.
• Solely responsible for all aspects of personnel management, including but not limited to recruitment, retention, payroll and benefits.
• Manage every aspect of this business, including but not limited to monitoring profit & loss, marketing, record keeping, contracts, collections and fleet management.

Landscape Manager, K&H Lawn Services, Inc.,

Fairfax

VA

; Feb. 2005-Jan. 2006

Supervised operations in Landscape Installation Department of approximately $4M per year company.

·         Was solely responsible for management of 15-person workforce.

·         Ordered plants and all other landscape material and scheduled all work.

·         Monitored daily timesheets and material use to ensure profitability.

·         Served as company’s primary client representative after a sale had been closed as well as handling add-on sales.

·         Ensured that vehicles and equipment were properly maintained.

·         Successfully instituted comprehensive training program.

Account Manager, Blake Landscapes, Inc.,

Leesburg

,

VA

; Jan. 2001-Feb. 2005

Duties included prospecting for new accounts, managing new and existing accounts and managing a workforce of up to 60 individuals.  The territory encompassed all of

Northern Virginia

, with where I was responsible for residential, commercial and municipal target accounts.

·         Successfully started residential maintenance division in March 2002, and assumed sole responsibility for its management and sales.

·         Secured a major municipal contract in March 2004 and assumed sole responsibility for its management; projected enhancement sales were expcted to double the contract’s value.

·         Played a key role in winning long-term renewal of the firm’s largest commercial account.

·         Successfully instituted and managed English as a Second Language Program for non-English-speaking employees; this program received press coverage in the August 2003 issue of Loudoun Business.

·         Initiated company involvement in a federally-funded telework pilot program.

Staff Writer/Account Executive, Leesburg Today,

Leesburg

,

VA

Dec. 1997-Dec. 2000

I worked as a journalist with a community newspaper specializing in government and public policy issues.  I later moved into the advertising department, where I started from scratch and built an account base.

Foreman, Green Acres Lawn Care,

Round Hill

,

VA

, April 1990-Nov. 1997

I Worked summers as a college student and joined the company full time upon graduation, supervising crews of up to 10 people with responsibility for all aspects of landscape maintenance/install field operations.

Other Activities and Accomplishments

• Member, Business Networking International (BNI), Sterling Silver Chapter.
• Author and creator of the nationally known outdoor recreation blog www.brightideablog.com.  I am also a founding member of the Outdoor Bloggers Summit, www.outdoorbloggerssummit.blogspot.com.
• Public speaking engagements have included BNI, the Nation’s Outdoor Sportsmen’s’ Show and

  Evergreen

  Church

  in

  Leesburg

  ,

  Virginia

  .
• Children’s sports coaching, including Town of Leesburg Parks & Recreation Flag Football, Loudoun Soccer and Central Loudoun Little League.

Hard Work In the Outdoors

All I can say is that I'm busy busy busy at work.  That's a good thing, especially considering that I went into the spring wondering if this might be the year I had to give up my "career" in the landscape industry.  But instead of business being slow, we're busier than we've been in about five years. 

I'm not sure why that is.  The economy is stronger here in Northern Virginia than in many other parts of the country, but it's still weak compared to what it used to be.  Must just be good luck and good marketing.

A lot has happened recently that I'd like to write about, but it will all have to wait; maybe I'll squeeze in some writing time this Sunday after church.  By the way, I was baptised this past Sunday; more on that too when I get some time!

Some Work Pictures

I normally don't like to cross over much between this blog and my day job as a landscape contractor, but I'm so pleased with the way this wall came out that I just had to post some pictures.

Before

After

What was really nice about the project was that it provided an affordable solution to a problem the client had with his landscape. The gentleman had an unattractive, very steep, planting bed next to his driveway.  He needed us to make it look good on a limited budget. 

In today's economy, the challenges are different than they were a few years ago.  At one time, clients figured that whatever they spent on their landscape would double or triple in added value to their home and property.  They wanted the most extravagant landscape plans I could dream up.  Not so anymore.

Today, the challenge is to solve problems in the most affordable way possible, while still completing a project we can be proud of.  In this particular case, we succeeded.

Monday Times Two

It seems that everything I don't like about Mondays doubles on Tuesday when I take the first day of the work week off.  This has been one of those days. 

Check back tomorrow, and maybe I'll have something good to say.  It's just not happening for me today.

Drive With Pride

The Commonwealth of Virginia is pretty flexible about what you can put on your license plate.  Visitors from other states often comment on the high numbers of personalized tags out on our highways.

I've never been interested in personalizing the letters and numbers on my tags, but I am proud to display my specialized wildlife conservationist plates.