ME & MY MENTOR
Feeding your growth
The resources you need to expand your business by Rick Smith, The Pruning Guru Inc.
Q. "What resources helped you grow your business?" Growing your business from scratch is always rewarding and challenging.
Upchurch, Nature Scapes 4Rick • Always very calm and leads by example. Thomas, at the time owner of Scapes 4Ken Group Landscape
When I first started The Pruning Guru Inc. in 2002, I knew how to do the work - which is part of the reward - but learning how to run a business was where the challenge came into play. The first resources I used were other professionals and business owners, people who had been in the industry for a long time and were successful. Before starting my own business, I worked with Post Properties for 15 years, so I knew exactly where I needed to start my quest. Post Properties was a member of MALTA (Metro Atlanta Landscape & Turf Association). Where else could you find so many landscape professionals in one room?
• Ken is now the owner of Envisor Consulting, along with Ben Gandy. • Later on, I hired Ken to consult with the Pruning Guru Inc. His advice really moved us in the right direction. The investment was worth every cent. If it were not for Envisor Consulting, we would not be where we are today.
Walters, at the time owner of Piedmont 4Phil Landscape
These are the professionals who gave me great advice:
• Being an owner of multiple businesses, he was a wealth of knowledge. He was always willing to share his successes and downfalls to help the one asking for advice.
From 1982 – 1997 Rick Smith worked in
UAC MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2020
specialized landscaping at Post Properties. In 2002 he started The Pruning Guru Inc. and in 2004 became a Georgia and Alabama Certified Landscape Professional, administered through UGA. From 2006 – 2011 he sat on the board of directors for MALTA, serving as president from 2009 2010. In 2015 The Pruning Guru's pruning practices on ornamental trees and shrubs was filmed by UGA's Horticulture Department for their Super Crew video series.
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Rick Smith, owner of The Pruning Guru Inc.
Currently he does pruning presentations throughout the southeast for horticulture colleges, landscape associations, landscape companies and garden clubs. He also serves as Chairperson for the Georgia Certified Landscape Professional advisory board.
