May 15, 2015
Editor’s note: The following letter was addressed to Landscape Ontario executive director Tony DiGiovanni. The author has given his approval to have it re-printed as a Letter to the Editor

I am a first-year member and wanted to drop you a line to share my experience thus far with Landscape Ontario.  

I have been in business for four seasons, after leaving a career in telecommunications. I worked for a small lawn maintenance company learning how to landscape, before starting my own business.

After my second season, things really took off. We are attracting great clients who want more services. I am a newbie in the industry, and I won’t jeopardize my reputation by pretending to know (and sell) things of which I’m not an expert. So, I’ve needed to become an expert in order to grow the business.

Landscape Ontario has been a HUGE help for me toward growing my company and getting up to speed on the things I’ve needed to learn. I’ve taken quite a few seminars and have learned a ton...but that’s not what’s really motivated me to send you this letter. I have been incredibly impressed with the team at the LO office, as well as the instructors teaching the seminars.

I just received several emails (on a Sunday) from Belinda Gallagher, who spent God knows how long breaking up her course outline into several pieces, as the file I requested was too large to send from her home.

Kathy McLean in the office obviously read my feedback forms as the last class I took had colour handouts as requested.

Myscha Burton could have steered me to the website to learn about the benefits of LO membership, but instead welcomed me into her office and spent 30 minutes chatting with me and answering questions.

Jeff McMann was someone I emailed for advice after a course last year, and I always got responses and solid direction. The same can be said of Sean James from Fern Ridge.

Anyway Tony, to be perfectly honest, the biggest reason I joined LO was to save some money on a new truck and seminar fees. What I soon learned is that you folks have created an amazing association that will help me grow my company quickly and in the right directions. It’s an organization I am very proud to be a member of, and hope to bring my experience and knowledge to in any way that helps.

Keep up the great work.

Dan Legault
Natural Elements Home, Lawn, and Property Services, Oakville