By Rusty,

 If you're looking for May's edition of Rusty's Corner, please visit this link --> 

https://www.themasterslawncare.com/blog/rusty%E2%80%99s-corner-be-known-what-youre-not-what-youre-against   

Our apologies! We had an error with updating a link.

Some people say ignorance is bliss. Certainly being plugged into every breaking story can have some ill-effects. Regardless of your preferred news source, they are all full of anxiety-inducing and polarizing stories. oil shortages, immigration challenges, inflation, new COVID variants, increasing interest rates, etc.

The news media - yes, even your preferred source - profits from escalating worry. The more panic there is, the more viewers they have. The more viewers they have, the more money they make.

It’s almost to the point of clickbait, except slanted in our own political worldview.

It can be very tempting to write them all off and tune them out. However, being uninformed isn't a good answer to the problem.

How would we know if that bill passed, interest rates are going up, or even that inflation is on the rise? It’s just not realistic to unplug completely.

So what are we left to do if it's unhealthy to be wrapped up in every breaking headline, but also to be oblivious?

The answer is to stay connected, but with intentionality. Do not blindly accept every headline from your news source as fact, even if you want to agree with it. As a matter of fact, the more it reinforces your worldview - the more you should probably ask questions.

Diversify your news sources. Get out of your echo chamber. Ask someone you disagree with - but respect -  why they see the issue that way, and then listen. No, not so you can respond. Listen to learn.

Having your worldview challenged is uncomfortable, but rarely do we see another point of view  on our side of the fence..

It may not change your mind, but it just might humanize the opposing side.

It won’t be easy, but rarely is anything easy worth it.

By Rusty,

Robert Frost had a famous quote, “Good fences make good neighbors,” which to me is about so much more than fences. I am convinced that one of the most overlooked skillsets for creating a happy life is setting healthy boundaries.

I was reminded of this quote recently as a close friend went through some challenges in his family he discussed with me - challenges of which all grew from him not setting clear boundaries with a family member. Although he couldn’t see it in the middle of the circumstances, it was really clear from a few steps back.

Although the details of my friends’ situation are private, some of the “fences” needing to be built are common for all of us. We all need to set boundaries on our time, our values, our finances, and even our work. Most of all, we need boundaries around our health - whether it’s emotional or physical.

The challenge for most isn’t knowing what your boundaries are - you know exactly when they’re crossed. You feel the tension when your mother-in-law comes over unannounced, your boss gives an unrealistic deadline, or “that” family member has an issue that needs your help, again. 

Relationally healthy people don’t just feel the tension, but they consistently build tight fences around those tensions. They define what they do, communicate what others shouldn’t do, and then they stick to it.

We all want to be "nice." We value our relationships. Our friends and family are wonderful people! No wonder we "put them first." That's a good thing! But, never at the expense of our personal values. Balance and boundaries are the key.

Although Frost’s "good fences make good neighbors" is a great quote - I think fences create  more than great neighbors. They create a great life.

Where are you needing to build some fences?

2024-march-rustys corner-hero image-100.jpg
By Rusty,

When this idea for an article came up, I had no idea how hard it would be to name the 5 most influential books I’ve ever read. There are so many more books that should make this list, yet making a list beyond 5 books just means less people will read through the list.

Although media has changed dramatically over the past few decades, one thing we know will never change is the value of a great book. Literally, for the price of a cheap dinner, you can get a book that may literally change your life.

Each one of these books has shifted the trajectory of my life. I hope one, or a few of them, can do the same for you.

#5 - The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant - Terry Felber
Although it is a fiction book, it teaches twelve of the most timeless and fundamental life principles to successful living. Not only is it an easy and quick read, the story keeps you reeled in as you wait for the next lesson Antonio has in store for his grandson.

The greatest takeaway I had from this book was recognizing the deception of dividing secular business from personal ministry. Seeing my business as a ministry in the marketplace - serving my team, clients, and vendors - completely flipped my view of business upside down.

Ministry isn't just what I do on Sunday, or at the local non-profit. Ministry is how we do everything we invest our time in, and that especially includes business.

#4 - 5 Love Languages - Gary Chapman
This book has really helped my marriage - but ironically it has also helped me be a better father, employer, and friend as well. The book explains that there a 5 fundamental love "languages," or ways that people receive (hear and feel) love. How did this help outside of my marriage? Because the language that you best receive love is typically a similar way that you also receive appreciation and value from work, or grow a bond with a friend.

One of my biggest takeaways from this book was that interestingly, the way we best receive love, is also commonly the way we try to express it, too. For me, words of affirmation are my primary language - which is why I naturally give words of affirmation away as well.

This, however, may not communicate much appreciation or love to someone that receives love through tangible gifts or acts of service. I have to be intentional about recognizing someone else's language and speak to them through that - otherwise it's as ill-communicated as someone speaking another language to me.

It is a great book for relationships, but can be applied universally with a little extra intention.

#3 EntreLeadership / Total Money Makeover - Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey has had a profound impact on my life in business and personal finance, so much that I simply could not choose between 2 of his bestsellers. Reading one of his books, EntreLeadership, is like getting an MBA in running a small business. It covers the fundamentals of hiring, sales, marketing, systems, and accounting in an applicable way with handles. It's the polar opposite of a textbook read. One of it’s biggest focuses is on being a leader worth following - not just a boss - which still resonates deeply with me.

His other book, The Total Money Makeover, gives a step-by-step way to change the way you look at and manage money. It changed my view of money from one of personal ownership (picture the seagulls from Finding Nemo: ‘mine!’) to stewardship of what I’ve been entrusted with.

#2 - 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey
If you've read this newsletter for any amount of time, you've probably come across me referencing the habits in this book. Rarely can you find a book with so much insight and a detailed plan for improving your life as a whole with a proven step-by-step process.

The 7 Habits implemented consistently will create some form of success for any person, because the guided and practical application the book lays out is a recipe for long-term success. I read this book first in 2010, have read it almost annually since then, and now it is a must read for our up-and-coming managers at TMLC.

The great thing about this book is you can implement the habits in any area of your life. The habits will make you better in every role you play - spouse, parent, business leader, teacher, manager, or salesperson.

The biggest takeaway I would share is the weekly planning by role, which I have written about previously. It expands planning to a broader viewpoint, but focuses on your individual roles (father, husband, manager, salesperson, son, youth group leader, pilot...) to help ensure you take a step forward every week in each role you assume.

#1 - The Bible - Various authors
Although it is actually a collection of books, the Bible has had a profound impact on my life personally and professionally. Although many people focus singularly on its spiritual teachings (of which I subscribe to as a Jesus-follower), they may miss out on the practical wisdom and life lessons it holds outside of those. 

Specifically, the New Testament contains rich guidelines for relationships, both in how to forgive and how we should treat each other. Ideals, such as directly confronting people over disagreements, working without expecting recognition, and recognizing our limited ability to change others, are all emphasized in Jesus’ teaching. If you follow the guidance in it, I believe that, while your worldly success is not guaranteed, your chance of success will be higher. The entire book of Proverbs alone is sentence after sentence of wisdom from King Solomon, frequently given the title of ‘Wisest man on Earth.”

Interestingly, the fundamental teachings from the 5 books prior on this list were based on principles from the Bible. I realize that not everyone shares my views of these books, and I would love to hear your book recommendations or thoughts about mine. Please email them to me at rusty@themasterslawncare.com.

Some of the above links are affiliate links, which pay a small referral fee for recommending their books. Please know this adds no cost to you - but it does help us if you use the links!

By Rusty,

“Clients do not come first. The staff come first. If you take care of your staff, they will take care of the clients.” - Richard Branson

This seems like an obvious approach to running a solid business, however it was not my vision early on. Starting out young in business, I had studied some basic economic principles and thought I had it all figured out. The fundamental idea was that you pay as little as you can for something, and then sell as much of it as you can to make a profit. 

This short-sighted outlook on business led to a culture of underequipped, overworked, and underpaid employees serving a client base that perpetually wanted (and deserved) more. For me as a young entrepreneur, every day held a new equipment, client, or employee issue - and most days had all 3.

As I looked around for someone to blame - I kept coming back to one person to blame. Myself.

Just over a decade ago now, that all changed. The intersection of an opportunity to join a green industry mentorship group and reading the book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" changed the way I will view business forever.

Habit #4 in the book talks about successful people looking to create "Win/Win" agreements, and how most people's (and certainly my own) natural tendency is to look for "Win/Lose" agreements, where one side of the agreement wins and the other loses. You can guess which side I wanted to win.

Unfortunately, I recognized that most of my business agreements had started out as Win/Lose, but had deteriorated to Lose/Lose. It turns out that being cheap with our pricing, our pay, our equipment, and our benefits had actually cost more than it was saving. My mentors helped me see that my staff didn't want to work with us and our clients felt the brunt of that. Between the business, the employee, and the client, we all three lost.

I was in a race to the bottom and unfortunately, that was the only race I was winning.

Born from that frustrating recognition of failure began a new vision for The Master's, now just over a decade old: "To create an organization clients love doing business with and team members love working for."

This vision gave us a framework to make decisions, and it was time to start making that vision a reality.

We started with investing in our team by increasing wages. Naturally, this improved our team dramatically as we were able to choose the right fits for the team and culture we were starting to build. We also started an all new benefit program - paid time off, health Insurance, matching retirement, and even profit-sharing. We offered Financial Peace University classes. We started doing social events for the team, and even inviting their families. We started doing weekly team meetings to celebrate client compliments, and reinforce the positive culture. The more we worked on the culture, the more it improved, and the fruits of those efforts multiplied.

Team members that love where they work create services that clients love. Clients that love their services continue subscribing to the business. Businesses that see the value of their team create an even better place to work.

And the cycle begins again.

As we prepare for our leadership team's strategic planning meeting for a new year, I am reminded to increase our focus on finding the Win/Win in every partnership we create. As long as we have that focus, our team won't allow our clients or the business to lose.

By Rusty,

I was just leaving the parking lot of GRACE Marketplace (a homeless shelter near the airport), and I certainly didn't expect to see anyone I knew as a guest there. After I got my truck started, I heard, "Hey Rusty! Please roll down your window." I looked out to see a roughly-dressed man, in his mid-40s, with a dirty ball cap and a gnarly beard looking in my window at me.

As I rolled down my window, he seemed excited to see an old friend, and asked how I had been.

It took a moment, but shortly I recognized Jeff. Jeff had been my manager almost 2 decades ago when I was fresh out of college in one of my first jobs. He had recognized me walking out to my vehicle and was excited to see an old friend. Of course, more questions than I could ask raced through my mind.

Before I could ask anything, he caught me up on his story and I was literally shaken. I learned that he had lost his wife in a tragic car accident 10 years ago. They had just started dating when we worked together, and were together over 10 years when she was taken away in an instant.

That was awful enough; but it was the first domino in his life that led to a battle with depression, losing his career, substance abuse, losing custody of his 2 children, and eventually where he was that day - homeless.

My entitlement strikes me at times, but this was more like a gut-punch. It's one thing to know there are homeless people. It's quite another to know a personal friend who is homeless.

For me, a typically 'stressful' holiday season is ensuring that my son's gift is delivered by Santa (UPS) in time, and that the elves (my wife and I) get it assembled correctly. For Jeff, it's wondering if he'll have a place to sleep on Christmas and whether he will be able to get warm.

This holiday season will be different, and not just because we will do something for Jeff. It will be different because I've been slapped in the face with a reminder of how comfortable and easy my life is. Make no mistake, 2021 has had some challenges - but nothing like Jeff.

So this Holiday Season I’m giving thanks like never before, because my life is blessed beyond what I even realize...   until someone helps remind me.   _____________________________
*Names were changed in this story for privacy protection.
By Rusty,

When you shop locally, you do far more than getting the items that you want quickly and conveniently. Buying local actually stimulates the economy in our community, helps benefit local schools and charities and it even helps the environment!

As we go into the shopping season for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, make sure to remember Small Business Saturday (November 27th). Many local businesses have been hit hard with the trifecta of COVID shutdowns, supply chain issues and the rising use of Amazon and other large online retailers.

Small Business Saturday is an annual holiday that celebrates small businesses and encourages consumers to shop locally at the start of the holiday shopping season. This holiday aids small businesses by drawing attention to their importance in our economy. It also helps customers who want access to unique products and experiences in their community and local economies that benefit from successful small businesses.

Below is a few core reasons that point out the importance of shopping local:

1. You create local jobs
Local businesses are better at creating higher-paying jobs for your neighbors. When you shop locally, you help create jobs for teachers, firemen, police officers, and many other essential professions.

2. You help the environment
Buying from a Gainesville-owned business conserves energy and resources in the form of less fuel for transportation and less packaging.

3. You embrace what makes Gainesville unique
You wouldn’t want your house to look like everyone else’s in the U.S. So why would you want your community to look that way?

4. You nurture our community
Our local business owners know you, and you know them. Studies have shown that local businesses donate to community causes at more than twice the rate of chains.

5. Customer Service Is Better
Local businesses often hire people with more specific product expertise for better customer service. You are also going to see these people around town and they are less likely to blow you off or be rude because they have to face you day after day.

Shopping local is not only about the local retail store owner - but it's about the 'trickle down' effect shopping local causes. The money goes to the shop owners but then is disbursed to local employees, local vendors, local schools, local non-profit, local government taxes, and continues to move through our area.

For a few shop local suggestions see our past article here:
5 Places to Shop Local this Holiday Season

By Rusty,

I once read a tale by John Maxwell of someone who came across 3 bricklayers working. The man asked the first bricklayer what he was doing. "I'm setting bricks," the worker replied.
He then asked the second bricklayer the same question. "I'm putting up a wall," he said.
The passerby then asked the question one more time, this time to the third bricklayer.
The response: "I'm building a cathedral."

As this story illustrates, 3 different workers can do the exact same task, but with widely varying reasons. The first sounds to have worked primarily for the paycheck. He saw his work as a task that needed to be completed, regardless of the outcome. When 5 pm came, he was on the way out.

The second was likely motivated by a sense of completion and was proud that his bricklaying would result in the construction of a wall. Perhaps he would add a few extra minutes here and there in order to see the goal to completion.

However, the third had a larger vision and purpose. He seemed driven by a deep desire to build something with a larger impact on their community - a worship center. Every brick was a step towards a greater vision and purpose. No doubt that such a person would go beyond expectations; and would get more satisfaction out of the finished product as well.

Our company has a 'why' that is about so much more than treating lawns or installing plants. Our why is to affect the people around us - our team, clients, and the Gainesville community - in a positive way.

Sometimes that's giving parents the opportunity to go to their child's soccer game because they don't have to hassle with their lawn on Saturday morning. Other times it's giving a family a place to spend time together without electronic interruptions by installing a patio with a firepit in their backyard. We impact our team by offering a positive work environment with a team atmosphere and above-average pay and benefits. In all of those areas, what we do is simply an extension of our why: to affect the people around us in a positive way.

Whatever it is that you do, I encourage you to find and focus on why you do it. It will transform what you do into a passion and a purpose, and less of just a J.O.B..

Take a look at this impactful video that symbolizes this exact phenomenon. This simple idea can change the way you view your entire life.

Know Your Why | Michael Jr.

In the clip, comedian Michael Jr. describes the power of knowing your “why.” In it, he asks a member of the audience to sing the opening portion of “Amazing Grace.” The gentleman, a music teacher, sang the refrain flawlessly.

After praising his performance, the comedian asked the gentleman to do it again, but this time painted a scenario of a family member just returning home from a long prison stay. Not surprisingly, the second performance was ten times better than the first. This time, the song was performed with feeling, emotion, and passion. The words were more animated and the tone was richer. Michael Jr. ended with a quote that is extremely insightful. He said:

“When you know your ‘WHY’ then your ‘WHAT’ has more impact because you’re working towards your God-given PURPOSE.”

By Rusty,

Several years ago, we planted a beautiful Elm tree in our yard that would grow up to provide great shade for our backyard.

The challenge is that this tree puts out a lot of seeds and volunteer trees pop up throughout our landscape. I am not exaggerating to say that every time I work in the yard, I find several tiny elm trees in random places. It's a shame that they don't appear in an appealing location, because I know they come from good stock and I would love to have another tree of that caliber. But invariably, they sprout in a rose, or next to my foundation, or any other spot where they shouldn't be.

Years ago, I was told that the definition of a weed is "anything growing where you don't want it." At the time I struggled with that. Could Zoysia grass, an Azalea, or even an Elm Tree be considered a weed? The truth is, yes - no matter how admirable the plant. If something is growing in the wrong place, it's a "weed."

The unplanned Elm tree steals attention, sunlight, nutrients, and water from the plant that is meant to grow in that location - hence, it is a weed and needs to be removed.

Before having a family, I loved scuba diving. It was fun being out in the ocean enjoying God's underwater creation. It also was time-consuming and expensive due to the long boat ride, equipment, and training. When examining that hobby in light of my family vacation's priorities, it was evident that it was a weed; a fun and appealing weed - but still a weed that was stealing time and resources from the priority - my family.

It wasn't that scuba diving is toxic or bad. It just isn't the priority on vacations anymore. Who knows if the future holds vacations that involve scuba diving with my family, but for now, it's a weed, and had to be removed. 

The challenge with any weed is always to identify them early and get them out of the way. Maybe your "weeds" are tasks you take on at work that seem urgent, but aren't a priority. Maybe they're hobbies that are fun but don't contribute to your larger goals. Maybe it's even a person in your life that is taking away constructive time and energy. Whatever the weeds in your life are, identify them and get them out.

The definition of a weed truly is "anything growing where you don't want it."
What's growing in your life where you don't want it?

By Rusty,

Every day we tell ourselves stories - hundreds of them. Whether it's the story of why our co-worker didn't finish their project on time or why the political opposition has a certain stance.

It's probably not as clear-cut as the co-worker being lazy or the opposing party wanting to destroy our nation - but that's how we fill the gap between the facts and the unknown. It often happens without us even being aware.

While our stories help fill the void in our world to give us clarity, our stories also cloud our vision. These stories are written out by our perceptions and worldview, and unfortunately, our perceptions are sometimes off base.

The goal isn't to stop our storytelling, not that we could ever do that anyway. Our goal should be awareness of our storytelling. The more aware we are of the story, the more choice we have in whether we believe it. The more choice we have to create a new story.

Don't stop telling yourself stories. Just tell a better one.

By Rusty,

One of our core values is 'Plan Ahead,' but it really is so much more than that.

Whether it's your day, your upcoming project, your finances, or even your relationships; instilling a habit of visualizing the end result before you act on it will have an incredible impact on you.

The original idea of this core value is rooted in is Habit #2 from 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, one of my favorite books of all time.

'Begin with The End in Mind' is simply taking the time to envision the future of what you're wanting before you actually start the process of working on it. It seems like it would be pretty fundamental to any process, but I have found many times where I skipped this simple step. I would invest lots of time and effort into something only to find out what I wanted and what I ended up with were two very different things.

One of the clearest lessons I remember was in dating - I realized that the type of places I was meeting dates would never lead me to my desired future of a family.

Another one was in my early years of business with my hiring process. I was making short-term decisions (hiring to get the job done today); instead of patiently building a long-term team to grow with. My long-term aspirations and my short-term actions didn't mesh; mostly due to lack of foresight.

There's an age-old story about climbing a ladder only to find out that it was leaning against the opposite wall you wanted to be on. 'Beginning with the End in Mind' is one of the most simple and basic steps to success in anything.

Unfortunately, it's so basic that you might just skip it.