Overcoming Inflation Through Community Unity and Education

Everyone is now talking inflation. The cost of everything is going up and the cost of doing business is also rising. As a business representative you always need to think about your customers and your customer service. Keeping our businesses strong will ensure we will continue to be here for them throughout these difficult times. CLCA is a nonprofit organization, and we are all volunteers to help our association and industry grow. Now more than ever I believe community unity and education can help us fight and overcome the effects of rising prices.

Oil has jumped up per barrel and it is affecting the gas pumps, food, materials, and transportation costs for your jobs. Now is the time to be helping your local organizations lobby the legislature for the future of our great state. We have come far in renewable energy by using battery powered tools, energy-saving irrigation clocks and LED lighting. Speak with your chapter on where they are buying materials and support those who are supporting us.

You have a voice. Write to your local and state legislators. Write to CLCA and me to get your voice heard. Also reach out to fellow members. By getting involved and advocating for issues that are important to you, you will be helping your business, the businesses of other members and suppliers, and scores of others along the way. This is what makes this community of CLCA so great. Keep pushing forward.

Another way to help your business is by attending as many local CLCA activities and educational events you can. The more you learn, the stronger you and your business become. You will need to be strong to overcome the obstacles to business brought on by inflation, Covid, and a legislature that just voted down a law that would have temporarily put on hold about 50 cents per gallon of California’s gas tax.

These events include the March 31 Zoom presentation by award-winning landscaper Richard Cohen. He will discuss “How to prepare an award-winning landscape.” Beginning at 2 p.m., the event is hosted by the SFV Chapter and will help CI members as they prepare to enter the SFV upcoming Landscape Beautification Awards competition, with a banquet on June 25.

You also need to attend the Channel Islands Chapter’s Regional Supplier Showcase and Technology Summit April 28 at All Around Landscape Supply in Carpinteria. Learn the technology secrets that can help your company operate more productively and with more efficiency.

Finally, put May 26 in your calendar. That’s the date of a Regional Roundtable Discussion on “How our members market their businesses” hosted by Landscape Warehouse at their Van Nuys store on 7053 Valjean Ave. It is a free event and includes dinner.

If it’s true that education is the key to success, then your local CLCA chapters are about to empower you and your business to help overcome the uncertain business climate in which we now find ourselves.

~Kyle Hillendahl, 2022 Channel Islands Chapter President